8 Tips for Writing Your Business Brochure

How To Create A Perfect Business Brochure?

What makes your target audience hear your message? Pay attention to the ways you represent the information. The more stylish and short it is the better.

8 Tips for Writing Your Business Brochure

Brochures remain the most cost-effective means of promotion that cultural and other types of industries have to offer. Second only to word-of-mouth. Presentation and delivering the message is critical to the success of your business brochure campaign.  The well-planned campaign works for your client growth. The important issues to pay attention to are:

•   Distribution requirements

•   Size requirements

•   Design considerations

•   Printing quality

•  Paper quality

 

1. Checklist

Before starting with brochure printing, it is essential to make a creation checklist. Every business works on thoughtful planning. It applies to printed advertising campaign. A brochure is a short informational document, which delivers the message as well as information. It can be a booklet, flyer, folder, card, leaflet, pamphlet, or handout. You can do it yourself or hire a distribution company. But don’t rely on strangers in designing your message and main information. Create a checklist of all the critical issues, which must be included in your document and think about a design before contacting a designer.

2. Distributors

Before hiring a brochure creator company, you may want to find out which specific size, quantity and warehouse requirements they need and can offer. Knowing this information and fees will give you a great starting step in the development of your overall budget.

Tip:

If your brochure company doesn’t have time limits, consider offering a larger quantity of printing than your initial needs. Many distributing companies offer reasonable discounts for large quantity of a product.

3. Design considerations

Today the world of business advertising ideas is boundless. The bravest or even crazy ideas are very welcomed. There are several steps you’ll want to consider being organized during the process. It will help you communicate your ideas effectively and help your designer develop a realistic quote in a deadline. Once you’ve established what your design requires, you can then start printing.

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4. Brochure size

Most brochure design companies in the US typically require a vertical layout. It should be folded into a four inch by nine-inch finish size. International distributors offer more variable size. It is crucial to consider the size before printing.

Tip:

In case you decide to collaborate with multiple companies, consider choosing the size, which will fit the displays of each company.

5. Brochure type

There are a few types used in marketing. They are Rack Cards, Multi-Folds, and Custom Features. Your next consideration is the brochure type you want to make. Standard options include one color or four colors Rack Cards. Multicolor folded cards have the same options. The number of cards you choose will affect printing and design costs. Custom features will make the product stand out. For example, a die-cut is a type where the portion of a paper is cut away. It adds a unique marketing angle to your promotion campaign.

Tip:

All options can vary drastically in expense. It is always better to discuss the options with a designer and a printer to know the value in advance.

6. Paper quality

The paper quality is a not obvious sign that speaks more than words. Weights will affect how your brochure displays in a rack. If the paper is too thin, it's not common to droop forward in a display rack limiting its visibility. For rack cards, it is better using a 10-point card stock. For folded options, it is recommended no less than an 80-pound coated stock.

Tip:

It is necessary to discuss in advance with your printer an option of a vertical grain paper. Make sure that your design is durable.

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7. Sales message

Besides technical features, there must be a strong headline, which delivers the message. Writing such a heading only seems to be simple. International Association of Professional Brochure Distributors research shows that a sales message appearing at the top 2 or 3 inches of an informational card’s front panel attracts more visitors.

Tip:

Repeat your headline and message at the top 2 or 3 inches of the back panel. It will assure you that the audience will never miss the initial message.

8. The content

It is another essential issue in the text. A must is a telephone number, hours of operation, website address, and a simple map with directions. It will assist your target audience in locating your establishment. The text should be understandable and attractively positioned within the inside panels and upper 3 to 4 inches of the front and back panels. Don’t include long texts as stories, general information, descriptions and other. Make the main message noticeable to highlight it. Clients barely prefer reading.

Tip:

A call to action, for example, special promotion or discount coupon is helpful in tracking a customer base.

About the Author

Melissa Cartew is a blogger and freelance writer at https://eduzaurus.com. She specializes in marketing and other types of promotion. Melissa has a Master’s degree in Economics and currently is working on her dissertation. The advice she gives to the small businesses and corporations are helpful for any situation.

 

Let’s Talk about Packages!

So 2018 is coming up and your business goal is to get your current clients to return. One of the common practices for solo massage therapist is to sell packages. This is absolutely a great way to get your clients to return… but it is also a great way to lose a lot of money, cause a bookkeeping nightmare, or make yourself feel burned out on giving out ‘free - but not free’ services. 

The down side of packages for the solo MT is the bookkeeping part of the situation. You are paid a lump sum at the beginning, and then people use the sessions over time. Sounds awesome to get a $500 payment all at once… until it’s a year later and your seeing that client with no income for that session. However, there are ways to make it work!

A couple years ago I changed my package policies to make it work for me AND my clients. These new policies, along with a few simple changes made it so last June I was scheduled out 4 months and was not able to accept new clients.   

Before I tell you what I did, I understand that these may or may not work for everyone. One thing that I’ve learned in running a business for 14 years is that even though GURUs have 365 ways for you to make money… if it doesn’t fit your personality, you won’t do it or be successful at doing it. Pick one or two of these tips and see how they work for you!

Here is what I did:

1. Raised my prices - What? What does that have to do with packages? The golden rule for price setting is to figure out your bare minimum you need per session to cover rent and other overhead costs and then add a bit more to give you a cushion. Well, if your base price is set at that minimum, then your packages are going to slowly eat away at your profits. Set your package per session price to be that minimum and your regular session price higher. You’re always covered this way and your clients have more incentive for purchasing packages.
   
   
2. STOPPED giving FREE massages - The package concept is that you pre-pay for a certain amount of sessions at a discounted rate. Some where, somehow, someone said that it had to be Buy 4, Get 1 Free. WRONG. I convinced myself that it was only 20% off each session. But really I was giving away HUNDREDS of dollars of services each year! I gave away enough massages that I could have bought a new Hot Towel Cabi, or taken a day off when I was feeling sick. Instead, I reduced the cost by an amount that still meant it was only a small amount off each massage AND it still met my base price requirements. My current packages are $30 off a package of 6. $5 off is still more than $0 off.
   
   
3. I made limited availability packages - I knew that my standard package of 6 massages was sometimes out of my clients price range, so at different holiday times of the year, or anytime i felt like it, I would sell a package of 3 for only 2-4 weeks. These packages gave more of my clients opportunity to try regularly scheduled massages. I also sell a yearly package ONLY in December and January. This helps with bookkeeping, and also exclusivity.
   
   
4. I allow sharing - I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of husband and wife clients. I absolutely let them share a package. I do have rules. They have to tell me when they buy the package who is sharing it, or if they are giving a session to a friend/child, they have to tell me exactly who is using it before they come in. I’ve sold more packages to people who think they are going to share it, and then use them all themselves!
   
   
5. I developed a tracking system - I’ve had a package tracking system since before I had online scheduling, so I have my old school paper tracking method. But Bodywork Buddy has a system built in! This is great for keep track of how many are left in a package. I learned early on, that it’s up to you (NOT THE CLIENT) to keep track of this stuff!
   
   
6. BONUS - Keep a separate account To be honest, this next one I’m not so great at. I did set up a separate account for gift certificates and packages to withdraw from as the sessions are used. Most of the time I’m pretty good at using it correctly, but then things like estimated tax payments and sales tax comes due. This is definitely something that is on my goal list, but I wanted to included it because it is something that would help that feeling of giving a “free - but not really free” service go away!

This is what worked for me, and I hope that it will help you plan for your business next year. Remember, think about what your money needs to do for you in the short AND long term. Calculate the cost of your discounts to put it perspective, and then adjust as necessary. You can give your clients a gift of a discount, without hurting your practice! Happy New Year! 

Erin Howk Bennett, BCTMB

Are You a Victim of Your Own Email Practices?

You may be hurting your email marketing and not even realizing it. Email marketing services such as Mailchimp and Constant Contact rate and measure your email list by how many opens, unsubscribes, and spam reports you get. Anti-spam laws require that you have the ability to unsubscribe from your emails, and also that people on your list have opted in or asked to receive your emails.

If you're not doing those 2 things, you're actually not in compliance with the law. For an industry that seems so concerned about HIPAA laws (when in most cases MT's are not even considered a covered entity for that law, but that's a whole 'nother post...) it's kind of ironic that massage therapists don't seem to worry at all if they're complying with email laws.

Many massage therapists are unknowingly hurting the health of their email marketing list by doing this 1 thing:

Adding every contact from their address book to receive their marketing emails.

I know this is happening, because I receive several emails a week from therapists I've never met.

For lists I've never opted in for.

Often times from therapists who live states away from me.

I'm in their email contacts because they've used Bodywork Buddy in the past or currently, and they've just added all of their contacts to their email marketing list. Now, while I don't necessarily mind getting these emails, because I like to see how therapists are marketing themselves .... some other people are probably not going to be so understanding.

So first of all, why would you want to market yourself to someone who doesn't even live in your state? That person is likely never going to use your services.

Maybe you're thinking: What's the harm? It's easier to just import every contact than to build a list with an opt-in or to sort out who in your contacts are actual clients.

But if people aren't opening your emails, or are unsubscribing, or worse: reporting your emails as spam - it is going to hurt your email deliverability overall. Meaning that it could ultimately negatively affect the likelihood of your legitimate clients receiving your emails.

So - if you're wanting to have awesome email marketing that results in clients scheduling appointments - clean up your list to include only people who have opted in to hear from you. Do yourself a favor and:

• Add an email opt-in to your website. 

• Add an opt-in to your health history/intake form. 

• Ask them at their appointments to opt-in. 

Anything!

Just don't randomly add every person you've ever emailed to your list to do a blanket email for your services.

Just.
Don't.


If you read my posts, you know that I don't blog just to rant about things. I'm writing about this because I want you to be successful! <3 Ok and maybe to rant a little bit...

Cindy Iwlew is a licensed massage therapist who has had a private practice since 1999 and cofounder of Bodywork Buddy massage software.

Using Add-ons to Boost Your Income

Do you offer add-on services for an up charge? While it can be a great way to increase your income, some add-ons require more equipment, training, a wet room, etc. Which add-ons are going to be a good fit for your business?

Here's a breakdown of some add-on ideas:

~Requires little or no equipment 

or additional training~

• dry brushing
• reflexology 
• scalp massage with essential oils for hair loss, dry scalp, etc.
• sinus drainage
• aromatherapy 
• 15 minute nap time post treatment / charge per minute
• timed meditation then send cd home with client
• belly massage
• pre-treatment unwind: cup of hot tea, herbal pillow on shoulders, meditation in private room
• mother earth pillows (microwave or hot towel cabi required)
• reiki

~Requires some equipment or training~

• foot soak 
• hot towels on feet, hands, or face
• steam treatment
• cupping
• Facial cupping / sinus drainage
• hot/cold stones
• parafin dip
• foot or back scrub (check state laws, some require esthetician license)
• aromatherapy (specific technique like raindrop or aromatouch)
• warm bamboo
• Salt stones

~Requires the most equipment or 

additional training~

• shirodhara
• bellanina facelift massage
• mother earth pillows (offer entire technique)
• table thai or barefoot ROM 15 min add-on
• belly massage (go all out and learn visceral manipulation or Mayan abdominal massage)
• infrared for pain relief

Rather than just offer stand-alone add-ons, you could combine some for specific treatments such as:

• Immunity Booster - dry brushing, lymphatic massage with onguard essential oil, facial drainage
  
• Sinus Relief - facial drainage/cupping, breathe essential oil, cold stone facial massage
  
• Weekend Warrior - deep tissue massage with table thai add on and deep blue oil/rub 

Get creative! What are some awesome combos you've come up with?

It's easy to create specific services with your add-on services in your Bodywork Buddy microsite for online scheduling.

For example, under the relaxation massage service group, there can be:

• 90 min massage + steam add-on
• 90 min massage
• 60 min massage + steam add-on
• 60 min massage
• 30 min massage + steam add-on
• 30 min massage

What add-ons have been a hit in your massage practice? Share in the comments or join the discussion over in the Bodywork Buddies Facebook Group. (Must have registered for a free trial of Bodywork Buddy to join the group.)

Cindy Iwlew is a licensed massage therapist who has had a private practice since 1999 and cofounder of Bodywork Buddy massage software.

3 Things Massage School Didn't Teach You About the Business of Massage and Why {Guest Post by Hillary Arrieta, LMT}

Owning a massage business is hard. There are many moving parts and massage school didn't cover any of them. It's true that massage training did not prepare us for all of the difficulties we come across on a daily basis. 

As a massage educator, I've heard the complaints for years. "Why didn't we learn this in massage school?" Or "my school didn't prepare me for this." It can be a sobering reality to find out that once you're out of school and in "the real world" you will need ADDITIONAL information, training, and resources to make it in this profession. 

Whether you choose to become an independent small business, buy a franchise, or work for someone else, you'll probably need more training every year just to stay up to date on your education. You'll need even more education to master your craft as a business owner. 

I've compiled a short list of things massage training didn't teach you about the business of massage and why, along with helpful resources to get you pointed in the right direction. 

1. How to do taxes, file a business structure, and manage finances. 

Massage therapy training is just that. We train you to be thoughtful, skilled massage therapists; not bookkeepers, business lawyers, or accountants. These are special skills all on their own and you'll need to build a team of qualified professionals in these fields to help you. People in these professions have degrees and have gone to college for many years to know what they know. Obviously, teaching you this in massage school is impossible and totally inappropriate. All small businesses work with pros to make things run smoothly in their businesses and so will you. Get some good referrals from trusted friends and start building your team. 

Which brings me to number two:

2. How to be a small business owner. 

Massage school isn't business school (duh!). That's okay because there are many resources out there to help you learn this new set of skills. Some of my favorites are SCORE.org which is a mentoring group of retired business owners who volunteer their time and skills to help small business owners thrive. How awesome is that? 

Chances are good that you have a group near you. They also host frequent business oriented workshops. 

I also got a lot out of web marketing classes online. I always recommend Marie Forleo's programs and all her free content on YouTube. She gives solid, classy advice and has some great suggestions that have really helped me in running my practice. I also highly suggest The Right-Brained Business Plan by Jennifer Lee. She really helped me put together a beautiful plan that was both creative and practical. 

3. How to be a good manager. 

Being a good manager of time, people, and tasks are really important skills in the business of massage. We have to manage our clients, our session times, and all of the endless "to do's" while running our massage businesses. This can be overwhelming. Add in a few employees and that can be even more overwhelming. 

Massage school doesn't carve out time in the already jam packed curriculum to prepare you for this. The hard truth of the matter is that not everyone is cut out for this part of owning a practice. 

Once you've discovered that your personal constitution is hardy enough to take on this level of business ownership, it's time to dig deeply into self-awareness and self-development (Yikes!). Finding a mentor or emulating a leader that you admire can be a great way to learn.

Resources:

Now Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham, and Donald O. Clifton.

The Right-Brain Business Plan by Jennifer Lee

MarieForleo.com

Score.org

About the author:

Hillary Arrieta is a massage therapist and massage educator in the Dallas, Texas area. She owns Gaia Bodywork and specializes in barefoot massage. You can find out more at gaiabodywork.com.

Need help with your massage marketing content? Check out Bodywork Media.