A beginner’s guide to designing an informative trade booklet

by Startacus Admin

Booklets are a great way to communicate large amounts of information at a lower cost. They have fewer pages and are smaller in size than ‘real’ books but can be highly useful when it comes to selling trade products and services. Rich in information and aesthetically pleasing, booklets are an ideal sales platform, yet many traders don’t realise this! An effectively designed brochure can clearly outline what your company is about, what it has to offer, and can reach many customers in different places. Here are some top tips for designing an informative trade booklet which will really hit the mark…

Before you get ahead of yourself with the design, remember not to disregard the basics when creating a booklet. The most effective booklets include standard information, your company’s contact details, your logo and a tagline (if you have one). Your front cover should have a headline – something to grab the attention of your reader, perhaps highlighting the main benefits of your products and services. Remember, text should be clear and easy-to-read – be careful with your choice of font and font size! With a trade business it’s important to emphasise the quality of your products and services, but also your staff – try including good quality photography of them to add that personal touch.

Avoid jargon

It can be tempting to fill your booklet with big words and fancy phrases to try and impress, but there’s really no need. Customers appreciate it when traders put things in terms they understand. Your aim is to provide your reader with all of the information they need about your company – don’t put them off with unnecessary technical terms.

Don’t overdo it

As explained, your booklet should include basic information. Try not to list too much information, though, as overloading leaves your reader confused and dilutes your main points. Think about what interests your target customer specifically, rather than trying to make your booklet a huge, catch-all entity.

Incentivise it

Your booklet may be immaculately designed, but don’t assume that it’ll automatically generate sales for you. The best booklets for trade businesses include a call to action, perhaps an offer of a free estimate, or a percentage off a service for new customers. It’s all about enticing your reader and incentivising actions from them – lots of people flick through booklets, you have to make it count!

Invest in quality production

If you’ve taken the time to craft your perfect booklet, don’t sacrifice the quality of its production - you should be aiming for a sturdy, professionally printed product. Good quality paper, in particular, conveys the professionalism of your business. Booklets should be durable and able to withstand a few people handling them – which is the aim after all! When it comes to printing the booklets, it might be wise to invest in small, hand-fed desktop booklet makers from Duplo International, for example. They are easy to use, don’t require any specialist skills, and will help you to create high quality booklets in house. 

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