Here are two brochures I picked up on a bike ride this weekend. One is pretty good, the other is even better. Take a look and ask yourself “what is the subtle difference that will make one of these pull more weight for the organization that published it?”
The first is for a bike ride. Sounds like fun. Cute logo.
The second is for a nonprofit organization.
What’s the difference? It’s the call to action. The second brochure has a very explicit request right up front: JOIN! If you see the brochure at all, you see the call to action.
The first brochure has a call to action, too: REGISTER! But to find that out, you have to pick up the brochure, open it, and read it. That’s three steps along the way where a potential registrant might get distracted, interrupted, or lose interest.
Sure, it’s a subtle difference. But when you put a brochure in front of thousands of people, slight improvements and minor mistakes add up and can mean the difference between dozens of new members that you do recruit… or don’t. And that’s worth a lot.
Comments
Thanks for this comparison…both brochures have nice graphics, good visual interest, and attractive colors. But you’re right, only one prompts you to pick it up and DO something.
I’m coordinating a brochure to be published about invasive Japanese knotweed management, in partnership with the local natural resources conservation district and our regional development council. This sort of visual PUNCH is just what we should aim for, as well as some good background on the plant, why it’s a problem in most cases, and what can be done, who to turn to for more information, and how to stay informed and involved.
Thanks!
Interesting observations, and my views differ. I think you are comparing apples to oranges because the brochures have different objectives. The first is generating awareness about an event, the second is trying to get people to join the organization. (Of course, I can’t look at the inside of the brochures to see if that is really the case.)
I would have been much more likely to pick up brochure 1 than brochure 2, regardless of whether I wanted to be in the bike ride or join the organization. The call to action “Join and be a friend” might be big, brassy, and bold on the brochure’s front cover but it sounds to me like the same old boring pitch from every environmental group around. An environmental group that organizes fun bike rides sounds like a group on the move, one to be part of, and one whose brochure I would pick up and look at.
Cheers!
An old environmentalist
