Where do you start your layout?

The best place to start a brochure or rack card is by obtaining a half a dozen or more of you competitors pieces. Next, make several lists of your business' features, area attractions, items promoted by your competitors which may apply to you, the reasons people stay at your hotel/bed & breakfast, or use your service. make a few notes on positioning, and finally any new ideas you have as to features or services you may want to add to attract guests. Offering a discount or complimentary item with the return of the rack card can allow you to track your marketing.

Your corporate guidelines should be followed very closely, particularly on the front side. It defeats the purpose of affiliating if you don't tie to the chain's marketing theme and presentation. You may get away with some deviation on the inside and the back. Usually Its not very necessary but there are exceptions. 

For instance assume a brochure/rack card will occasionally be placed backwards in a display case or left lying upside down. As a result design the top of the front & back of your brochure/rack cards to be very similar. The bottom of the back may also include a space for travel agents or other referral sources to stamp their names, addresses and phone numbers. (particularly important if your local chamber sends out information for you)

Features Lists

A list of features should be refined and listed in order of importance to prospective guests. In a rack card you'll only be able to list 5-10 depending on the room you need for area attractions, directions, a map, location information, and reservation instructions. If you're doing a brochure, more features can be used because you have more space. Some may be used in a list format while others may be expressed as benefits that attract guests or used as part of photo captions. Your list of features should be adapted to include features that place your property in a better competitive light and worded very concisely and grammatically correct.

Include Logos 

Whenever its reasonable consider including logos for the corporate programs that your business participates in. Logos for equipment and supplies the your business uses can also be included. In the brochure for a Best Western you might include the logo for, Gold Crown Club international, their frequent guest program; AAA in bright red, because they have an official appointment; Visa & MasterCard and any other affiliations relevant to name in your marketing. Using known brand names and logos gives your business credibility if those brand names are held in high regard by your prospective guests.

Highlight Area Attractions

Area attractions and demand generators need to be listed relative to your business location. Mall of America 12 miles (or whatever), Biltmore Estates 5 minutes and Harrah's Cherokee Casino 11 mile are examples of this. Again, in a brochure these might be incorporated into the copy or referred to through a photograph's caption.

How you want your business positioned is an important Item to consider. If you want to attract more mid-week commercial business, consider using a photograph of a businesswoman checking in, or a photo that covers a number of issues simultaneously. If you need more winter business and it's appropriate use a snowmobiling or skiing action photograph. Set the tone with your largest photograph. It should usually be a destination shot. While you may be proud of your hotel nobody but the owner and the General Manager will travel very far just to see it!

Front Layout 

A brochure/rack card's front layout should have some standard features. The place name should be at the top followed by the business name. Those two should take up no more than 1" to 2".(Please see the rack above) Below that it's up to you and your corporate specifications but keep in mind that if it's too cluttered the reader will get lost. . Whenever I'm in doubt or in a hurry I'll do a rack card. This permits me to have a front which looks as good or better than a brochure and a back that is jammed full of important information in an orderly way. I always do these on post card stock.

Brochures and rack cards are the foundation piece of even the simplest marketing effort including responses to inquiries. With little effort they can also be used for each incremental step you might take towards a more sophisticated and effective marketing program.