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Small businesses and start-ups put forth great effort to appear stable and established.  But often times they have a 'tell'.  Business cards printed at home, an AOL email address or ...a tri-fold brochure.  No matter how great your company/ service may be, you simply sell yourself short with these marketing flubs.

Marketing Faux Pas

While the tri-fold format in printed collateral has long been a a staple in marketing, in recent years the layout style has become a faux pas.  We live in the age of 'instant' success, consumers want to get information at a glance. That means they are looking for a Visual Snapshot. Its a big risk to assume that someone will take the time to comb through the folds of a page just to find out what you do, and how it will benefit them.

The Visual Snapshot

If you are wondering what a Visual Snapshot is, then imagine yourself in line at the supermarket.  When you glance at the magazines on the shelf you make a decision on whether or not to buy, just by looking at the cover.  The same thing happens when  a person looks at your marketing collateral.  I mean we don't want to have to read the

entire magazine to determine if we should buy it.

The first page of your brochure should state the following (very obviously):

• Who are you?
• What do you offer?
• What is unique about your product or service?

I'm not saying that the triple dipper doesn't have its effective uses.  It can be quite helpful as a pamphlet and its a wonderful tool in the health care industry.  But for small businesses, it just makes you LOOK small time.

I have included an example of a Sell Sheet.  Whether single or double sided, its a sure fire way to impress prospects.

Happy Branding Everyone! (http://thebrandcoach.com/ or @brandcoachllc)