Driving conversions through the roof!
The one thing that was always a challenge with traditional brochures, was measuring and monitoring conversions from them. Customers were asked to remember and state specific codes like SALES10, SPRINGOFFER or BROCHURE etc but these are very rarely remembered or used when contact is made through channels such as telephone or online. Creating a Digital Brochure That Converts
Digital Brochures do not suffer from this problem as users are not even aware that their actions have been tracked. Clicking on a button or a text link allows for unique URL addresses to be used and monitored. Any activity on those particular URLs can only be from users of the digital brochure. Not only can they be tracked but the ease of use allows for conversions to go through the roof and barriers to purchase can be sidestepped or skipped over completely.
With a higher significance being put on conversions the importance of implementing strategic design and content for maximising conversion rates is key.
Define Your Brochure’s Objective
Before you can consider designing your digital brochure you have to Identify the specific goal of your digital brochure (e.g., lead generation, product promotion, event registration). Once you have a clear objective the design should reflect this intent and will directly impact the structure, layout and content of your brochure.
Know Your Target Audience
To truly engage an audience you have to know who they are. The benefits of conducting thorough research on your target audience’s demographics, preferences, and pain points speak for themselves and will be reflected in your results. The greater the understanding you have of your target audience the greater the chance of converting them into a customer. Your content and your propositions will speak to their needs and wants and your language and tone will complement theirs. By tailoring your messaging in this way, every element of your design will resonate with your target audience.
Craft Compelling Content
When it comes to the creation of content, there are a few key things that you need to do:
1. Develop a captivating headline and introduction to grab attention
Not everyone will read every word, but headings and introductions are your best opportunity to establish engagement and lead the way to conversion.
2. Highlight the unique value propositions and benefits of your products or services
Whether you call it your USP, Differentiator, UVP or Key Feature – it’s essential to clearly communicate your point of difference and why this is important to the reader.
3. Incorporate a persuasive storytelling technique to engage readers
Everyone loves a narrative and they are far more compelling than a dry list of features and benefits. You must get your reader involved in what you are saying and get them to care about the outcome.
4. Include clear and concise calls-to-action (CTAs) to drive conversions
Once you have a reader’s engagement, attention and buy-in there needs to be a clear path for them to follow in the form of CTA’s. Whether buttons, forms or text links – make them a forgone conclusion in the mind of your reader.
Design for Visual Impact
Only once the proposition, the content and the CTA’s have been refined and agreed upon should you turn your attention to the visual impact of your digital brochure. Using the guidance provided by your understanding of the target audience you can select eye-catching visuals, including high-quality images and graphics. Great photography and clever typography can elevate a brochure to art, but it is no substitute for a badly designed or thought-out project.
Sometimes it is all too apparent when a brochure has been driven by photography or style rather than purpose and its effectiveness will suffer. The perfect brochure is a combination of function and form with every element from the use of fonts, colours, photography and typography benefitting the brand identity and driving conversions.
Incorporate Interactive Elements
Digital Brochures are capable of incredible levels of interactivity and you should always look to make the most of this functionality. The most important thing to do is ensure that the interactive elements add value to your project and play their part in driving conversions. If an interactive element does not pass this measure then it should be reconsidered.
Adding clickable links and buttons for easy navigation and access to additional resources should always be considered in relation to a reader’s journey through the brochure. If these links lead them away from a conversion path then it must be understood that this could reduce the effectiveness of the brochure.
Embedding multimedia elements like videos or interactive product demonstrations is wonderful content and keeps the reader in the brochure and improves engagement and ultimately conversions.
Integrating interactive forms or surveys to gather customer feedback or capture leads should also be considered for their ability to convert whilst in the brochure and not needing an initial handoff to another channel.
Conclusion
Digital Brochures come in a host of different shapes and sizes and their ability to drive conversions should not be left to chance. Every stage from the initial proposition, the content and CTA’s through to design and look & feel should all be considered and refined to ensure the best possible conversion rates.
We would encourage continuous testing, analysis, and iteration to improve conversion rates and ensure the brochure is the best it can possibly be.
If you would like to talk through what you would like your next digital brochure to achieve, then drop us a line or call us today on 01295 266644.
We will happily go through the various options available and how we can help you drive conversions through the roof!
