( November 19, 2007 ) - What's the hottest trend in marketing communication? It could be that old-school warhorse, the printed brochure.

The trend makes sense, according to veteran copywriter John Kuraoka, who has written hundreds of websites and brochures over a marketing career spanning nearly 25 years.

"Today everyone has a website," says Kuraoka. "The cost of acquisition is low. The risk is minimal. In comparison, having a professional-looking brochure requires a certain minimum investment in creative content, production, and printing."

The cost barrier prevents many smaller enterprises from having a brochure in their arsenal of marketing tools. That feeds the perception among potential customers that the presence of a brochure indicates a higher level of stability, resources, or professionalism in the company that has one. Increasingly, brochures separate successful small businesses from the also-rans.

But, can't a website do everything a brochure can?

Kuraoka says no. "A brochure is unique in its ability to deliver a tangible, controllable message," he says. "First, it's tactile – you hold it in your hands, you turn the pages by hand. A brochure is innately interactive. Production elements such as the choice of paper, ink, and coatings add to the ‘voice' of the copy. The cumulative effect of feeling and seeing and reading deliver a multi-sensory, real-world experience that a flat image on a computer monitor just can't match."

"The second point, is that a brochure puts you in control of how your message unfolds," Kuraoka continues. "Brochures don't give your potential customers a navigation menu that lets them skip essential parts of your sales message. That's a huge advantage. The brochure format organizes the entire emotional arc of your sales pitch, from target audience identification to proposition to validation to closing."

In contrast, online research shows that a typical click-through path for a website visitor is home page > pricing > exit. As a result, many businesses don't put their rates and prices online, omitting a crucial piece of information in closing a sale.

"A brochure can include pricing information," says Kuraoka, "in large part because the value proposition can be made clear before the reader reaches that point."

Because brochure copy can deliver a complete sales pitch, right down to pricing and promotional offers, well-written brochures can make a strong "close." That can shorten the sales cycle from a three- or four-step process to a two- or three-step process.

"Brochures have always been tremendously effective marketing tools," Kuraoka says. "The sheer volume of web-based marketing today has actually increased the relative effectiveness of brochures. A good one really stands out."

Visit JJohn's website at http://www.profitable-copy.com/brochure-copywriter.html.