If you’re like most business owners, you know the importance of brochures in marketing your company. But if your brochure design isn’t getting the attention it deserves, there are probably some reasons why. Here are twelve of them.

1. Brochure Design Doesn’t Match Sales Rep or Brand

If your sales reps are wearing business casual dress, the sales brochure design should also be more relaxed and less formal. If you want them to look polished in their suit and tie, keep all other materials in that style as well, including the brochure.

2. Brochure Design Doesn’t Match Product Image

If you want to sell expensive products, choose a brochure design that looks expensive and modern. If you’re selling inexpensive products, choose a more casual design with fewer features and visual distractions.

3. Brochure Design is Overloaded With Text or Pictures

When deciding between text and graphic elements in a brochure, choose one or the other. Don’t try to include both. If you need more explanation for your product, make an additional sheet of paper with bullet points and explanatory sentences (a “fact sheet”).

4. Sales Rep Doesn’t Bring Enough Brochures

If your sales reps don’t have brochures to give away, why should anyone stop and talk with them? If you want to get attention from potential buyers in the industry, make sure your salespeople have plenty of brochures in their car or briefcase.

5. Brochure Design Doesn’t Match Your Industry Image

If you’re in the financial business, keep graphic design conservative and traditional. If you’re in retail or entertainment, choose a more casual look that appeals to your target market.

6. Brochure Design Looks Like Junk Mail

If your brochures look like junk mail, thrown away without even opening them, people will do the same with your sales pitch. Make sure your brochure design is professional and visually appealing, so people will actually read it.

7. Brochure Design Doesn’t Offer Visual Interest or Distractions

When designing a brochure, you need to keep potential buyers’ attention by providing visual interest and distractions (such as bullets and images). If your company name is the only color on the page, nobody will notice it.

8. Too Many Typefaces or Fonts Are Used

Too many typefaces or font styles make your brochure design look chaotic and unprofessional. Keep it simple, with one or two fonts maximum, in a readable size.

9. Sales Brochures are Old-Fashioned

If your sales brochures are ten years old, chances are they don’t appeal to buyers in today’s market. Keep your sales brochure design up-to-date and professional rather than cheap and dated.

10. Poor Quality Printing or Paper

If the quality of your brochure makes it look like a printing mistake (such as blurry images), people won’t be interested in it. Make sure your sales brochures are printed on quality paper with clear images and text.

11. Sales Brochure Design Doesn’t Match Your Web Site

If your website has a very professional look, but the sales brochure doesn’t match it, people won’t take you seriously. You need to keep all design elements consistent throughout all your company materials (and website).

12. Sales Brochure Design is Too Stuffy or Formal

If your sales brochures look outdated, people won’t want to pick them up. Make sure your design looks modern and “of the moment.” Keep it looking fresh every year by using the latest colors, images, and fonts.

One excellent tip when making brochures is to use Venngage — an online brochure maker that offers a wide range of brochure designs for everyone. Here are some brochure examples from their website!