"To get a running start on 2009 projects, yesterday we googled-up some corporate capability brochures to get some ideas," writes Dave J. in a recent B2Blog post. "Immediately, I was drawn [to] what was wrong in these publications." Now, lots of B2B companies have a "Who We Are and What We Do" brochure. They're actually a good idea: smaller than an annual report, bigger and more impressive than a business card. So what got Dave's goat?
Irrelevant covers that didn't say what the company does. "In several cases, [they] also didn't show anything relevant," he reports.
Irrelevant images, including way too many world globes, and other worn-out graphic treatments.
Irrelevant photos: stock photography with no relevance to the content.
Irrelevant copy, such as: "XXX Inc. is built on strong core competencies that enable the development of a wide choice of product and support solutions to meet the specific needs of our customers." Uh-huh. OK.
Dave did choose one brochure that got it right. Interestingly, it was probably done in-house. "The body copy was extremely light, but define[d] what they do clearly. Lots of labeled pictures: product, target industries, and their [own staff]. The piece wasn't beautiful, but it quickly let me understand the company and what it does, so that I felt connected with their brand."
The Point: Think before you self-promote, friends. "Your heart, o marketing manager, should be for the brand and products; let it show, like you care," Dave J. pleads.
Source: B2Blog. Read the full post here.
by Christina "CK" Kerley
