Q: Several years ago, the college eliminated its printed catalog. Programs now have individual glossy brochures and information sheets that are handed out or mailed to prospective students, but these materials do not contain a registration form. Instead, people are “pushed” to the website for more information

In reading your article on “Why You Should Not Eliminate Your Print Brochure,” what’s your definition of brochure? Is it synonymous to catalog? I’m also interested in seeing successful examples of brochures/catalogs.

A: Thank you for your question. Typically we do equate the term brochure with "catalog." However, it can also refer to a tri-fold or or other smaller format marketing piece. One question I would have for you is whether the elimination of the catalog resulted in a reduction in enrollment. I would also need to know whether you maintain a mailing list of prospective students or whether you mail the materials on request.

If you have a mailing list of prospects, then you are in a position to generate adequate enrollments, even without a registration form. These smaller mailings can be more precisely targeted to your audience, and may result in some cost savings on marketing costs and still reach your intended audience. The key here is the enrollment numbers you are generating.

You can visit the brochure gallery in the LERN Club to see examples of successful brochures. Just log in with your username and password. If you need help with this, just email Tammy Peterson at tammy@lern.org and she can assist you. Thanks for asking and please let us know if we can help further.