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Business looks to paperless stationery

Friday, 18 April 2008

A growing number of businesses are using e-brochures instead of the paper variety.

E-brochures are pretty much just normal business brochures but full of visuals, copy and logos – all created, viewed and distributed online. Entrepreneur.com  lists the practical benefits:

• Distribution: Responds quickly to requests. E-brochures can be sent as email attachments, linked or incorporated on a website. Creates a word-of-mouth effect, one potential customer forwards to another and so on.
• Cost effectiveness: No more guessing numbers for your print run, then winding up too many brochures piling up in the stationary room. The cost of an e-brochure is fixed, whether you send out one or one million of them.
• Interactivity: Boost the overall impact of your message by engaging your audience. Viewers can turn the pages, view video or listen to audio with a simple click of the mouse. Better yet, they can immediately place orders or request more information by clicking on embedded links.
• Customization: Target your messages to specific audiences – harder with printed material.
• Update and edit: It is simple, quick and cheap to adapt your message – like if product prices change.
• Tracking: Collect data on who is downloading brochures, what is purchased and what links are followed hit.
• Environmentally friendly: No trees or storage boxes.
• Refreshes brand: E-brochures are smart and innovative: – leaves impression that your company is ahead of the curve and well-positioned for the future. Customers do business with savvy companies who literally think outside the box.