Brochures are an effective and versatile way to market an investment firm or financial consultancy because they provide only enough space to communicate the basics.

Potential clients can read a brochure and find all the information they need to choose to learn more about pursuing a relationship.

Putting together a brochure that converts requires a bit of creative design.

What does ‘creative design’ mean in this case?

It means communicating the essential information in a visual way to grab the reader’s attention.

Here are five creative design ideas to use on investment brochures.

1. Use Numbers

Use numbers in a brochure to make an argument about the value of a firm.

But don’t use numbers like they’re used in an annual report, i.e. in a narrative form.

Instead, design charts, graphs, or infographics to convey data. Not only does this use a visual strategy designed for quick reading, but the figures appear more convincing because they stand out from the text.

2. Find Captivating Photos

Photos are an overlooked part of brochures, but they can make or break a brochure.

Designing a financial brochure may not seem like the opportune time to use images and photos. What photos would it include, anyway? Calculators? Random stock market graphs?

No. Use photos to captivate the reader’s imagination and convey feelings.

For example, if NNN Property created a brochure, the company could use photos of affluent-looking people looking happy or photos of people relaxing on vacation. This suggests to the customer that that photo could be them if they chose to invest in property.

The photos of people looking content let the customer know that the company provides more than financial services – it provides happiness and security, too.

3. The 50/50 Rule

The biggest mistake someone can make in creative design is to fill a brochure with huge walls of text.

Walls of text are hard to read no matter where they are. With the exception of 19th-century German philosophers, no one wants to read a page long paragraph or worse, a paragraph long sentence.

Design brochure panels to fit a ratio of 50 percent text and 50 percent graphics (photos, charts, logos, etc.). Not only will it be easier to read, but it will be more visually compelling, transforming leads into potential clients and potential clients into loyal customers.

4. Keep It Clean

Don’t go overboard and apply all the principles of creative design at once.

Creating a busy looking brochure makes it appear overwhelming. Stick to a single graphic or related group of graphics per page. Don’t worry about wild designs either. Customers are hoping for financial advice, not advice on graphic design.

5. Match It Up

Keep brochures in line with all other marketing materials. Use the same color scheme, text, language, and graphics as are used on other marketing materials.

Making the effort to create cohesive branding prevents confusion and keeps everything looking professional.

Creative Design Is About Simplicity

Some of the best-designed investment brochures are those that convey information in a simple yet elegant and compelling way.

Want to learn more about designing marketing materials? Be sure to check out plenty of design tutorials for inspiration and tips.