Brochure
Your brochure is an extension of your business card. A brochure is a simple, yet effective marketing tool and can convert visitors into customers. The health industry does not just treat the sick. It also helps monitor healthy people. This is the cue to creating successfully targeted brochures that increase business.
An effective brochure is one that is targeted, well designed, has genuine information, and makes an offer.
It makes an offer. Not a sale.
Shown below are some of the most target-oriented approaches to brochures.
Ease of creation
The ease with which a brochure can be created makes it a great temptation. You can have your in-house team design it. Better yet, you can outsource the designing or purchase some existing designs online, which should considerably reduce the amount of effort you put into a brochure.
Positioning your brochure
The best places to keep your brochure would be your reception area. Anyplace where your visitors are looking for some sort of distraction is a great place to position the brochure. Make sure you don’t appear to be PUSHING it. Just keep it there and let it be. People will start taking it, provided you make it attractive enough.
Have many copies available. Usually, your first bunch gets exhausted slowly. But it is the second set that actually tells you how effective your approach was. People who took a brochure from the first set will eventually tell others. When you are in your second set, people will be LOOKING for a particular brochure. If you have an effective one, it might convert into new clients.
Target a niche—make it specific
Brochures should not give out generic information. Visitors are always intrigued by infections or diseases they might have. Brochures are great for diagnostic tests. Try something specific. They can also show a unique, exclusive treatment you offer.
Essentially, a brochure can either emphasize that the patients are in safe hands by mentioning how efficient and innovative your technology and processes are, or it can point out a specific fear a visitor might have. Myth-busting and trivia-type brochures are great.
A brochure about health plans, discounts, and membership offers is great too. A brochure can also be an auto-suggestive advertisement.
The bulletin board is a great place to display all your brochures so that people can look at what all is available and then take copies of the ones they need.
Your brochure is your marketing tool
The brochure can be seen as a marketing tool. It works great with prospective and existing clients. Make sure you make it easy for someone who is interested to contact you.
It is a great place to push your website, address, email, support line numbers and, in general, a whole array of means through which people can contact you. Brochures can also be an effective way to take an impromptu survey, get feedback, or push people into subscribing to your magazine or email newsletter.
Remember, it is easier to convert someone into a client who has read your brochure than talking with them personally.
If someone is interested, then make it easy to know about what you have to offer. Make sure your receptionist is aware of your brochure programs so that they don’t look clueless when someone wants more information.
Don’t hard sell
Hire a good copywriter. It is imperative to attract readers with the right headlines. You have to talk to them and provide genuine information. Educate the reader and provide them with accurate information. Have a friendly tone and advise. Don’t sell.
It is a great idea to include testimonials from other clients in the brochure. Take a genuine approach. Don’t try to trick them or play with their deepest fears. As a medical business, it is your job to eliminate ANY discomfort. This should be reflected in your brochure program.
It’s always good to hire a professional who knows how this is done.
Brochures should provoke action. If you have done it all correctly, your reader should end up calling you to find out more. Also, make it a point to make an offer, not a sale.
Keep it genuine.
This is the most important tip in creating a brochure.
Key points to remember
- Keep it genuine—provide information, educate your reader
- Use it as an effective marketing tool—promote, survey, or take feedback
- Make it easy for interested people to contact you
- Hire a professional to strategize and put in a plan of action
- Position them in the right way
- Don’t hard sell
- Persevere—don’t give up with your first set
- Keep your receptionist aware of programs you promote
