A  company brochure is a great sales tool, but they can be time consuming and costly to produce.  Good project management of the process is vial to ensure that it delivers the right message for your business, that deadlines are met and budgets kept to. 

If you are starting from scratch we recommend spending some time putting together a plan listing the areas that you want to cover in the brochure.  This will help you focus on the areas of the business you want to promote and the story you want to tell.  Whilst you're doing all of this remember to keep the end recipient in mind.  Your plan might include some or all of the following areas:- 

• Introduction or history of your company, brand or product 
• Information on the services and or products you offer 
• Some case studies, this can be particularly helpful if you are a service provider and want to highlight elements of your business that potential customers might no know about. 
• Testimonials, there is no better advert for your company than a positive comment from a happy customer.  If you work across a variety of sectors it is worth making sure that the testimonials reflect your experience. 
• A call to action.  
• Contact details for your company 

Once you have your content plan you can start thinking about the images you are going to need.  Start by looking at what you already have, and make a list of what you need.  Next think about how you are going to source those additional images, do you need to employ the services of a professional  photographer, or can you source them through an image library such as Shutterstock. 

When it comes to laying your brochure out we recommend working with a graphic designer and or printer.  Before you start though make sure they have a clear brief and you have met with them to discuss design and print options.  Their expertise can help to transform your brochure into something really eye catching. 

Clear and consistent  communication is vital during this type of project, and even more sore if you are working to a tight deadline and budget.  The more collateral (copy & images) you can get to the designer before they start work the quicker and more straightforward the design process will be. 

Try to allow a few extra days in the time scale as a contingency.  You might realise you need to add extra copy or photography and this will give you the time to do this.  Before you sign off on the design side make sure you proof read the content.  When you brochure is print ready, make sure you check the printer's proof to ensure that all the colours in your logo and the images are correct.  Then all you have to do is wait for the finished version to arrive. 

If you need help putting together your next brochure then why not get in touch to see how we can help. 

Having worked with Colour Me Beautiful, the image consultants for a number of years we were aware of the importance of making the right first impression.   In particular we knew that how you dress not only impacts on an individual's self confidence but that it can also be a key element in how others see you, and more importantly whether you'd fit in with their organisation... something to remember the next time you go for an interview. 

An article from Inc magazine though provides an interesting take on how our physical appearance can impact on your leadership skills.  If an individual is perceived by others to be attractive then they are likely to be seen in a positive light which often leads to other benefits such as increased pay, increased responsibility and opportunities for promotion. 

The article also looks at the clues people can gain about you just from looking at your facial structure, something to consider the next time you update your Linked In profile picture perhaps.  

In our blog post last month we outlined the difference between, PR, Marketing and Advertising.  In this article we are going to delve a little deeper and list some of the tools that you can use to PR your brand or business. 

As we have already explained public relations helps to drive awareness of your business and create brand loyalty.  Put simply the more people who are talking positively about your brand, the more people who are helping to spread the word about your product or service.  But how can you get your message out. 

1. Press or Media Release - a well written and targeted release is a great way of informing the media about your product or service.  It is important to make sure it has been written with the audience of the magazine, newspaper, TV or Radio station in mind.  If you wish to create local interest for your brand think about how you can make your story relevant to the local community.  
2. Photos - These are so important, great product photography whether that is a cut out shot or a lifestyle image can be one of the biggest aids when it comes to securing media coverage.   Include photos in your press release and also have them to hand so that you can send them out when journalists ask for them.  Some times the media wish to run a story without taking their own photos, in this instance you will need to be able to send them high resolution images, these are usually Jpeg files.   Consider using a file sharing service such as Wetransfer or Dropbox to help you send a collection of high resolution images, that way you don't run the risk of clogging email in boxes.  
3. Video - Depending on the nature of your business you might wish to create videos to promote your brand.  These are a brilliant way of showcasing what a new product can do whether that's the latest kitchen gadget, beauty product or fashion must have.  If you are a service provider you can use video to show case your experience in a particular field, this could be via an interview or in the form of a client show case or discussion group.  You might even want to set up your own YouTube channel so that you can share your videos. 
4. Social Media -  Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, and Pinterest, all have their part to play in your PR strategy and can be great tools to help get your brand noticed.  Make sure that your posts are engaging, relevant to your audience and that you don't bombard your followers.  Don't feel pressurised into to creating accounts across all these platforms for your company from the start.  If your customers are only active on Facebook then its not worthwhile spending your energy on Pinterest for example.  Once you're getting a good level of interaction on one platform consider adding another, this is particualy important if your an SME or Micro Business and will be handling the Social Media side of the business yourself.  Don't forget that you in order to increase your social media followers you need to make your customers aware of the platforms you are using, so it's working making sure your details are added to your email signature, website and business cards.  Lastly don't forget that you will need to monitor your social media accounts regularly and have a strategy in place to deal with any negative posts that might crop up.  If you need help with keeping track of your Social Media then you might find Hootsuite or Tweetdeck useful. 
5. Blogs - A well written blog serves two purposes, firstly it helps with your Google Analytics by providing fresh, author owned content for your website. Secondly, it allows you to express your brand's personality.  Use it to share your thoughts and advice on anything that is related to your brand.  So if you're a beauty brand think about tips on how to wear the latest make-up fashions, or if you're a homes an interiors brand you might want to include advice on storage, fabulous things you've found or the latest design project you're working on.  Don't forget you can share your blog on your Social Media pages to help spread the word. 
6. Newsletters -  If you've gone to the trouble of asking your customers for their permission to collect their data with a view to marketing to them in the future it is important that you utilise this resource.  Many businesses fail to use this resource for a number of reasons, but often its because they think its going to be too time consuming.  With a little bit of care and attention it is possible to create something that will really help you to grow your business and increase sales.  If you're not sure where to start, Mailchimp is very easy to use and you can create professional looking newsletters very quickly. 

​If you would like to learn more or find out how we can help with your public relations and marketing please feel free to contact us . 

Marketing, Public Relations, Advertising ...... a common misunderstanding is that these terms are interchangeable; they are not.    When we meet clients for the fist time they are often confused by these terms so we thought we'd try and explain the differences between them.  

Think about your favourite brand .... what made you decide to buy their product?

• Was it because of the glossy packaging they used?
• Have your read stories about the product or reviews in the media?
• Whether print or online or did you see their advert in a magazine or on TV. ​

According to the Chartered Institute of Marketing "Marketing is the management process responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer requirements profitably."   

​In order to get your favourite brand to market, the company will have undertaken market research, focus groups, branding exercises, photography and a myriad of other things all designed to create a story around the product and make it attractive to you, their consumer.  Having identified that there is a demand or a need for their service, the company now needs to get their messages out to you.  This is where Public Relations and Advertising play their part. 

According to the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, "Public Relations is the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behaviour. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics."
 
Going back to your favourite brand, what spurred you to make that purchase?  If it was a technology product or fashion item, had you seen reviews of the product in your favourite magazine or website?  Do you ever wonder how the journalist found out about the product so that they could review it?   This is where the company's PR will have been involved; they will be responsible for getting the brand's key messages out to the media, so that you, their target market, can find out about their products and services.

PR also works in other more subtle ways, if you follow a brand on Social Media, have you ever stopped to question why?  The chances are it's because what they post resonates with you, it might be because they share great tips and advice, photos of their latest products or simply things that you are interested in.  All of this helps them to build a relationship with you and maintain goodwill and understanding. 

Lastly think about how the brand engages with you directly.  Every time you visit their store do you receive great customer service? Are you able to buy what you want? Do you get annoyed when they charge you for a bag?  Each staff member you interact with plays their part in promoting the brand and developing your relationship with the company, the more positive your experience the more likely you are to recommend them, all of which is good for their PR in general.     
    

Advertising differs from Public Relations in one key way.   An advert is a paid for announcement that appears in the print, broadcast or online media.  With PR, there is no direct financial transaction between the brand and the journalist, a journalist or blogger will have featured the product because they feel that it is something that their readers will be interested in.

However there are occasions when these lines are subtly blurred and that is when a company pays for advertorials and sponsored posts.  This is where a brand pays to get an article into a magazine or onto a website.   The brand pays for the advertising space but can then use it to publish a piece of promotional editorial.  In these instances the articles are, usually, flagged as either advertorials or sponsored posts so that readers are aware. 
​
In summary then, Marketing can be viewed as the canopy of an umbrella that uses Public Relations and Advertising as its ribs which in turn helps to create demand for a product and service that ultimately results in profit and sales for the company. 

So you've taken the plunge and booked an exhibition stand at a trade show, but now you're wondering what on earth you should be doing next.  In my experience planning ahead pays dividends.  When you're spending your hard earned cash on a stand you need to make sure you get value for money.   
​
What to do before you go

• As obvious as it may seem take some time to decide on the products that you're going to be exhibiting and how you wish to display them.  It's no use getting to the day of set up and realising that you can't arrange your products in the way you want. 
• Remember to invite your key buyers or those customers you'd like to re connect with. 
• Is your marketing material up to date, perhaps you need to put together a flyer or brochure on your new launches. 
• Does the exhibition have a website, if so, make sure that you make use of this, usually, free online marketing tool. 
• Use Social Media to promote your attendance at the show and tease your trade customers with some of the gorgeous new product you will be launching. 

What to do during the show

• Follow the show on Social Media. Include mentions of the show in your posts and use #tags to help drive awareness of your presence. Post images of your completed stand on your Social Media channels. 
• Use the show to network with other brands and service providers that could be useful to your business 
• If you're considering exporting check to see if the show is running any workshops or has exhibitors that could help you in this area. 
• Most shows have presentations by leading industry figures, business advisers and trend forecasters check to see what's on and attend any seminars that are appropriate.   
• Make sure that you have a press pack in the Show press office.  You never know where this might lead!