Question

Topic: Copywriting

B2b Brochure

Posted by aaroncagen on 7/18/2010 at 12:55 PM ET 118 Points
In this day and age, what should the objective of a B2B brochure be? Certainly it varies by sector and individual company, but are there any concrete guidelines?

We need something for salespeople to leave behind and give them a good first impression of our capabilities. This is key in the IT world in which trust is a big issue.

In many instances, C-level prospects don't know that problems exist until it's too late. Is a brochure a good place to highlight these issues and how you tackle these challenges?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 7/18/2010 at 1:57 PM Accepted
    Aaron - a brochure is used to communicate with illustrations - that is its main purpose, and the advantage it has over a letter.

    The brochure must list and explain the benefits of the product you are selling, using the illustrations to add to and enhance the message.

    The quality of paper (stock) you use for the brochure should be chosen to correspond to the kind of product you are promoting and its market positioning.

    One more thing - brochures are costly to print, so should be written and designed to last. Listing prices, for example, can limit the brochure's shelf life, as would putting in names of sales people etc. So it makes sense to design the brochure with longevity in mind.

    Hope that helps,

    Peter
  • Posted by wnelson on 7/18/2010 at 1:59 PM Accepted
    Aaron,

    I run across this question all the time - especially with people just starting out. Everyone believes they FIRST need business cards, a website, and a brochure. It's true these are essentials of business, but mostly as a "bar" to prove to people you really are a business - particularly the brochure. Think about it: Have you EVER bought anything from a brochure? I haven't. I don't know of anyone who has. What do you do with brochures someone leaves behind for you? Most people throw them away. I tell my clients that a brochure is something for sales people to hold so their hands are busy and they don't fiddle clicking a pen.

    You mention trust. It's not just a key in the IT world - it's key to any sale. You have to inspire trust. But trust is earned personally, not from a piece of paper. IT sales, particularly, require the decision makers to trust the person. You are selling insurance. You are preventing something bad from happening that may happen in a few minutes or never. No one can say for sure until you spend lots of time analyzing the system and then the best you can say is bad things are highly likely to occur. It's like smoking. Sure, there's lots of proof that it causes cancer. But, there are a few people - everybody knows one - that smoked all their lives and got hit by a truck at 101. Selling potential future bad things is the hardest sale of all! People would rather avoid thinking about and pretend it doesn't exist. This, despite the very well known true stories of people who rolled the dice and lost in their IT world. Everyone knows one of these too.

    So you tell me: Do you think a brochure is a good way to break through to these people? Will it make a difference? I would bet NOT. After all, brochures are glossy marketing fluff aimed at attracting people - that, everyone knows too. You don't need your salespeople to leave behind a brochure or anything else. What you need is your salespeople to have a conversation with the decision makers. They need to establish a rapport and build trust. They need to stop "selling" and start listening and understanding the problems the decision makers face and to help them find solutions.

    But, if you absolutely are bent on having a brochure, then have ti discuss the top three or four problems most business owners face with respect to IT and simply ask, "Do any of these things hit home with you? If so, perhaps we should talk."

    I hope this helps.

    Wayde
  • Posted by aaroncagen on 7/18/2010 at 2:13 PM Author
    Thanks Wade. That's a great answer.

    Do you suggest that we don't have a brochure at all? Prospects ask us all the time for materials to send them. It certainly holds more credibility than a website (at least in the generic since) that anyone could create in their basement.

    (Sure, the same could be said about brochures, but at least it takes a little dough to print out. But I digress...)

    I guess that's my question. What do we leave behind? It's almost as if we'd lose credibility if we didn't have something to leave behind when everyone else does.

    Looking forward to hearing your answer(s).
  • Posted by wnelson on 7/18/2010 at 2:39 PM Member
    Aaron,

    When a customer asks us to send information or leave it behind, think about their motive. In many cases, they ask this because they want to get rid of us. And as a salesman, we become excited because they didn't tell us NO. They must be interested and all we have to do is give them a couple days or weeks at the most and then they will have time to talk with us! How often does that actually happen? Not often at all, in my experience.

    When a prospect asks me if I will leave something behind, I usually answer, "Yes, I can do that, but may I ask you a question? In many cases, when a decision maker asks me to leave something behind, it's because they want to get rid of me. Is that the case here?" If they say, "Yes," then tell them you respect that and will get out of their hair. If they say, "No, I really would like to know more about your company and what you do." Then, let them know you have a lot of material you could send. So that you know which to send, ask in particular they are hoping to see. Agree to send that material - in a brochure or a well crafted letter is even better because you know specifically what they will be looking for. Before you leave the conversation, though, make sure you ask, that once they have the information, what is the next step?

    Yes, have a simple brochure - as I described at the end of my last email. Keep in mind, however, what the aim of the brochure is. You want them to invite you in. And if that isn't comfortable for them, at least have them go to your website for more information and then invite you in from there.

    Wayde
  • Posted by aaroncagen on 7/18/2010 at 3:09 PM Author
    Thanks.

    I'd like to maintain our credibility amongst other IT vendors BUT at the same time, illuminate our differentiating points.

    At the same time, many of the C-level folks we meet see IT problems as a necessary evil - and I'd like to highlight that our services dispel this notion and helps eliminate many of the business-impeding IT issues.

    I'm sure this should be reflected in the materials - i.e., brochure - shouldn't it?
  • Posted by mgoodman on 7/18/2010 at 5:02 PM Accepted
    Wayde has done a terrific job of responding to the basic question. What I'd add is that your brochure will work harder for you if it is all about how you address the customers' problems, the benefit they can expect, and why they're better off dealing with you than with your competition (or with nobody).

    Keep it positive ... the benefit, not the problems you'll avoid or fix ... the peace of mind they'll have, the fast response time, the commitment to being a trusted and valued part of their team, etc.

    Avoid the temptation to make the brochure all about YOU, what you know, what services you provide, where you were trained, etc. Focus on the primary BENEFIT they should expect. That's really the important message you want to communicate ... if anyone actually reads the brochure.

    And you might think about how a salesperson could use the brochure during the presentation to make a few key points, and then leave the brochure behind.

    Of course, if the salesperson is doing a really good job of learning what the customer's hot button is, you're much better off with a customized leave-behind that addresses the issue specifically, or even a tailored PDF delivered right after the meeting/contact.
  • Posted on 7/18/2010 at 5:42 PM Accepted
    Wayde you are awesome.

    Something I would add is that in this day in age you can avoid the print materials to some degree by designing specific pages on your website that address specific situations. If someone asks for a brochure you can instead direct them to your website. If you have a well thought out content on your website - you can direct them to the parts of your website the explain solutions to your problems. This can be very interactive and easy for prospects to share with other decision makers or influencers.

    If you are a larger company that can afford a CMS like Sitecore this can take the sales process a step further: you can then monitor the prospects interaction on your website, and personalize content to them. Plus you can see if other people from the organization have also been looking at your website.

    Another bonus of directing people to your website is that you can quickly update this information (if you have a CMS) - pricing, details, contact info etc. So you no longer have worries about outdated print materials to keep track of, or replenishing inventories.
  • Posted by aaroncagen on 7/18/2010 at 8:05 PM Author
    Great responses, thank you.

    It seems that the consensus is that it should focus on how the solution benefits the client. As Wayde said, "discuss the top three or four problems most business owners face with respect to IT".

    How do I make it "positive" without mentioning the PROBLEMS our solution resolves. What do you think of a diagram of the issues of the conventional way of doing things vs. our proposed solution?

    Many thanks again all.
  • Posted by wnelson on 7/18/2010 at 11:30 PM Member
    Aaron,

    Before you decide what goes into the brochure, you need to settle on the purpose. What do you want the prospects to do as a result of the brochure. To "maintain our credibility amongst other IT vendors BUT at the same time, illuminate our differentiating points" really is not an "action." The reason the prospect wouldn't have credibility is they don't KNOW you. A brochure won't help them know you. It can only put statements in print. Statements don't give you credibility. Credibility comes from statements that you prove to be true through actions. Differentiation is good - but has to be real. Everyone makes statements like, "We care about our clients" and "We're always available." What is it that REALLY differentiates you? Ask your current clients why they hire you for their IT needs versus your competitors. But, a differentiation strategy only works if you are trying to unseat an incumbent.

    What you need to do is define your sales process first. Your brochure has to be a part of that process. For example, what you really want is a face-to-face meeting with the decision maker. If you can get in front of them, you have a chance to understand their needs and to show them how you can address them. Because they don't know you, in some cases, it's too much to ask to walk in and ask for a meeting or to call and request on. So, a first step might be to leave a brochure. One possible outcome would be to have them call you to talk about more. So, in this case, the purpose would be to get them to read enough that they would call.

    As I mentioned, the purpose of the brochure is to further your sales process. Ultimately, you want to have a face to face meeting, right? This is a lot to expect for a brochure. Back up a step. Before they invite you in, you want them to either A) Call you to invite you - that's a lot to expect, really. or B) Take your call. During the call, you can get them up to the point to invite you in. You also could include a half-way step of exploring your website to gain confidence and then take your call.

    You state that "C-level prospects don't know that problems exist until it's too late." So, step one is to raise the specter that maybe their world might be interrupted by some unpleasant stuff. Sure, concentrate on your benefits - you will help them to avoid those unpleasantries. Pick the top 3 unpleasantries and define your benefits along those lines. Include a "call to action." This would be, "take our call. Or if you need more, go to our website and then take our all."

    Aaron, these are only sample strategies. You need to craft specific strategies that are correct for your company and your positioning.

    Wayde
  • Posted by aaroncagen on 7/19/2010 at 12:03 AM Author
    Makes perfect sense. Many thanks for your time.

    You mention that "a differentiation strategy only works if you are trying to unseat an incumbent".

    Unless we're dealing with a startup company, don't most situations deal with an incumbent of one form or another? Is this the ONLY time a differentiation strategy works? What about a situation in which the prospect isn't "buy-ready" and will consider options down the road - i.e., who will they call first?
  • Posted by mgoodman on 7/19/2010 at 6:52 AM Moderator
    In that case, the incumbent is doing nothing, ignoring the latent risk, or minimizing short-term expense and accepting that the penalty might be worse, but at least it's in the future.

    "Incumbent," in this case, really means "current situation."

    Your differentiation, however, will probably be different if it's the "do nothing" incumbent than if it's a competitor. Trying to cover both situations in the same brochure all but guarantees that you'll sub-optimize your story for both audiences.
  • Posted by wnelson on 7/19/2010 at 8:43 AM Member
    You have three competitors: The "do nothing," as Michael states, a present supplier, and internal staff. Each requires a different tactic to unseat. Also, as Michael says, if you try to do all of these in one brochure, it won't be effective. Good marketing is about pin-point accuracy. Fight on one front at a time, not spread all your assets across all fronts.

    Wayde
  • Posted by telemoxie on 7/23/2010 at 8:46 AM Accepted
    I guess I have a very different opinion about the uses and usefulness of professionally printed brochures than some of the comments above. But then again, I tend to look at issues from a nontraditional point of view.

    I would like to focus on your point about the unique capabilities and differentiation of your firm. Over the years, I have represented a large number of systems integration and computer service firms. Each of them has said: "we are different from all our competition because..." and then they tell me exactly the same thing the last dozen firms told me.

    Maybe you are not really that different.

    Maybe it is not reasonable to expect a brochure to communicate the idea that you are somehow different. Some years ago, I represented a number of website development companies. Each of them tried to convince me that they were somehow different. But they all had essentially the same story. I started promoting one company, describing the company as follows: "we are one of those website development companies". In almost all cases, the person on the other end of the phone would start laughing. They had heard company after company tried to spin some yarn about how they were somehow different, and apparently the honesty was refreshing.

    As an IT service company, your job is to solve their computer problems, same as every other IT service company in the world. If you feel you really bring something different and unique and special, great for you: fantastic! If you want to e-mail me privately, I'll be more than happy to review your materials and offer whatever perspective I can, no charge.

    and so I don't think that a brochure, however well-written, can differentiate you from thousands of similar firms.

    In my opinion, the bigger your company, and the bigger your prospects, the more you need a brochure. I was personally in business for 12 years and never had a brochure. But then again, I never tried to convince anyone that I was a large well-funded operation.

    One function of a brochure can be "defense”. For example, a secretary or other non-decision-maker might ask you to send or leave a brochure, seeking to disqualify you. The brochure will never earn you the business, but you may not have a chance to tell your story without it. It seems to me that when more people are involved in a purchasing decision, there is an increased need for a professional brochure.

    Also, salespeople will whine and cry if they do not have a nice brochure. It seems to me that part of your job is to respond to the needs of the sales staff, even if you feel you know better.

    Good luck to you. I hope this perspective helps in some small way.
  • Posted by mgoodman on 7/31/2010 at 9:18 AM Moderator
    Telemoxie is one smart marketer ... with enough dents in his helmet to give great advice.

    What he describes, though, is a commodity mentality that is all too common in business. It basically says, "We're all the same." And that approach generally degenerates into a price issue, where margins shrink or vanish in short order.

    If a company really accepts that "... we are all the same," then its days are numbered, and it isn't likely to be very profitable. To really have a sustainable competitive reason-for-being, you need to offer some unique benefit, or a common benefit in a unique (and beneficial) way.

    And it can be done. I've done it often in my consulting career and for companies I've served.

    Think about potato chips. They are made from potatoes, salt and usually fried in oil. (OK, some are baked.) Yet consumers prefer Lay's brand potato chips by a wide margin over other brands. Frito-Lay refused to accept the commodity mentality and created a sustainable competitive positioning for the Lay's brand.

    The examples of this are myriad. And they are real, not just some empty marketing hype or fluff. Smart companies identify an unmet consumer need and develop a product that satisfies that need. Then they teach the target audience about their uniqueness and customers try the product. If it delivers on the positioning promise, they repeat-purchase and become loyal customers.

    I've done it for industrial chemicals, carpet fibers, food products, healthcare services, and dozens of other "commodity" products. I KNOW it can be done.

    You don't have to be a commodity product unless you want to. And why would you want to?
  • Posted by aaroncagen on 8/1/2010 at 12:02 AM Author
    No I certainly don't want that. And I am confident that we DO have a distinct competitive advantage. The question is how to relate it in marketing materials such as a brochure - to C-level execs that don't know much or care to know much about IT.
  • Posted on 8/1/2010 at 5:44 AM Member
    Jeez! So much advice here! Plenty to be going on with I would have thought!
  • Posted by mgoodman on 8/2/2010 at 8:11 AM Moderator
    The question is whether your distinct competitive advantage is one that your target audience truly values ...

    If not, then it doesn't really matter. If so, then the challenge is to express and explain it in terms that will be most meaningful to them. A professional copywriter should be able to help with that.
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