English Unlimited HTL 3, Schulbuch mit Audio-CD und CD-ROM

152 Activities Unit 8, exercise 42 Unit 3, exercise 42; Unit 6, exercise 5; Unit 6, exercise 40b How to write a brochure: How to write a flyer or a leaflet: What it is: A flyer is a form of paper advertisement which is handed out in the street, given away at events or distributed through the post. It is a cheap way of getting information out to a large number of people. There are many different flyer formats (e.g. A4, A5, A6). A leaflet usually has a better design than a flyer. It is printed in colour and on better quality paper. However, the purpose and contents of a leaflet and a flyer are the same: both are mostly used to announce an event or promote a product, service or organisation. A good flyer / leaflet first of all has to catch the attention of your prospective customer. Then it should answer the most important questions about the product, service or event being promoted. Include a list of benefits or an incentive to act. Close with an offer or invitation. Language: Your text must be informative and persuasive as leaflets and flyers are used to persuade the reader to do something. (e.g. buy a product, attend an event, book a service). Keep it short and simple. Try to tell the reader as much as possible in as few words as possible. Flyers and leaflets should have just enough information to attract interest. Make it catchy and memorable. Use short sentences and paragraphs and mark them with headings or use bullet points. Last but not least, check the spelling. Layout: Once you have written the text and chosen the pictures, think about the layout of your leaflet: where to put the headings and text parts, and where to put pictures and graphics that will help to get your message across. Try out different colours for the text and background. What it is: A brochure consists of several pages and gives more detailed information than a flyer or leaflet. It is usually printed on thick glossy paper, folded or bound and contains illustrations. Brochures are created especially to be kept and consulted again and again. They are handed out at the end of sales presentations and as take-away information at trade shows, but they are also distributed via mail and email, and they are displayed in brochure racks in shops, travel agencies, banks and doctors’ surgeries. Brochure racks usually display brochures on several different topics, and people select the ones they are interested in, so make sure your brochure clearly shows what it is all about on the front cover. Be clear about why and for whom you are writing your brochure. The purpose of your brochure determines the kind of information that you put in it. Your target group (students, elderly people, housewives, journalists, etc.) will influence not only the content of your brochure but also the language you use. If you want to sell a dictionary, for example, you may stress different aspects of it whether you are selling it to a parent (‘success in school’) or a teenager (‘travel the world’), and the language you use will differ. Language: The text of a brochure should be short and to the point. Use short simple sentences with persuasive and interesting vocabulary. Take time to plan your brochure and select the information, texts, pictures, facts and figures you want to include before you start writing. Present your product or service in the best possible light, address readers directly and try to persuade them to buy your product or take advantage of your service. Layout: The front cover of your brochure is the first thing that people see: it must attract their attention. Therefore the front cover should contain your main message, preferably in a catchy phrase. Inside your brochure, group your information according to topics (benefits of product / service, where to buy / order / book, prices, etc.) to make it reader-friendly and add a few pictures to make it more appealing. However, if you include too many pictures, this might distract from the text and be confusing. Always proofread and edit your text before photocopying it or handing it over to the printer. Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv