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Misc. Ramblings about doing business

Guest Signtiffic

By Guest Signtiffic
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Guest Signtiffic

Guest Signtiffic

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I recently had a conversation with a colleague who ran up against challenges with his team discussing the need for a catalog/brochure. Here are my rambling afterthoughts in favor of the item requested by many clients.

Creating a marketing booklet that your customers will want to look at again and again is smart business. Grabbing the customer's attention is simple enough with a phone call and or an in person meet and greet. Yet, booklets help complete an integral part of successful marketing. They’re not only effective and affordable; they make excellent mini catalogs, product manuals, event programs and much more. You can dramatically increase product exposure, recognition, and value with a booklet featuring your services and work in the sign industry. Not incorporating this tool, which is most always asked for by certain clients, with the rest of your networking and marketing efforts can be a disadvantage.

It’s important to note, a catalog/portfolio/brochure is only a tool and by no means a solve all solution. Taking this into account along with the fact clients will inevitably request it, you can’t very well assume your web site is going to appease their interest.

It’s also wise to acknowledge the modern form of catalog/portfolio/brochure; which does not have to be printed to have an impact.….pdf is an option and is highly distributable to anyone with a computer, pda, or ipad. What I’m specifically arguing is any objection raised about the ROI or value of going to press with a professional printed medium is a non issue due to the fact you don’t have to print it.

In closing, not providing this ubiquitous thing to clients upon request just doesn’t make sense. Again, it’s not a solve all, but it sure does have a purpose and a place amongst your efforts to please your clients.

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chatterbox Apprentice

chatterbox

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One thing I am running into over and over again is how to focus and customize organization, management and elements about how business is handled within one particular business, whether it is a sign supply company, wholesale sign company, or retail full service sign company.

Having a sign design book publishing company, my company is different, and needs to be approached differently than most sign companies. That said, I am not a sign company. However, I understand sign companies, since I have worked for many.

Gemini Inc. continues to do a PRINT version of their catalog and has been noted to believe that the PRINTED MEDIA allows people to HOLD their product in hand. Since signs are a physical product to sell. Customers looking for signs are looking for visual impact.

PRINT MEDIA is not going away, it is only less focused on, and rightly so, it cost money and less people utilize it.

In today's (and it changed overnight) world of business (and whatever you consider your business model), a reduced amount of a printed BROCHURE is very, very important. I do not believe we need CATALOGS, in the since of a larger, item-by-item booklet showing everything. Brochures can fill the need for the "Instant-This-and-That" Society. We are beyond the MTV generation.

However, providing TWO (2) PDF's of your companies brochure (and perhaps a digital catalog) are a must in business. Why two?

One, a PDF download should always be provided on your website for easy, convenient access to customers.

A PDF brochure should be located on every sales persons desktop/laptop/netbook/iPad/and even mobile device (my web designer sends a link from my website on his iPhone). The PDF brochure should be easily accessible for sales persons to EMAIL a PDF brochure to a perspective client/customer requesting the document.

Visual brochures of your product and services, accompanied by photos and information, BOLD and SIMPLE to read, with your company information IS A MUST today, just as it was yesterday.

I always look for a PDF download when I go to a company's website. I wouldn't even argue the point with colleagues. This a no-brainer.

End of topic.

Mike B.

Chatterbox Designs & Digital Media.

Torrance, CA.

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Brian Master Engineer

Brian

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A poorly designed brochure is worse than not having one at all though

Installation & Maintenance Services

Brian Phillips | expresssignandneon@sbcglobal.net | P. 812-882-3278

Express Sign & Neon | 119 S. 15th Street - Vincennes - IN 47591

express%20neon%20sig.jpg

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Kingpin Creative Apprentice

Kingpin Creative

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I was thinking the same thing as chubbygumby. I have 200+ printed sign brochures, some are geared toward the high end, some are not even good for wiping. Most of the places I worked for took a portfolio/presentation and had geared their brochure to the client by having printed pages and binding them in-house and then sometimes had a capabilities brochure.

I think pdf brochures are great for the tire kickers, it's not going to fly if you go to meet a potential client with a few bucks and tell them to go to your website to download a brochure.

Printing a brochure is sometimes a drop in the bucket compared to all the work it takes to get the photos, all the copy perfected and then designed.

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