Printed Material

Brochures

Brochures are a good first marketing step. While you don’t need to spend a lot on them, it’s important they are consistent with your brand, include high-quality images and are professionally produced.

Your brochure needs to carry enough information to motivate customers to choose your business, and give them the details they need to book it.

Try and make the traveller’s purchasing decision as easy as possible. Keep your information relevant, clear and concise, and don’t forget to list all contact details including opening hours and clear details
of where you are located.

If you haven’t worked with a printer before, shop around and get some quotes. Some printers will also handle the design of your brochure.

You’ll need to brief them on your target market, specify where the brochure is to be distributed, and provide them with your wording and images ready for print. Be careful not to oversell your product with your words.

When choosing how your brochure will look, do some research at your local i-SITE Visitor Centre, and talk to staff about which brochures work best. You’ll want to choose a size that is easy to display (usually DLE), and ensure your name is prominent, along with accreditations.

Make sure your Qualmark© accreditation is displayed clearly on the front cover as this identifies you as a quality product and demonstrates that you have been independently assessed as a quality tourism business.

Getting the simple things right

• If you plan to distribute your brochure through visitor centres or brochure racks, make sure your name isn’t covered by the stand/rack. This means the top quarter of the brochure cover becomes very important.

• Make sure you have a map clearly showing which region your business is in.

• Remember not everyone will be familiar with your area (or even New Zealand) so step-by-step details of how to find your business could be useful. Test your location map with a non-local before including it in your brochure.

• Don’t get thousands printed as details are likely to change.

• Include the area code, and +64 for New Zealand on your phone and fax details in the international format if you plan to distribute your brochure offshore, ie. (+64 3) 123 4567.

• Give customers an idea of how far in advance they will need to book.

• Don’t forget to include your Unique Selling Points.

• Remember that "a good picture tells a thousand words".

• Ensure your photographs are compelling and relevant. For example, show people enjoying your experience.

• Use short sentences, and remember some of your clients might have English as a second language.

Make sure that the information in your brochure is consistent with your website.

Before you go to your printer also work out the:

• size of your brochure

• number of colours (full colour is usually more expensive, but also more effective)

• quantity to print

• deadline.

Also make sure you arrange to sign off each step of the process, and even consider an independent proof-reader, so you don’t run the risk of any embarrassing typos.

If this is your first brochure, or your business has just started, it might be wise to do only a small quantity in your first print, particularly if you are including prices for your product.

Your prices need to be valid for the circulation life of your brochure. You have responsibilities under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 to provide accurate product information to potential customers, so don’t make claims you can’t live up to.

Visit www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz for information on your legal responsibilities to customers.

Distributing your brochures

Funds should be included in your marketing budget for distribution, and give some thought to this aspect, as there is nothing worse than having boxes of your fantastic new brochure sitting around, with no distribution in place.

You should distribute your brochure at places your target market is likely to visit.

Your local i-SITE Visitor Centre is a must and you might also like to consider neighbouring i-SITEs, particularly if you have an idea of the travel patterns of your target market.

Most i-SITEs charge to stock and display your brochure.

Seventy four per cent of i-SITE users intend to make a booking based on the brochures and information obtained from an i-SITE Visitor Centre. Source: VIN Inc Consumer Research 2006

You’ll also want to distribute your brochure through like-minded businesses. For example, if you are an activity provider target the accommodation in your region where your visitors are likely to stay, and vice versa.