Design Help!

[BorntoBubble]

I have tried to update the brochures for my work place, im not a design expert! But would welcome peoples comments on the brochure below.

Click to see full-size image.

How eay is it to read? What is your eyes drawn to?

Any help will be muchly appreciated!

[RED-DOG]

 

[BorntoBubble]

True, although this is a test brochure and not technically all fully true!

[KarmaDope]

First page (left hand side) looks good to my untrained eyes.

Second page though - it just doesnt look right. Think I would put the description where the services bit is and just make it look like you have equal amounts of text on both partitions or something like that.

(oh, and get a proofreader for SPG plz )

[BorntoBubble]

First page (left hand side) looks good to my untrained eyes.

Second page though - it just doesnt look right. Think I would put the description where the services bit is and just make it look like you have equal amounts of text on both partitions or something like that.

(oh, and get a proofreader for SPG plz )

Ha I'm the worst speller, if thats a word, in the world. Everything gets checked and double checked that i produce !

But as this is a test its more about the appearance than the content, how it looks to the eye. Is it easy to read etc.

We have been debating the warrants of getting design people in and the issue is they never actually listen to what we want. Although we are the ones paying them we want ideas from them but also to make our ideas look better but they just go no no and no. So we binned them.

[kinboshi]

The second page looks all nicely laid out, with lots of white space around the text, etc., until you get towards the bottom where everything seems to be squashed in.

Otherwise it looks clean and professional enough to me as a lay person. I'd probably play around with the text in the footers though. Don't have anything centered, and give a bit more space between the text and the edge of the box.

[Eso Kral]

Hey Cal

On the front page I personally would like to see you show your NAEA badge if you are members and also RICS which I would say is more important in commercial than residential where any monkey can be an estate agent .

Price per annum I would have thought is pretty normal on the front as well?

Second page looks fine but to stand out could you offer a floor plan even though you may need to make it A3 4page folded and as someone who does not know Widnes could you put something about the area eg

"Southend is the largest town within south east Essex with a population of 300'000 with the town beneffitting from good rail links via Fenchurch Street and Liverpool Street stations.

The building is located.........

Something that may entice me to think of moving/creating a business in that space or area.

[BorntoBubble]

Cheers guys! All really useful help. Will have another play tomorrow and see what I can come up with.

The world of commercial estate agency is so far behind residential it's funny. I think mainly because "any old person" can do residential it means that the commercial estate agency's lead a comfortable life! We have a town which probably has 100+residential estate agency's amd we have 1 or 2 local agents to compete with for commercial.

I just want to make sure we are the most impressive for when the big boys come looking for an agent to use!

[EvilPie]

Surely the number of residential compared to commercial is just down to the number of available clients? There may be 50 times as many agents but I'd assume there are somewhere in the region of 50 times as many properties as well.

My first thought when I saw it was that it looks like an FHP brochure. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing?

What are you offering other than a nice brochure. This doesn't tell me anything about how ace you are. As Rich says you at least need to mention any memberships you may have firstly to give confidence to purchasers but also to potential clients who may consider using you in the future. Anybody requiring an agent is usually going to go for one they've seen doing a good job advertising properties before so use these brochures to show of a bit about what can offer and effectively get some free advertising.

[BorntoBubble]

Surely the number of residential compared to commercial is just down to the number of available clients? There may be 50 times as many agents but I'd assume there are somewhere in the region of 50 times as many properties as well.

My first thought when I saw it was that it looks like an FHP brochure. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing?

What are you offering other than a nice brochure. This doesn't tell me anything about how ace you are. As Rich says you at least need to mention any memberships you may have firstly to give confidence to purchasers but also to potential clients who may consider using you in the future. Anybody requiring an agent is usually going to go for one they've seen doing a good job advertising properties before so use these brochures to show of a bit about what can offer and effectively get some free advertising.

Cheers,

One main reason it is (from my limited experience of commercial and none of residential) anyone can be a residential estate agent, and you have to be qualified go to uni etc to be a commercial estate agency. Then you have to be RICS acredited and the forms for that alone are a massive ballache, BUT once they are completed you have a bit of a gold mine. Saying that people historically have recommended to friends companys and our brochures 3 years ago were almost none existant. People ring us up and say they want this and we find it for them through our summary sheets/ knowledge held in our heads etc.

Whereas im pushing now for less pressure on that and more on Fancy "ish" brochures, good website etc etc.

All the feedback is greatly appreciated im learning on the job here but its all fun and games and a good learning curve.

[Eso Kral]

Surely the number of residential compared to commercial is just down to the number of available clients? There may be 50 times as many agents but I'd assume there are somewhere in the region of 50 times as many properties as well.

My first thought when I saw it was that it looks like an FHP brochure. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing?

What are you offering other than a nice brochure. This doesn't tell me anything about how ace you are. As Rich says you at least need to mention any memberships you may have firstly to give confidence to purchasers but also to potential clients who may consider using you in the future. Anybody requiring an agent is usually going to go for one they've seen doing a good job advertising properties before so use these brochures to show of a bit about what can offer and effectively get some free advertising.

Cheers,

One main reason it is (from my limited experience of commercial and none of residential) anyone can be a residential estate agent, and you have to be qualified go to uni etc to be a commercial estate agency. Then you have to be RICS acredited and the forms for that alone are a massive ballache, BUT once they are completed you have a bit of a gold mine. Saying that people historically have recommended to friends companys and our brochures 3 years ago were almost none existant. People ring us up and say they want this and we find it for them through our summary sheets/ knowledge held in our heads etc.

Whereas im pushing now for less pressure on that and more on Fancy "ish" brochures, good website etc etc.

All the feedback is greatly appreciated im learning on the job here but its all fun and games and a good learning curve.

The one thing I have learnt a lot about over the past couple of years are that your details are there for the benefit of vendors more than buyers as cetainly in resi buyers would actually be happy just seeing photos, floorplan, EPC and room sizes but it's vendors who dictate that they want everything noted on the details ie radiators and woe betide if you miss a power point or dado rail.

If it wasnt for vendors we would have very basic, clean sharp details but when we go to appraise properties would be torn apart by the owners/other agents presenting and probably lose the instruction before walking out of the door, so your details seemed a good balance.

If you have friends in any other areas than your own get a few details of who in their opinion are good and see how they are doing it and take the best bits of each of them.

A good website will attract landlords/vendors to you

Rightmove and other portals will attract the buyers/tenants so you need to appeal to each in those media.

[BorntoBubble]

Surely the number of residential compared to commercial is just down to the number of available clients? There may be 50 times as many agents but I'd assume there are somewhere in the region of 50 times as many properties as well.

My first thought when I saw it was that it looks like an FHP brochure. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing?

What are you offering other than a nice brochure. This doesn't tell me anything about how ace you are. As Rich says you at least need to mention any memberships you may have firstly to give confidence to purchasers but also to potential clients who may consider using you in the future. Anybody requiring an agent is usually going to go for one they've seen doing a good job advertising properties before so use these brochures to show of a bit about what can offer and effectively get some free advertising.

Cheers,

One main reason it is (from my limited experience of commercial and none of residential) anyone can be a residential estate agent, and you have to be qualified go to uni etc to be a commercial estate agency. Then you have to be RICS acredited and the forms for that alone are a massive ballache, BUT once they are completed you have a bit of a gold mine. Saying that people historically have recommended to friends companys and our brochures 3 years ago were almost none existant. People ring us up and say they want this and we find it for them through our summary sheets/ knowledge held in our heads etc.

Whereas im pushing now for less pressure on that and more on Fancy "ish" brochures, good website etc etc.

All the feedback is greatly appreciated im learning on the job here but its all fun and games and a good learning curve.

The one thing I have learnt a lot about over the past couple of years are that your details are there for the benefit of vendors more than buyers as cetainly in resi buyers would actually be happy just seeing photos, floorplan, EPC and room sizes but it's vendors who dictate that they want everything noted on the details ie radiators and woe betide if you miss a power point or dado rail.

If it wasnt for vendors we would have very basic, clean sharp details but when we go to appraise properties would be torn apart by the owners/other agents presenting and probably lose the instruction before walking out of the door, so your details seemed a good balance.

If you have friends in any other areas than your own get a few details of who in their opinion are good and see how they are doing it and take the best bits of each of them.

A good website will attract landlords/vendors to you

Rightmove and other portals will attract the buyers/tenants so you need to appeal to each in those media.

Yes I am completely agree, luckily we dont have to have to much waffle, we can say to vendors this is how we are doing it. People dont get as protective over commercial property as i imagine they do over there home, although there are a few exceptions. The vendors that call us every two minutes with a new photo and some more information do our heads in.

Will be good to meet up at some point this year for another nandos and share further ideas/pick your brains more. I definitely think we can learn a lot more about how to improve our business by taking things from the resi agents.

[Eso Kral]

Surely the number of residential compared to commercial is just down to the number of available clients? There may be 50 times as many agents but I'd assume there are somewhere in the region of 50 times as many properties as well.

My first thought when I saw it was that it looks like an FHP brochure. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing?

What are you offering other than a nice brochure. This doesn't tell me anything about how ace you are. As Rich says you at least need to mention any memberships you may have firstly to give confidence to purchasers but also to potential clients who may consider using you in the future. Anybody requiring an agent is usually going to go for one they've seen doing a good job advertising properties before so use these brochures to show of a bit about what can offer and effectively get some free advertising.

Cheers,

One main reason it is (from my limited experience of commercial and none of residential) anyone can be a residential estate agent, and you have to be qualified go to uni etc to be a commercial estate agency. Then you have to be RICS acredited and the forms for that alone are a massive ballache, BUT once they are completed you have a bit of a gold mine. Saying that people historically have recommended to friends companys and our brochures 3 years ago were almost none existant. People ring us up and say they want this and we find it for them through our summary sheets/ knowledge held in our heads etc.

Whereas im pushing now for less pressure on that and more on Fancy "ish" brochures, good website etc etc.

All the feedback is greatly appreciated im learning on the job here but its all fun and games and a good learning curve.

The one thing I have learnt a lot about over the past couple of years are that your details are there for the benefit of vendors more than buyers as cetainly in resi buyers would actually be happy just seeing photos, floorplan, EPC and room sizes but it's vendors who dictate that they want everything noted on the details ie radiators and woe betide if you miss a power point or dado rail.

If it wasnt for vendors we would have very basic, clean sharp details but when we go to appraise properties would be torn apart by the owners/other agents presenting and probably lose the instruction before walking out of the door, so your details seemed a good balance.

If you have friends in any other areas than your own get a few details of who in their opinion are good and see how they are doing it and take the best bits of each of them.

A good website will attract landlords/vendors to you

Rightmove and other portals will attract the buyers/tenants so you need to appeal to each in those media.

Yes I am completely agree, luckily we dont have to have to much waffle, we can say to vendors this is how we are doing it. People dont get as protective over commercial property as i imagine they do over there home, although there are a few exceptions. The vendors that call us every two minutes with a new photo and some more information do our heads in.

Will be good to meet up at some point this year for another nandos and share further ideas/pick your brains more. I definitely think we can learn a lot more about how to improve our business by taking things from the resi agents.

Well I'm up for the Sky event if you want to hook up bud.
Jus lmk

[The Wycher]

I personally would like to see more photo's (inside of property etc) the biggest impact is the image on the front page, therefore I would re-enforce that with some more images.

Professional qualifications and monitoring bodies are important but I think they are assumed by the majority of lay people and therefore I am not sure they need to be to in your face so would just show them at the bottom of the second page.