It doesn’t matter what kind of business you are in. Whether you are a small business, single person shop, a growing family business, a successful employer of dozens of people, your goal is the same. You want to get the word out about what you have to offer. Obviously, you know about the importance of having business cards and a website.  You might also need to have printed materials to give to customers to tell them about existing or new services.  It might be to your advantage to have a Facebook page, a Twitter account, or paid advertising. As you weigh the advantages and disadvantages of various forms, don’t forget that you might be able to get some ** FREE ** publicity from your local newspaper.  

Here are some ideas:

• Business sections of the local paper often have listings of new hires. If you hire Suzie Q as your new bookkeeper or customer service representative, let the community know. 
• Specialty certifications can give your company a leg up over the competition. Make sure you announce those accomplishments with a short (three sentences are enough) press release and photo.
• If your business is doing something to help a local family or a non-profit, share that information with the local media.
• Pitch a story idea to an editor for a holiday or a special occasion. It could be simple… a Christmas tree farm could invite a photographer to visit the first weekend of December and follow a family. Maybe Girl Scouts are coming to your bakery to learn about frosting cakes. All it takes is a phone call. You could find yourself on Page 1!

At one time, businesses used brochures as one of their main marketing techniques. When social networking and social media marketing came into the picture, printing brochures started to be considered an extra expense that just wasn’t necessary.  After all, there isn’t a printing expense when you market online? Right?  Small businesses continue to wonder if brochures are even worth printing anymore. Have we really become a paperless society?

Not completely. Small businesses usually have a small budget, and a fairly inexpensive way to market your business to new customers is by creating a brochure that can be strategically placed, handed out at conferences or at meetings.  Brochures provide valuable and quick information about your company, the product or service you provide and how to go about getting it. People sometimes forget to check online or can't remember the website. Brochures are kept in your pocket or wherever you placed it.

Small businesses can use brochures is so many ways. For instance, if you print out a brochure, a person may take it home or back to their business, and set it on their counter. Just like a billboard, the brochure immediately grabs the attention of anyone who can see it. Having something in print still conveys credibility and trust.

There are steps that you need to follow in creating a successful brochure. 

• Make it easy to read. Use bullet points, numbering, and short paragraphs rather than long paragraphs. While you want to get your message across, most people scan text, rather than actually read it. Get to the point about what your message is.
• The brochure should be attractive. Your brochure should be eye catching. Black and white is cheaper than color, but color is going to get you more attention. Unless you are severely under budget, go for the color.  
• Don’t forget the important information like phone, email and website. Tell them about your business but make sure they know who to contact and how do it. Brochures also are a great way to promote your website and your social media profiles on sites like Facebook.
  

People still like to hold paper in their hands that provide information. We are a technically-oriented society but still trust traditional ways of getting information.  Also, our population consists of older Americans who rely on print for information. Brochures can still attract new customers – old and young -- on a reasonable budget. Plus, you can always upload the brochure onto your website.