How do you learn about a company? Usually it’s from a person, or maybe it’s a website. But sometimes it’s printed marketing materials like a brochure, a rack card, a catalog, or a magazine. These are often called information products.
In this post I want to quickly share with you three ways these printed information products, like brochures and magazines, help make your company memorable.
Credibility
First, information products give your company credibility. When you share what you know, and your expertise in a specific area, people know they can trust you to do the job well. They realize that you know your stuff—you’re reliable.
However, to establish credibility effectively, your materials need to be presented well. Someone coming in for a job interview might be the most experienced person in his or her area, but if they don’t look the part, most times you won’t give them a second chance.
Your printed materials say the same thing about your company. Sloppiness in your presentation translates to sloppiness on the job. Not good.
Authority
The second thing information products do is establish authority. When you demonstrate your expertise in the area — that know what you’re talking about — prospective customers will know you’re the right company for the job.
If your competition hasn’t demonstrated that they know very much about what they do, you’re already a step ahead.
Value
Finally, information products provide value. Customers don’t know what they don’t know; that’s why they’re looking at your materials. They are looking for a solution to their problem. If you need ideas for what to put in your brochure, you tell your customers what they need to know and then you tell them what they need to do next. (i.e. Call for an appointment. Set up a consultation. Request an estimate.)
When you answer your prospective customers’ questions, you have already given them value, and they haven’t even paid for anything. This is where the rule of reciprocity comes in: if someone does something nice for them, people often feel obligated to return the favor (Cialdini, Influence*).
This is a win-win for everyone. Because your customers have been helped, many will return the favor and use your company.
Information products are inexpensive marketing that give your company credibility, establish your authority, and ultimately provide your customers value.
As you can see, printed information products can be your company’s new BFF. For help designing or printing yours, contact Inkling Creative, and make your company memorable, today.
*Link have an asterisk next to it? It's an affiliate link and we may get a small commission if you purchase something (at no cost to you). Please see our affiliate policy on our disclaimer page.
