X Designs Blog

5 secrets to making your website rank higher

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:21:00 GMT

When you’re a small fry swimming in the big worldwide web pond, how are you supposed to compete when pitching your products against the big brand names? The answer is simple. You need to boost your search engine ranking to guarantee you are capturing There are a few tactical secrets; XDesigns can share with you absolutely free.

Secret 1
Find out the exact phrases and keywords your potential target audience are looking for, by researching the most popular words and phrases entered into the most commonly used search engines. Sounds difficult, but it’s as easy as logging on to Google Keyword tool and searching the terms you would enter if you were looking for your own website.
It’s not about selecting the keywords or phrases with the highest number of global searches, instead you need to choose the keywords and phrases you will use in your website copy by thinking about
1 How relevant is the keyword or phrase to your website?
2 How many other people are using the same keyword or phrases?
3. Which keywords or phrases have the highest search volumes?

Secret 2
When you have selected your phrases or keywords, it’s important to incorporate them in the website copy. Correct placement is important. Generally your keywords should appear with 3 to 5 per cent saturation, but no more. You still want your copy to read well without it sounding like your keywords have been stuffed into every second sentence.

Example of badly written website copy with keywords; If you are planning a romantic candle lit night and need to buy candles, we are your candle specialist for rechargeable LED candles, candles with remote control and scented candles.

Is your website mobile friendly?
http://www.xdesigns.com.au/_blog/X_Designs_Blog/post/Do_you_need_a_Mobile_Friendly_Website/

Secret 3
Ensure you use your keywords within the meta description, in titles and headings. If this all sounds a bit like understanding ancient hieroglyphics, it might be worth the money to get the advice of a proven graphic design and search engine optimising specialist.

Secret 4
Do a link exchange with other websites. Basically it’s a “I’ll list your link on my website if you list mine on yours.” This is often referred to as back links.

Secret 5
Regularly update your website. No one wants to regularly update the main website copy, so the best way around this is to start a blog.

Find out how to blog for your business
http://www.xdesigns.com.au/_blog/X_Designs_Blog/post/Blogging_for_your_Buisness/

An inside view to landing pages

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Now that you have gained a brief insight into what a landing page is, let’s explore landing pages in more detail, so you can truly discover the benefits and how they help you maximise the effectiveness of your website.

By now Im sure you understand there is more to a landing page than just looking pretty. A landing page can be visually appealing and consistent with your corporate branding, however if it’s not converting website traffic into genuine leads, it’s not fulfilling its purpose.

We’re going to have a closer look at the necessary design elements needed to create an effective landing page. It will give you a better understanding of what information is important.

Less is more.
You have just a few seconds to communicate your message so it’s important exclude unnecessary text or graphics.There’s nothing more frustrating for a prospect to land on a page and be bomarded with multiple messages and offers. Keep it simple, anything superfluous will detract from the real reason your client has been directed to your landing page.

Stick to one purpose, one objective. If you have other offers you want to communicate to your marketplace, then there’s no reason why you cannot have multiple landing pages. We recommend you start with just one. Always remember a cluttered page will never be seen and acted on. It will take longer to download especially for those who are using smartphones, iPads or tablets which can be frustrating.

Grab Your Prospects Attention at the top.
Your prospective client should not have to search to find out what the offer is. State it simply at the top. Wham. It should be the first thing your eyes focus on. It should speak directly to your prospects wants and needs and should instantly capture their attention.

Be clear and concise
Following the traditional marketing formula, your headline should be informative and include key words. Don’t waste time trying to be clever or witty. The potential customer immediately wants to know what’s on offer. It’s also important to ensure the main body of text is rich with keywords and keyword subheadings are used to break up the content. Remember your sub headline and your body contents main purpose is to build interest and desire to know more about what your product or service will offer.

Use high visibility buttons
The purpose of a landing page is to entice potential customers to take action. What you want your prospect to do needs to be highly visible and works best if all they have to do is just click one button and enter minimal details.

Everybody loves freebies
Using words like free sample or free trial or win will lure the customer into taking action. If you feel the word “free” is overused then try complimentary. It is always important to use the words that match your business and your product, service and or offer.

Always lead the prospect into taking some form of action.

Whether you want your prospect to fill in their details or take an immediate action to purchase, it’s crucial you lead your prospect into doing something like filling in their details to access complimentary training videos, download a free e book or whitepaper. Whatever it may be, be sure you lead them to completing the form and leaving their details.

By now I'm sure you are ready to dive straight in and have a landing page built that will bring more qualified leads to your business.

What’s next? How do you get a landing page?

Visit our landing page, fill in your details or call us on 02 8824 5169 and Talk to X Designs today.

Is your website lacking the one thing that could make you money?

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Landing page; it’s the newest buzzword being tossed around, when it comes to your online presence and if your website doesn’t have one, it is likely you are leaving a tonne of money on the table and missing out on many opportunities. Your website’s primary aim should be to convert visitors into genuine enquires and leads. More customers translate to more cash and who wants to miss out on increased revenue?

So what is a landing page?

Think of it in terms of airports, when a plane arrives at any airport, it has a specific runway it is instructed to land on. It’s the same when you have a landing page attached to your website. When a prospect or a customer clicks a link to your website whether it’s from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, an email or search engine, they will be directed to land on a specific page on your site. This is called a landing page or sometimes referred to as a lead capture page in the online marketing world.

There are generally two types of landing pages – a reference landing page and a transactional landing page. The most common landing page and the most effective is the transactional landing page.

A transactional landing page is one that leads a customer or prospect to take a particular action. The most common action will be to fill out a form. Some transactional landing pages lead directly to a sale, however for the purpose of this article we will be focusing on the landing pages that aim to lead to capturing a prospects information.

For your landing page to be effective it’s important it contains a few essential elements:

There is a big welcome banner, speaking directly to your prospective customer.
Its important your page is visually appealing, tied in with your brand and adds a certain amount of value.
You may find a video or some key bullet points entices and directs your prospect to fill in their details which leads to the fourth essential element.
An opt-in form. This is a form where you will usually collect the prospects name and email and you may grab their phone number if it’s needed.

So what will a landing page really do for you?

They say the gold in any business is in the database. The ultimate goal of your landing page is to help you build your mailing list allowing you to generate new leads.
It increases your chances of speaking directly with more qualified and interested prospects, eliminating the time wasters and increasing your conversion rates.
As a business owner, you simply cannot manage what you don’t measure. A landing page also allows gathering data and analysing who is coming to your website, what they are specifically looking for which enables you to determine how you will communicate to them in your sales process that adds value to the customer.

What’s next? How do you get a landing page?

Visit our landing page, fill in your details and talk to us today!

X Designs - brand, graphic & web design experts

Do you need a Mobile Friendly Website?

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Sitting on the train from Hornsby into Central station every morning, every second person seems to have their head down, clutching some sort of glowing device and is frantically tapping away at a screen. Be it an iPod touch, iPad or Smartphone, it’s hard to ignore the fact that portable technology is becoming more prevalent. It’s believed the number of users increase every day and is said that over 83 million web users who access the internet do it via their mobile device.

In the age of portable digital devices, which are now outselling PCs, it’s not enough for business owners to have a website. Now there’s the need for their website to be mobile-friendly as well.

For technophobes, the easiest solution might be to throw your arms in the air and try and ignore the rapidly increasing page of technology, but it’s a sure-fire way to lose customers.

Website’s that aren’t optimised for mobile use are extremely difficult to navigate. The text is often microscopic. It requires having to zoom in and move the page around in an attempt to find what you’re looking for. In fact it’s just a pain in the butt, so unless you have a mobile-friendly site, it’s likely a potential customer will log on to a competitors website if you haven’t moved with the times.

Mobile friendly sites are quicker to download. They’re not bogged down with large images or fancy web banners using java or flash which take forever to download and chew through data allowance like hungry termites.

Having a mobile optimised website is cheaper than having an app created for you. Apps need to be created in a variety of platforms so they are compatible with the mobile device. For example an app created for a blackberry won’t work on the Android platform. Mobile friendly websites don’t present the same compatibility issues which may arise if you were to have an app designed.

Your competitors already have optimised websites, so what are you waiting for? Talk to a proven graphic design company today.

Move your branding with the times

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 13:37:00 GMT

Ever looked at your competitor’s branding and begrudgingly thought “That makes them look bigger and better than what they really are?”
Annoying isn’t it?

Suppress the green-eyed monster because the solution of giving your branding that extra WOW factor is as simple as a makeover.
No, it doesn’t mean your current logo was poorly designed. No, you don’t have to change your logo dramatically or your company colours. You have the essentials; you just need a bit of a tune up to make your company’s profile more modern.
Remember those knitted rainbow coloured leg warmers you wouldn’t leave the house without in the eighties, now you wouldn’t be seen dead in them? Just like fashion trends, branding becomes out of date too.

Your company’s branding needs to move with the times. Look at Apple for an example and notice the way their logo has evolved over the years to keep it looking fresh and new. The design is fundamentally the same, but subtle changes modernise it. Coca Cola and Pepsi have also adapted their logo regularly since their conception to keep it contemporary. While each change of their logos conveys a new look, they have the same underlying themes to ensure brand familiarity to their loyal customers.

Giving your logo a new spin, without changing it dramatically means your current customers will still recognise it, as well as sends a message saying your company is serious about keeping up to date with modern trends. Remember if you’re going to update your logo, you will also need to update your website, office letterheads, fax headers, t-shirts, even car wraps if you use them. Consistency across your branding is just as important as moving your company with the times.

So how do you know if you need to update your logo? Ask yourself if your logo is attention-grabbing. Has your business changed its main focus? Is your logo unique? Does it look modern? How does it compare to your competitors? Is your business in a slump? Has it been at least five years since you updated your company branding?
Changing your logo is a big decision but it’s an investment well worth considering.
Talk to a proven graphic professional on how to bring your company into the 21st century.

Presentations in PowerPoints

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

There are times when a brochure or flyer is simply not enough, especially when you want to show off your company to a potential client.Yes, website are great and a must-have, but what about when you need something more personalised, specifically designed to highlight what your company can do for an individual client? Welcome to the world of PowerPoint presentations. Once upon a time you would have to drag along your laptop and a data projector, but now with the convenience of iPads, all your relevant stats, graphs, even photos of your staff members can be at the touch of your fingertips.

PowerPoint presentations don’t just have to be designed for use for one-on-ones with clients; they are one of the best ways to reach larger audiences, particularly if you have a kiosk or interactive display at a lifestyle expo. High-tech presentations in video, DVD or multimedia formats are extremely appealing, engaging and guaranteed to be attention-grabbing. Plus it gives you the option of providing extra copies on CD-ROM or DVD so your potential customers have something other than a business card to take away with them.

The main objective of every presentation is to provide an increased understanding of what your company does while making a positive impression. Effective PowerPoint presentations demonstrate how your company’s values and key messages impact the way you conduct business, and how that will provide solutions to any prospective customer’s challenges.
Of course you could put the PowerPoint presentation together yourself, but using templates looks tacky and the design needs feature your company brand. Focus on one idea per slide; support your headlines with graphics, e.g.; photos or graphs. Using both words and images has more impact than words alone. And lastly, not every point needs to be mentioned in the slides. More detailed information can be included in any hand outs.
If you’re not familiar with PowerPoint or know the ins and outs to creating a dynamic multimedia presentation, it may be more cost-effective to engage the services of a proven graphic design professional than to waste your valuable time.

What are QR codes? Do I need one?

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 07:01:00 GMT

Ever seen the ads in newspapers and magazines with the black and white pixelated looking dots in a box and wondered what is that? It’s called a QR code. QR Code stands for Quick Response Code and is the symbol for a type of matrix barcode which was initially designed for the automotive industry. In recent months the use of these QR codes has evolved and become the cool, tech savvy way to share information. Consisting of small black square arranged in a square on a white background, these funky codes are a quick way of transmitting information from paper to your smart phone. Of course you’ll need to download a QR code scanner app to your phone, but with the way technology is increasing, it won’t be long before smart phones come with QR code scanners already inbuilt. No need to go on the hunt for a pen, or painfully punching the details into your iPod or smartphone with one finger, all you need to do is open the QR code scanner and presto, the information contained in the code is now on your phone.
So how do you get a QR code? The details contained within a vCard or MeCard can be used in conjunction with a QR code generator. You can link it straight to your website; provide special offers or messages to your smart phone customers. A restaurant might use one to highlight their special 2 for 1 meal deals or a hotel or motel might use it to offer special rates. Keep the information to the bare necessities. The more complicated the QR code graphic, the more you increase the chances of it scanning incorrectly.
QR codes don’t appeal to everyone, it an evolving format which is slowly gaining popularity, but seems to appeal to male smart phone, iPad or iPod users aged from 18-35. Before you go crazy adding QR codes to all your advertising, get to know your target audience.

What is RSS

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 06:37:00 GMT

Ever wondered what RSS stands for? It means Really Simple Syndication. Not all websites offer RSS feeds, but if they are available they are indicated by an orange and white logo

Reading blogs and surfing the internet is a brilliant way to keep your finger on the pulse with relevant news, whether it’s about your business, the area you live or even just topics you’re interested in (eg: current affairs, Photoshop tutorials, celebrity gossip)

You can even use RSS feeds as a helpful resource for devising new concepts and topics for your own email newsletters, blogs and social media sites.

With so much information available on the internet, it can be laborious visiting all your favourite websites to read articles or blogs you find interesting. RSS feeds save you lots of time and makes it easier for you to keep track of news and updates.

So how do you start using an RSS feed? First of all you will need a news reader, also known as a feed reader or RSS reader. Microsoft Outlooks comes with an RSS Feed and if you don’t have access to Outlook, then Google offers a free, simple to use reader which you can access on line. It’s as simple as logging in and choosing the content you want to get by subscribing to the relevant RSS feeds.

On your favourite websites, look out for the orange and white logo, then click on the icon to view the RSS feed and copy the URL or website address from the web page that opens. All you have to do then go back to your Google reader and click on subscribe in the top left page and paste the link into the field provided. Any update for that website will now feed directly into your reader. Repeat for as many websites as you want and then all you need to do is login to Google reader when you want to check for updates. It’s easy, so what are you waiting for?

How to Blog for Your Business

Fri, 08 Jun 2012 00:54:00 GMT

Everyone is doing it – blogging that is. Or at least it seems that way. You’ve thought about setting a blog for your business, but how do you go about it? What would you write? Why is it even necessary? If you’ve ever wondered about blogging for your business, then you’ve come to the right place. Having a blog allows your business to have a voice on the web. It’s a nifty way of allowing you to interact with your target audience on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, get information back from your blog readers which you can use to improve your product or service, while at the same time increasing your knowledge about what your prospective customers really want.

A lack of know-how, the time and commitment to regularly keep the blog updated, being a technophobe and the fear of what people will say are the main deterrents. However there’s no better way to learn than just to take the bull by the horns and start writing.

Wordpress.com has a blog format which you can have up and running within 5 minutes if you’re unsure of how to set one up as part of your company website. You can write the content yourself or if you don’t think you have the time or writing isn’t one of your strong points, you can always engage the services of a professional SEO copywriter. A professional copywriter with SEO skills a knowledge will have a working knowledge of Google principles and keyword usage throughout the copy will allow your blog to be easily found via search engine.

What do you put in your blog? The content needs to be useful. You can write about the latest news, how to guides, news relevant to your industry and make it interesting by putting a little personality into it. You can experiment with different content, because unlike print, a blog can always be changed. Make sure you always use a punchy headline which creates interest. If you find this difficult use the four “U’s”– make it USEFUL, UNIQUE, URGENT and ULTRA SPECIFIC. People in social media share or retweet blogs sometimes purely based on the headline. A good way to test whether your headlines generate interest is to tweet or share a couple of ideas on Twitter or Facebook and wait and see which has the most response. Stop procrastinating and start your blog today. There’s no time like the present.

The Marketing Checklist for Every Business

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 02:13:00 GMT

Dedicated professional staff members
Great product or service
Business logo and matching stationary
Professional designed website
Facebook page
Advertising in the local paper
Advertising in the yellow pages

Have you forgotten anything? (long pause as you rack your brain). Most business owners believe once they have a presence on the internet – website, Facebook, Twitter and Linked In, plus a few ads in the local paper, it’s a matter of sitting back and waiting for the business to roll in. It’s time to change your way of thinking.

The two most important items to ensure your business is a success is
branding and marketing; two concepts which are often neglected due to having a shoestring budget and lack of know-how and time. It’s vital to the future of your business to make the time to find out how to market your business properly. Do you really want to be one of those company owners who constantly worry about where you’re going to find the money to pay your staff, or the rent for your commercial premises? Reading this blog is a baby step to growing your business.

So what is marketing? To put it simply – it’s about finding out what people want and giving it to them. Often business owners get so caught up in the day to day running of the business, they simply forget about how important marketing is.

You can begin by answering the following questions

What can you offer that no one else does? Essentially, people are egocentric. They’re selfish. They don’t care about your business. They just want to know what’s in it for them. Once you understand this marketing concept, you’re already strides ahead of your competitors.

Have you built up a brand? Think of a brand like a tattoo. Almost everyone has the same body parts and essentially they look the same and have the same purpose. When you get a tattoo, it’s a permanent mark it makes you stand out from a crowd. That’s exactly what building a brand does for your company. It makes you stand out from the crowd.

Does your brand have a personality? Tim Reid, the founder of Small Business, Big Marketing suggests to think of your brand as if it was a person. What character does it have? Is it smart and sassy? Fun, loud and gregarious? Who are its best mates (ie, target audience?)

What are your business principles? For example; Sanitarium’s core principle is better health through better nutrition.

Is your brand consistent? Think of all the ways people come into contact with your business. (Business cards, advertising, company cars, uniforms, office stationary).

It seems a lot to take on board, but the most vital thing to remember it needs to be done well. If you think it’s expensive to engage a proven professional, think about how much it will cost you if you use an amateur.

Online Marketing – Is it really necessary?

Fri, 11 May 2012 01:05:00 GMT

“The internet is the future of advertising,” and “If your company doesn’t have a website you’re missing out on valuable customers. You’ve heard it a hundred times. If you’re one of those people who have never branched out into having a business website or you think once you have a web page, you’re on the road to a future where the roads are paved with gold - think again!

When launching into age of digital age of advertising, it’s important to know what to expect and what it will take to turn your website into a money-spinner. Simply having a professionally designed website is not enough. You’ve probably invested a lot of time, money, maybe even blood, sweat and tears to get your business off the ground. Online marketing allows you to take what you’ve built and helps it evolve.

Without online marketing, your website is like having a digital business card. If you forget to hand your business card out, you’re not exactly going to generate new leads. And that’s precisely how it works online too.

You can’t sell something that’s a secret.

On the internet superhighway, there isn’t any drive-by traffic. Traffic refers to people who land on your home page. People interested in what you services or goods you have to offer often tell other people be it face to face, via Facebook, blog or forum. The more people that hear about your website, the more probable it will be these people will also visit your website. In turn this will lead to interested individuals making a purchase.

To gain maximum exposure for your website, online marketing is a must. So how do you go about marketing your website or ensuring it’s not the world’s best kept secret? First step is to talk to a graphic designer with web experience. The second step is to ensure your all your text is search engine optimised, in other words, written specifically for search engines like Google. And last but not least is develop an online marketing strategy.

If words like online marketing, professionally designed websites and search engine optimisation make your head spin, talk to a proven professional. They will be able to assist you with making sure your website looks snazzy, is easy to navigate, the text is optimised for search engine, explain pay per click advertising and help you design online marketing strategies to take your business to the next level.

Digital printing or Press Printing?

Fri, 04 May 2012 04:16:00 GMT

Your marketing material is designed. Whether it's letterhead, business card, brochures, flyers or posters, it’s time to send it off to the printers. Now comes the big decision of how to get it printed! Press printing or Digital. What’s the difference between press printing and digital printing?
We’ve highlighted the pros and cons to try and help you weigh up your printing options.

Digital Printing

Digital printing is cheaper. It’s about half the cost of press printing as it prints directly to paper. There’s no need to bother with film or plates. You get faster results and some printers can even provide a same day service depending on their work load. However the digital printing process uses four colours - Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CYMK) mixed together create a variety colours. Different set-ups and settings on digital printers can produce an extensive range of colour results. There is no guarantee you will get the exact same yellow from printer to printer or batch to batch of ink. It also limits the assortment of colours available. If you’re after vibrant reds and sunset oranges, press printing would be the better option. Digital printer also limits your paper section and finishes. If you’re wanting to print posters in a size bigger than A3, press printing is your only option. Most digital printers are limited to size and generally 297mm × 420mm the biggest they can produce. You’ll also find the paper density (GSM) is also limited. If you’re after thick card or any other sort of material, then you’ll need to opt for press printing.

Press Printing

Naturally with the extra work of producing film and plates, press printing is going to be around double the cost of digital printing. With making the film, plates, setting the press, running the jobs and the time it takes for drying, cutting, folding and finishing. If you’re after a quick fix, then digital printing is your best option. The benefits are there is an enormous spectrum of paper colours available, a wide range of thickness, textures and speciality papers like non-traditional paper and metallic are amongst your options for stock.
Traditional press printing can also accommodate a wide range of paper sizes and shapes, perfects for large posters and signage, so when it comes to printing your imagination is the only limit.

In summary, if consistent colour is not an issue and you want a fast turnaround for your brochures, flyers and letterheads, you can’t beat digital printing for cost. When you need poster sized marketing material, metallic finishes, embossing and vibrant colours mixed to exact specifications, choose press printing.
If you’re still unsure, talk to a proven graphic design agency. They deal with printers every day and can probably recommend a reliable, cost efficient solution.

Making your business card work

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Most business cards are nothing extraordinary and get shoved into a wallet or purse where they quickly forgotten and never see the light of day again. And because of that you lose business. A prospective client will never get to know about your extended opening hours, your outstanding customer service or bonuses for repeat customers.

Business cards can say a truckload about your business. A card printed on inferior paper on your home printer or is riddled spelling mistakes it reflects on the way people think you will conduct business. It doesn’t matter if you have won thousands of awards for customer service or your products have been voted the best in Australia. If your business cards look cheap and nasty, you might as well kiss customers goodbye.An innovative and professionally printed and well-designed card sends a good first impression which will remain long after your initial meeting.

But what most people forget is a business card, no matter how attractive it is, if it doesn’t have a marketing strategy tagline, you are just throwing your money down the drain.

You need to give clients a reason to contact you- something more than just promising no appointment is necessary or that you’re located in the centre of town. You need to let people know why you are the person they should contact. Can you provide a free 15 minute hair consultation or will you offer a complimentary facial with any 30 minute massage?

What can you offer? You need to make this clear on your business card. It can be one of the most effective, portable marketing tools next to a printed brochure if done properly.
To ensure the job is done correctly, it may help to enlist the help of a graphic design studio who can give your business card the flair to grab attention and help you come up with a catchy tagline..
It will be the difference between whether your business card is stuck to the fridge or relegated to the back of a wallet.

The importance of brochures

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:00:00 GMT

With the internet seemingly taking the place of printed media, does my company still need to have a brochure? Definitely, a hundred times yes. And here’s why.

1. Embrace the technophobes. It may be hard to believe in this day and age that there are people out there who believe a hard drive, is something difficult to reverse up and Bing is a noise the oven timer makes, but there are. The older generation didn’t grow up with the technology we have and while there are grandmothers out there who are on Facebook, others won’t even turn on a computer. A brochure allows your company to target those who don’t have access to the internet.

2. Easy to take away. Handing over a printed brochure is putting your company’s brand in the hands of your customer. Brochures can be effectively used to back up a sales pitch, used at trade shows or left in your reception. It gives your client something to look over it while waiting in your reception area, take home and refer to later or pass on to friends or family.

3. Size does matter. Why opt for handing out just a small business card which can easily get lost in the abyss of a handbag or wallet and only provides your contact details? Having a brochure will allow you to include information on your company, services, and products, contact details and refer them to your website.

4. Target specific markets. A good old fashioned letterbox drop or mail out to customers can be a good way of generating business. You may want to focus on prospective clients in the streets surrounding your business and a brochure is an effective way of informing people of what you offer.

5. Cost effective. TV and radio campaigns can cost you thousands. A brochure is the one of the cheaper ways you can advertise your business.

Yes, there is still definitely a place for brochures in advertising your business. The internet can never take the place of offering your customer a glossy brochure that they can take home with them and read at their own leisure. If this is an aspect of your marketing strategy you’ve neglected, then perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate. Use a proven professional to ensure your brochure meets the highest possible standards.

The Write Direction for Company Profiles

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:43:00 GMT

Writing a profile for a brochure promoting your company can be a daunting process. So how do you know where to begin? This straight-forward guide to what to and what not to include should steer you in the ‘write’ direction.

1. Put yourself in prospective client’s shoes. What would you want to know about the company? What is it that you do better than your opposition?

2. Brainstorm. Make a list of all the points of difference your company can boast about. What can you offer than no one else can?

3. Use the KISS factor. Keep it simple. You may be an expert in your field and throw around technical jargon as fluently as you speak your native tongue, but keep in mind the average Joe reading your brochure won’t be buzzword savvy. Too much techno speak can be a turn off. Even if you are sending it out to people in the industry, it’s advisable to use clear, easy to understand language.

4. Provide useful, relevant information. Include the key management team and photos if possible, descriptions of company products and services, location of business, contact numbers and try to infuse it with some personality to make it more interesting to those who land on your web page.

5. Avoid using corny mission statements. Yawn fest. Seriously, who reads these anyway? The text needs about what you can do, not what you hope to achieve

6. Make it personable. People relate to people. Some companies like to have a little fun with the staff profiles to make them seem a little more approachable and often include quirky questions eg: Worst Christmas Present ever received or make amusing comments about their personality. You don’t have to include this, but it certainly makes it more readable.

7. Be precise. This should be fairly obvious, but don’t claim your company can meet obligations it can’t. With the internet, the world is a very small place and it only takes one or two people to post negative comments on a blog which can easily affect your business.

8. Don’t waffle. Keep it short. Customer’s won’t read long screeds of text. The reader should be able to pick up the main gist of what your company is about in just a glance. Those who are interested in knowing more can always be referred to your company website.

9. Don’t wing it. If you’re not competent you can write a great company profile, there are tools available online to help you construct on, or simply enlist the help of a proven professional. You will still need provide information outlined in steps 1-4, but at least it will give you time to concentrate on the areas you excel in.

Now you have 9 easy steps to follow, what are you waiting for? Get brain storming.