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Earlier,
I made reference to opening the brochure with the method of
opening lines leading into a story, when in fact all brochures
should tell a story. Treat the making of a brochure like writing
a short story. It needs a beginning, middle and an end. The
brochure needs to proceed logically and smoothly from one sales
point to the next. A good copywriter has an arsenal of "connection
phrases" to jump from one subject to the next, while keeping
the text brief. Do you have your arsenal ready? "For Example",
"Most importantly", "For Instance", "By
Comparison", "On the other hand", "What's
more", "Even better", "Even Worse"
and "In other words" are all great examples of connection
phrases. These phrases are only one way to keep the flow going.
Read, re-read and read again. Look for awkward sentences that
disrupt the flow of your advertising story. Keep it smooooooooth...
Benefits
& Details are important.
You've seen
them, you've read them, but did you buy them? Two of the top
copy mistakes I see in brochures are the problem some copywriters
have of introducing and defining product benefits.
First, when
you describe your product, show how the product will benefit
the reader; don't simply list the features. All products have
features. Chances are there are several products, if not 100's
or 1000's of them that have the same features. If you were given
the choice between an amusement park with a "picnic area"
or one with a "clean, relaxing, wooded area for dining",
which would you want?
When reading
a brochure, or any other advertising for that matter, we need
as much information as possible. When you have the availability
of facts make use of them. Why say you have a "Great Roller
Coaster", when you can say "5000 feet of the fastest
track in the world". If you know the facts, use them to
your benefit.
Personal,
Positive and Alive!
When writing
your copy direct your text at the reader. Keep it on a personal
level in the first and sometimes second person. "Do you",
"have you", or "will you" all make reference
to you! That's right "you" and those close to you
are the people you worry about. Direct your information like
a gun barrel aimed at the reader. Make sure there is no mistake
that it is they of whom you speak. Your goal is to keep your
copy in such conversational text that the reader is actually
answering questions aloud. Yes, That's Me!
The simple
things are the most often missed. When proofing your copy make
sure that you walk away with a positive feeling about the brochure
and the product. If something strikes you negatively, even a
little, fix it! If you see it in that light, imagine what the
average reader will pick up from it!
Storytelling
is a powerful aspect of the brochure. If offers you the chance
to bring your product alive. You can do more than simply hit
them with a few lines of attention grabbing words and phrases.
Writing copy for a brochure gives you the chance to be personal
and create images of thought. You don't have the quick and limited
barriers of other advertising, such as the 5-line ad or the
30-second commercial. You have time to bring your reader into
your world and back again. On the other hand, the length can
be a foe for those who can't grasp the theory of the brochure.
"Wild
Bill"
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