I may generate a bit of controversy on this one, and I’m okay with that. I am very much interested in your thoughts on this topic.
I had the idea after reading Jason Alba’s excellent blog post on Why Resumes are Relevant. He started me thinking. In networking, brochures are much the same as a resume in a job search. But with websites and social media, are they useful networking tools?
I do think they have their place. At a trade show, they are vital. In that environment, you meet so many people in a very short period of time, and you need something to remember them by. But what about in networking activities?
When I do a one on one meeting with someone, I usually am handed a brochure. Honest moment here. I toss them when I get home. If I kept every brochure, I would have a closet full of them by now. If I need to refresh my memory on products or services, I visit their websites. If I need to give more information, I send a link to a website. If I want to show that someone is an expert in his or her field, I will send a link to an article, or a blog.
In fact, I have never been asked, “Do you have a brochure about that person?”
So what do you think? Is there a a need to hand out brochures at networking meetings? Or are we just wasting a lot of paper?
Tags: marketing, Networking
I hate brochures myself. I never read them and I think they cost a lot of money for people like me to throw away. I just did a trade show last week.I took all of the names and email addresses for my contest on my laptop. They signed up that way and it automatically sent out a follow up email and then 6 video autoresponders afterwards. Plus they are now on my email database list. I am getting clients from it and that was a lot cheaper than pretty brochures. LOL
I think they’re more useful in 1-to-1s than a mixer-type event. When you’re genuinely interested in learning about the other person’s business (as potential client or strategic partner or even mutual referral source) it helps for you to be at least a little educated on what the other person does – and a brochure or a capabilities sheet is a quick reference. You can probably even copy the words from the handout into an introductory email when setting up a referral.
Competing opinions! Anna, I completely agree with you on the mixer-type events. Getting too many brochures there just loads you down.
Renee, interesting that you disagree with me on the one area where I was willing to admit they might be useful. I’m honored that a professional marketing person has the same opinion.
Anyone else want to chime in?
I agree with Renee, I don’t think brochures are effective any more at trade shows. My company, ConventionKeeper.com, markets a USB flash drive with a great graphic interface that lets us load all the marketing material for every Exhibitor and Sponsor at a trade show. The Attendees get the equivalent of a mountain of color brochures all on one little flash drive. No one throws those away!
I agree with you also, Juli. At a mixer, I have a beverage in one hand and I want the other hand free for noshing and handshaking. If it won’t fit in my shirt pocket, I don’t want you to give it to me at a mixer.
I think Anna is right about them being best for one on one meetings. Ultimately though, I think brochures are an outmoded form of marketing. They may have their place if you’re dealing with the old school, or someone who is so interested in you they aren’t likely to round-can your 4-color investment, but for the most part, brochures are marketing dinosaurs.
Bill, many thanks for your thoughtful reply. Love the USB flash drive idea. I agree. I don’t throw those away, though maybe I should considering the number of them I now have sitting around my office.
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