Why Your Invention Needs an Effective Sell Sheet
Imagine you’re attending a business conference when you strike up a conversation with your ideal buyer. They have a problem, and you have the solution. They’re interested in your company and you want to take this discussion to the next level.
The next step in the sales process is critical for your business, with these early interactions with a prospect often determining whether the relationship will continue or drop off. Giving a potential client too much information too soon can be overwhelming. Not providing enough information might leave your prospect with additional questions about your professionalism.
So how do you create the perfect first impression? Enter the sell sheet.
The sell sheet is a one-page package, designed to showcase the best of your business. It’s a good opportunity to gauge your customer’s interest before offering to schedule a full demo.
While sell sheets often vary between industries, we’ll discuss some common shared traits of effective sell sheets below.
Example of a recently designed sell sheet for a client. The patent illustrations were repurposed as a 3D model. Click Here to view the PDF.
Clean design
Humans are visual creatures. While you may have a killer product or service, if it’s not presented in an aesthetically pleasing manner, people won’t look at it. Resist the urge to cram as much information as possible onto your sell sheet. Remember, this is highlighting the best of your invention, not all of it. Your prospect is just getting to know you at this point, so avoid overwhelming them with too many details. Choose the best and forget the rest.
Company logo and name
While the sell sheet should focus on your invention, do make sure your company logo and name are clearly presented and visible as well. After all, customers will want to contact you after learning about your terrific product! Due to the brevity of a sell sheet, be conscious of the limited space you have to work with here.
Color visuals
A sell sheet is designed to grab attention. One of the best ways to achieve this is to use full color visuals in your images whenever appropriate. Provide relevant illustrations of your product or service, preferably from different angles. Consider adding a bold, attention-grabbing headline in a complementing font.
Data visualization
When including statistics or other data in your sell sheet, present them in an appealing manner by incorporating relevant images or icons. Keep in mind that a sell sheet is not a research paper. Avoid presenting your audience with a long list of statistics, no matter how impressive they are. Consider layering numbers on top of icons to help tell a narrative in a clear and concise way, even injecting personality when appropriate.
Effective use of data visualization to present statistics in a sell sheet
Persuasive copy
While a picture speaks a thousand words, images alone will not make for an effective sell sheet. Choose your copy carefully for your sell sheet, as you only have a very limited amount of space to deliver your message. Edit ruthlessly and use the active voice whenever possible in order to give your copy more energy.
Clear call-to-action
A call-to-action (CTA) is the most important part of your company’s sell sheet. After all, your sell sheet was designed with a specific intention, right? Now that your customer is interested in your product or service, what next? Make the next step clear for them by telling them exactly what they need to do next. Should they contact you for a full demo or quote? Should they visit your office in person?
Many sell sheets tend to fall flat due to lack of a clear CTA. Remember, good CTAs aren’t pushy, but authoritative enough so that your customers know exactly what to do.
Example of a sell sheet with a clear call-to-action
Next steps
Our expert team has over 45 years of illustration experience and can help your company design an effective and compelling sell sheet. We have the ability to work with existing illustrations, photographs, prototypes, and 3D models to exhibit the best aspects of your product. We also can work with patent illustrations to create 3D models and diagrams that explain how your product works.
Contact us to begin designing your company’s next sell sheet today!