5 tips for creating a strong brochure.

Presenting professionalism

One of the most important things in business is presenting the right image. When meeting clients for the first time, you want to create the right impression. How do you convey being accommodating, professional and above all trustworthy? You wouldn't achieve this by wearing a Hawaiian shirt and board shorts - unless your business happens to be surfing! Similarly, the brochure you choose may be the first contact the public has with your company. Here a five top ways to create the right image.

  #1 Know your audience

By identifying who your target audience is, your brochure is on the road to doing its job. Research to find out what is important to people who fit your demographic, and use this to create interest. You can find this out using forums, social media and contact with customers.

  #2 Appropriate fonts

This is of key importance in a time when style is conspicuous. Choosing a classic font ensures content is easy to read. Naturally, you want to engage interest and make your brochure stand out from others. Choose something that represents your core values.

  #3 Branding

From the minutiae of detail of the colour, to the size of your logo; branding is crucial. Used correctly, it creates the right image for your customers. This study shows that ‘reducing the size of a logo[...] impairs consumersʼ ability to recognise [a] brand they are looking for’. So with regard to branding: go big and bold, in order to make your mark.

  #4 Be concise

Decide what makes your company unique and develop a concise slogan or sentence to describe this on the first page. You can always expand on it within the leaflet, but it’s best not to bog clients down with too much reading initially. Don’t be afraid of blank space. Less is very often more, as it allows the features of your company to shine through.

  #5 Printing

After all of the hard work involved in a slick design for your brochure. You've got the relevant content and eye catching images. What next? Now you must choose expert printers to add the finishing touches to your design. An online printing company may provide competitive prices and a range of excellent services, such as graphic design and website design to compliment your vision for your company’s image.

Your turn: What ideas do you have for successful brochure production? Do you think it depends on the company? Do you hand deliver or use a mailing list?

Get Lucky - Creating your portfolio

Disclaimer: *This post has nothing to do with Daft Punk or Pharrell Williams. Or evenPeter Serafinowicz.*

My Spanish dream is coming to an end to ring in the summer. Every cloud has a silver lining; this one is shaped like a beautiful boat in Bristol.

In the spirit of counting blessings - I confess: I'm lucky.

As a professional copywriter, it pays to believe in luck. 

Well, if luck is essentially the same as hard work that is.

Creating your portfolio.

Hard work means putting in the hours. It means spending time building up your portfolio, specialist skills and expertise. Clients want to see proof of your experience. Invest time in building up a copywriting portfolio, showcasing your very best work.

Use examples with a commentary.

Being able to demonstrate the journey of your copy: from concept to content, allows clients to see how your mind works. Good writers need to expose their creativity and problem solving skills within the writing process. At first you will have a brief to fulfil, including where the copy will be published and if you need to include any anchor text. Any writer worth their salt will likely mindmap or list some idea for achieving this. Be confident in explaining why you chose the option you did.

Showcase exceptional extracts.

When selecting which sections of your work to highlight, bear in mind that any potential clients are likely to be busy. Busy people use a range of techniques to conserve time when scouring applications and portfolios. Fact. Your audience are going to be drawn to the elements you choose to expose to them. Of course, it pays to choose a piece that you are particularly proud of, and which portrays an understanding of writerly techniques. 

Organic anchors.

Nope, not that kind! When you've got an anchor text to include in your writing, decide on content that will allow it to fit organically within the text. For example, if you need to include a link to a specific product, mindmap or list some ideas around the subject. E.g. Men's slippers - list of signs you're turning into your Dad; 10 slippers around the world; the making of the moccasin; etc. This allows you to choose content that will appeal to your target audience, and do so in a natural way.

Proof in the pudding...

Perhaps the most important rule of all is to proof, edit, proof and edit. And when you've done that proof and edit some more. No good writer has ever just written the perfect piece straight off the bat. Particularly in the early stages. Exemplify your skills and abilities as a talented, professional copywriter by ensuring all 'i's are dotted and all 't's crossed. Your attention to detail is totally key in showing potential clients that you care, and you are thorough.

With the perfect portfolio starting to take shape, the work will start to build up and your dream of being a professional writer will become a reality.

What portfolio tips do you have? Always use fresh material? Include links to actual webpages? Post your tips and advice below.

Everything changes

Starting life in a small village on the North coast of Cornwall, I played the Game of Life in the '80s and dreamed of becoming a journalist. Naively enraptured by the promised £20,000 (that was A LOT in 1988. It equates to about £45,000 today) salary and the thought of writing all day, I set about crafting stories; and never really stopped.

In my early teens, I tried writing articles for my village newspaper: the Boscastle Blowhole. It began with anti-hunting poetry, endorsed by the League Against Cruel Sports (risky in a rural village) and blossomed into amateur reportage to give the youth a voice. 

As I grew older, my dreams aged too. While I still loved writing, I developed a precocious contempt for journalists - something quite insightful in light of the scandals this decade! 

At Uni, I concentrated on short stories and scripts, whilst learning the conventions of using Social Media and SEO to promote yourself, or your business, online. I changed my dreams of being a journalist and began writing and researching copy as a freelancer. 

This blog demonstrates how you can do the same.