Advertise your horse business with full color brochures

First I want to tell you about a great printing deal and then I will give you some tips on designing your tri-fold brochures.

Full color printing

I received an email about a printing sale going on for full color brochures. Well you know that I always say – check around first. So I rushed off an email to Fred at Color Printing Pros to see if this sale was really a good deal.

He informed me that his regular prices are better than this sale and he is still offering an extra 10% off for any new customers. He also mailed me some gorgeous print samples so I could see the high quality printing and paper stock. Now I can see and feel the difference between 100 LB book weight and 100 LB cover weight paper stock. The cover weight is thicker and stiffer, like a photo greeting card and the book weight is the thickness of the inside sheets of a high priced coffee table book – like Robert Vavra’s horse photo books.

So if you are considering ordering full color brochures for the upcoming horse shows, trade shows, and horse expos (and you should), then check out Color Printing Pros. Don’t whine about sales if you do not advertise!

Remember their Gloss aqueous coating is free and included on all jobs printed on 100Lb book and cover weight stock. This makes the finished printing even glossier looking and helps make the colors POP!

Research shows that people respond more positively to full color promotional brochures and that they remember the sales points longer.

Do not forget to use their ‘free file review‘ to make sure your design will print out nice and I would get their print samples too to look over.

Twice the Advertising Space

Trifold brochures has twice the ad space of a front printed flyer so you can post more of your product or service’s benefits. Remember that it is these BENEFITS that make the sale. Coupons in the brochure are a good idea too. Consider adding a map too so people can find you with ease.

A well designed full color brochure makes a very cost effective sales and marketing tool and a three panel brochures can cost less than $ .07 each (in large quantities). They are of great value for creating new customers and reinforcing old ones.

Need design and production services, Color Printing Pros can provide that as well.

SAVE 10% on your first Color Printing Pros order! Don’t forget to use the discount code: L4H0807 in order to get your 10% DISCOUNT. Color Printing Pros

You can call them toll free at 800.598.1841 or email sales @ colorprintingpros . com (remove the spaces) with questions, concerns or ideas and you will speak with a person you can trust for the correct information you need.

P.S. It is not too early to plan your holiday ads and greeting cards. The 100 LB cover weight folded in half would make great looking cards to send out. Put your logo on the back and a great image of your horses or product on the front with a little seasonal touch of ribbons, snow, etc… Visit my horse ecard site to get card ideas.

Color Printing Pros also prints heavy weight post cards that you can send out as greeting cards. Don’t forget to use the discount code: L4H0807 in order to get your 10% DISCOUNT.

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OK, now on to the tips to help make your brochure a real winner…

Design Tips for your Trifold Brochure

The trifold is very popular because it can be mailed in a standard #10 envelope. But it really folded only twice which creates three panels on each side.

Front Cover

The front cover is very important. It needs to be visually appealing and provide enough text to cause someone to pick it up and open it. It could be as simple as your logo, company name, and company tagline. Or you can add a photo that shows a benefit with a few bullet points with more benefits. BUT don’t clutter it up with too much. It has to be appealing in looks.

Sales Copy

When preparing your text, keep it short, sweet, and focused on that the reader wants to know, namely ‘what is in this for me!’ You want your reader to be able to grasp the main benefits easily by reading the headlines and the subtitles.

Make your brochure easy to read with text of a decent size and some white space. If is filled with tiny dense text the reader may decide that it is too much work to read and toss it. It has to look EASY to read or it will not get read and if they don’t read it there is no hope to make a sale.

• Use headings and subheadings to group ideas and lead you reader into the sales copy.
• ALL CAPS GET lower response, so use use upper and lower case.
• Avoid using reverse text, test show that many readers overlook reverse text.
• Use boldface type sparingly to emphasize key points or headlines.
• Increased leading (space between text lines) improves readability
• Write like you are directly speaking to your potential customer. “We help you to‚Ķ”
• Avoid industry jargon. It is best to use clear language that everyone can understand.

Twelve of the most powerful words…

You, Money, Save, New, Easy, Love, Discovery, Results, Health, Proven, Guarantee, and Free

Inside Front Panel

This is your most important panel. Summarize why the customer should choose you and consider adding glowing testimonial or two.

Second and Third Inside Panels

List of your products and/or services. Keep the copy short and let people know that detailed info is on your website, in sales sheets, or by phone.

Write about your competitive advantages. Why is it a good idea for the person reading to go with you over one of your competitors? You may sell the same breed of horses as your competitor, so why should they buy yours?

Let the reader know a little about your customer service or how you work with your clients. Customers like to know what the process is.

Call for Action

Reminder your reader to visit your web site or blog for detailed information and the latest news about upcoming events or sales.

Back Cover Panels

Keep the back cover for your contact information and maybe a map or events calendar. Some small businesses just list their phone/fax numbers and their website address. But if you welcome drop-ins then add your physical address too.

Test It

Ask a few people that know nothing about your business to read your brochure and rate it.

Postcards are great for marketing your horse business.

In my article  “Focusing your words to sell” I mentioned that postage rates will rise. A sharp business person will want to do a little marketing before the postage increase and Postcards are cheaper than letters to send out and the image on the front does draw attention — specially if it is a great looking horse image.

If you have a large list then you will want to have your marketing postcards commercially printed. But if you are just starting out and your list is small you could design and print your own postcards right from your computer and printer.

Here are a few helpful tips to get your started on designing and self printing your own postcards:

• You can design and print your postcards from your Microsoft Word program.
  This will allow you to customize each one if you like and merge your mailing list to them too.
• You can save on ink costs considerably if you keep your design background white and ink coverage low. Light pastel colors also use up less ink than bright dark colors.
• Save time by taking the time to learn how to do it right. Read this helpful article: “Stamp Out the 10 Most Common Postcard Marketing Mistakes” by Patricia Schaefer
• Avery (free) Templates & Software and the Avery Wizard for Microsoft Word
• Many printing inks are NOT water proof and will smear if they get damp or wet! You don’t want your postcard receivers to end up with a smeared abstract. You can print with Epson printers and their special DURABrite Ink that is water, smudge, and light resistance.

Here is an example of a custom logo and postcard design I made for a client. I can do the same for you.

Here are a few more articles I found on marketing with postcards…

• Modern Marketing With Postcards By Bob Leduc
• Marketing With Postcards
• Low-Cost Marketing With Postcards

Did I miss any info on marketing postcards? Or do you have anything to add? Let me know; leave a comment.

I am an affiliate of Printing For Less.

I ordered them through PrintingForLess.com and I went for the extra coating to make them glossy so the colors pop! I am happy with how they look – the text printed clean and sharp (sharper than what you can see on your computer screen) and the colors are bold and vivid. I was able to place my order online right from my computer desk and they arrived at my door in about a week.

A Love for Horses Business Card

Business card tips…

Put on your thinking cap: Spend some time considering your business and who you want to market to. What top benefits can your business offer them?

Consider ways to make your business card work double duty; like print your show/events calender on the back side or dollars off coupon on their first order.

Business Card Design Tips

Coordinate: Your business cards should coordinate with your other business marketing items like your brochure, letterhead, company envelope, flyer, and postcard designs. Is should also go without saying that they should be professional looking and fit in with your company image. By the way, do you have a nice looking logo? Company colors? Company tag line (your unique selling proposition)?

Web Site: Do you have a website or plan on having one? Nowadays a website is a necessity for most businesses in order to have credibility. Don’t forget that you can also start a blog for free.

Ponder the Info: Consider what information you want to put on your business cards. A good starting place is your company name and tagline, your name and title, address, phone, fax, email, and website address. But consider printing more info on the backs of your card, like a map / directions, sales copy, price list, short list of tips, event schedule etc…

Important note: if you do have any informational changes please order new cards. Nothing looks worst than to have scratched out and scribbled in info or an address sticker across them! Keep your businesses card information current. Consider self printing some temporary business cards with the new info while you are waiting for the commercially printed cards to be made and mailed to you.

Standardize: Stick to business cards of the standard size or you will cause many people to toss them if they don’t fit in their wallets or business card holders. In the USA that is 3.5 x 2 inches.

Have some control: Don’t go wild with your text fonts. Two type faces are plenty (three at the very most) and make sure they are readable. People do need to be able to understand the information on your business cards! Have high contrast between the background and the type but that doesn’t mean you have to stick to black and white cards! Full color cards draw more attention specially if they are surrounded by black and white cards on a bulletin board.

Give space: Don’t use text fonts that are too small for many people to read without a magnifying glass or overcrowd your design. Consider printing extra information on the back side.

Don’t look cheap: Don’t have your cards printed on the cheapest and thinnest paper stock around. What do you think that is telling people about your company?

Double check all information on your card design before printing out 5000 cards! Check all spelling, names, numbers, addresses, etc… Now check them again. You don’t want to end up with expensive confetti! Been there, done that — no fun!

Photo: You may want to include your photo on your business card like many real estate brokers do or your top stallion’s photo.

Belong? Let people know what related organizations you or your business belongs to by posting logos of the organizations on your business cards. For example, you can display the logo of the American quarter horse association, the American miniature horse association or whatever one you belong to. (Check with the organization about the terms of use). This is an easy way to add credibility to your business.

Connected? If you were trained by a famous person (Like Pat Parelli or Clinton Andewson) or graduated from a special school (Farrier or veterinarian school) you may want to add that info to your business cards as well.

Card Ad: Did you know that many publications offer “business card size” classified ads? You may want to plan your design so it can double up as an ad in those publications.

Phone or email? If you prefer to be contacted by phone then put your phone number larger than your other contact info. If you prefer email or website make that larger; if the business card design font allows it.

Business Card Use Tips

1. Always, always carry a good supply of your business cards with you. Keep some in your car, horse trailer, home, business, wallet, briefcase, etc…
2. Leave them wherever you doctors office, dentist, supermarket, libraries, stores, restaurants, schools, horse shows, training clinics, etc…
3. Don’t be stingy with them – Hand them out in groups of two or more so people can have one or more to give out to others. This not only helps you distribute them faster but it could result in the wonderful stamp of approval effect.

Hey, now let me know what you think about my new business card and this article. Have any other tips to share? Please give us your comments. Thanks!

Save 25$ on your first printing order!

PrintingForLess.com and I are happy to make a special offer available to you. Place your first order and receive $25 off!

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Best regards,

Joni Solis

P.S. Here is a short (3:06 minute) video about the importance of having nice looking and well designed promotional materials and what your brand really is. And why having your marketing items printed by Printing For Less is a great idea.

Video: Green Ideals/PFL Partnership

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtBM3KvaMiM

My comment on the video:

Nice! I like Printing For Less too! And now I feel more of a fan for them after watching this short video. I like the fact that they care about people and the planet too. It doesn’t have to been only about the money. Doing the right thing for people and the planet will help you get the money and people’s hearts.

I also enjoyed the message about the value of having a good brand and marketing items and what a brand really means — it is more than your logo design. Wishing your company the best!