The Toll Men

Even in this day of websites, many customers want to look at
a brochure or other form of hard copy. It’s important
therefore that your brochure tells the customer all they
need to know.

*It can be handed to the customer or used for direct
mailing

*It gives the customer much more detail

*Confirms what you’ve discussed

*Gives your business credibility and status

*Can help break the ice before you meet the customer

The elements of a successful brochure:

#1 It must have a call to action - You must ask the customer
to do something after reading your brochure (particularly
if
you use it for mailing) - place an order - request more
information - arrange an appointment.

Make them an offer they can’t refuse - an early-bird
discount - a special price - a never to be repeated offer.
It needs to have a Free-phone number or a tear off coupon or
an enclosed order form.

Remember - this is a sales document, its purpose is to get
you more orders not just to fill peoples head with
information.

#2 Think about the customer - Your brochure must talk in
terms of the customer’s interests - not yours. (Don’t let
your ego run away with you) It must explain how it solves
the customer’s problems and has benefits for him or her.

#3 Testimonials and endorsements - Include all the
statements that other people have said about your product or
service. They must be real statements giving the persons
name and their organisation.
People wont believe statements such as - “This service is
second to none” - Sales Director

#4 Specialise - If you’re targeting a particular market,
your brochure needs to reassure the customer that you
understand and have expertise in that market. You then need
to give examples of how you’ve solved specific problems in
that market.

#5 Make them want to read more - The front of your brochure
must have a headline that grabs the customer and encourages
them to read more. It needs to include a strong benefit or a
way to solve a problem.
For example - I might produce a headline for one of my
brochures that says - “Customer Service Training for the
Retail Industry” It would be far better if I went to the
heart of the problem and used the headline - “How to stop
customers walking out of your store and buying from one of
your competitors.”

Think about the problems that your customers face and how
your product or service resolves them - then write your
headline.
The most powerful words you can use in a headline are - “How
To”. It immediately grabs the reader’s attention if it’s
relevant to them. Other great words to use are - “Free” -
“You” - “Secrets of” - “Discover” - “New” - “Announcing.”

The headline needs to be:

*Believable
*Appealing to the emotions
*Not more than sixteen words
*In upper and lower case letters, not all caps
*In quotation marks
*Easy to understand

#6 Make it easy to read - People want to gather information
quickly and aren’t willing to plough through lots of text -
use bullet points. You want a clean uncluttered look.
Also - watch out for jargon, buzz words and technical terms.
Remember the selling acronym - KISS - keep it simple
stupid.

#7 Doesn’t need to be expensive - It obviously makes sense
to use good quality paper and it’s best to stick to white or
cream semi-gloss or glossy stock. Your brochure needs to
feel good in the customer’s hands - classy - quality image.
It can contain as many pages as you like but why not
consider a “one-page” which obviously has two sides.

You could have several “one-pages” produced, each relevant
to the market you’re targeting. You could also produce
individual one for each product or service that you provide.
I have searched, frustratingly, through many a brochure
trying to find specific information on a product or service.

#8 Laminate - buy a laminator (they’re not expensive) and
laminate one-sheets or pages from your brochure. They make
the information look and feel much better and encourage the
customer to hang onto them for longer.

#9 Friendly - Your brochure should give the potential
customer the feeling that you’re business is friendly and
interesting to deal with. Depending on what business you’re
in, you might want the customer to know that you’re also
“fun” to deal with.

Don’t make your brochure too businesslike even although
you’re selling a technical product; remember you’re
communicating to a human being who is primarily driven by
their emotions.

It makes sense to build a relationship with a graphic
designer who you like and who understands what you’re trying
to achieve. However, if you want to have more control,
there’s software you can buy and internet sites where you
can create your own stationary.

Discover how you can generate more business without having
to cold call!
Alan Fairweather is the author of “How to get More Sales
without Selling” This book is packed with practical things
that you can do to - get customers to come to you .
Click here now
http://www.howtogetmoresales.com

The Parador in Avila presents a wonderful opportunity to literally walk in the footsteps of history.

There still stands an ancient mulberry tree in the gardens of the Parador that was climbed by Saint Teresa (a 16th century mystic nun) when she was a child! The story is that her mother was a relative of the Benavides family whose residence it was then - when it was known as the Piedras de Albas palace - and Teresa used to accompany her mother and play in the gardens on these visits - climbing the tree to pick its sweet fruit. Sit on the bench beneath the tree while you are here and contemplate what it might have been like in that bygone era.

Avila is completely encircled by a magnificent stone wall. Raimundo de Borgoa, a medieval knight, conquered the city of Avila in the 11th century and ordered these fortifications constructed. They were completed over the span of 11 years. The walls, over two kilometers in circumference, have been called the greatest example of medieval stonemasonry in Europe. There are 88 towers and 11 monumental gates. They seem to preserve the city of Avila in a somber, medieval air that has changed but little over the centuries. The city rests in stately slumber behind its perfectly preserved medieval - almost as if time has passed her by, yet she waits patiently for today’s new pilgrims - the intrepid tourists.

Parador Avila is now named after the man who regained the city during the re-conquest - Parador Raimundo De Borgoas. The Parador has floors of solid granite, beautiful decorative elements throughout, antique Castillian furniture in the public rooms, and very pleasant and spacious bedrooms decorated in a rustic style.

Avila is for walking. In this “city of knights and nuns,” you’ll walk in the very footsteps of Saint Teresa - past her own Convento de Santa Teresa - past Spain’s oldest gothic cathedral - past numerous stately homes, medieval and renaissance palaces - and along the top of the muralla - the awe inspiring city wall.

Interesting excursions from Parador Avila into the city:

- Don’t miss the earliest Gothic Cathedral built in Spain.
- The Basilica de San Vincente with it elegant Romanesque architecture.
- El Monasterio de Santo Tomas.
- The 17th century Convento de Santa Teresa.

Interesting day trips include:

- Driving up into the Sierra de Gredos for beautiful natural surroundings and great hiking opportunities.
- If you are there in spring, be sure and drive down the the Jerte valley and view the astounding ’sea of white’ - thousands of cherry trees in bloom.
- Salamanca and Segovia are both within easy driving distance of Avila.

Visiting Avila and staying at the wonderful Parador there gives the traveler a great chance to feel an older time - to get a sense of what a major city in Castillian Spain was like during ancient times.

SpainParador.com makes it easy for you to plan and arrange your next trip to Spain. This time stay in palaces, castles, and other places of great historical interest and rare beauty - the wonderful Paradors of Spain. http://www.SpainParador.com.