Brochures and Collateral

Last Updated on: 17 November 2009

The idea of a brochure is to motivate visitors to choose your product. It should carry enough information so that visitors understand what it is you offer, why they should choose your business and how to get hold of you. Be clear and concise - brochures shouldn't have a lot of text but should convey the key aspects of your business.

Do some research at your local i-SITE Centre and see how other operators have formatted their brochures, what works and want doesn't.

A few tips:

  • Make sure you include a contact telephone number (including international access code: +64), email and website addresses
  • Don't forget to include any industry accreditations such as your Qualmark quality assurance logo and, if you've achieved one, your Qualmark Enviro-assured logo
  • Place your company name at the top of the front cover so it is not obscured by brochure racks
  • Make sure the design reflects what your brand stands for and the kind of experience you offer
  • Include a map that clearly shows your location
  • Indicate if customers need to book in advance
  • A picture says a thousand words - use photos that clearly convey what you offer and show people enjoying your experience
  • Use short sentences and language that's easy to understand. Remember English might be a second language for some of your customers!
  • Make sure you carefully proofread a draft of the brochure before it goes to print

Printing

If you haven't used a printer before, shop around and ask for quotes. Some printers will also handle the design of your brochure, or you may like to pay a little more to use a specialist design agency (who may handle printing for you!). Brief them on your company, your target market, your product, your brand and what you want the brochure to communicate.

Print a small quantity of brochures at a time in case your details change and you need to update the brochure. You have responsibilities under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 to ensure the information you provide customers is accurate and up to date, so you don't want to make any claims you can't live up to.

If you can, it's a good idea to consider the environment when printing brochures and other collateral - especially if your business is Qualmark rated. Make sure the paper is from a sustainable source (look for a Forest Stewardship Council or similar endorsement on the package or choose recycled paper) and is fully recyclable, and check that your printers use vegetable-based printing inks. Remember to let your customers know you've chosen environmentally-friendly options by including a note somewhere on your brochure.

 

Remember to let your customers know you've chosen environmentally-friendly options by including a note somewhere on your brochure."

Images

To create professional brochures and other marketing collateral you will need high-quality photos of your product. It is recommended that you use a professional photographer.

Printers and designers will ask you to supply digital files of your images (including photos as well as your logo ) on CD or via email. You should provide .jpg or .tif images of at least 300 dpi and around 1800 by 2600 pixels.

Did you know?

Tourism New Zealand's image library provides access to a huge range of images of New Zealand. These can be used free of charge in marketing material that promotes New Zealand offshore as a tourism destination. Register and apply online at http://images.newzealand.com/