A brochure in business is a small, printed document that provides information about a company, its products, services, or promotions in a concise and visually appealing format, often used for marketing and informational purposes.
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Last Updated: December 22, 2025
One of the most tried-and-true marketing materials for a small business is the brochure. It’s small, cost-effective, and helps even the newest small businesses spread the word about their brand. But what, exactly, is a brochure? And how can small business owners use them effectively? This guide walks through all the essential facts about business brochures.
A business brochure, by definition, is an advertising tool. A brochure is a very tangible advertising tool that gives potential customers information about what a business does. A brochure explains who the business is and what it provides in the way of products and services. It also tells potential customers how to contact the company.
Lisa A. Pennisi, Yenti Gunawan, Amber Lee Major, and Alexis Winder point out in their University of Nebraska Lincoln NebGuide that brochures are physical items often meant to be left in racks and on shelves and tables in public places. Some companies even mail brochures to potential customers. All of this means that brochures need to be designed to catch the eye and provide readers with adequate information about the purpose of the enterprise.
Brochures come with a variety of benefits, but there are plenty of drawbacks to consider, too.
As NebGuide’s brochure definition points out, a brochure is a small, tangible piece of marketing that potential customers can hold in their hands and take with them. A customer doesn’t need internet access to see a brochure, and unlike a billboard, they don’t have to be in a certain part of town.
A customer can keep a brochure in a pocket or bag and use it as a handy reminder of where they can find the business for the services they need. Small business owners can also gauge the success of a brochure design and content by checking how quickly their brochures disappear from the racks and shelves where they placed them.
Brochures are great, physical pieces of marketing that patrons can carry in their pockets. But ultimately, even the most interested patron will likely throw a brochure away at some point. Or that brochure might end up forgotten in their junk drawer. Opting for physical brochures instead of online, radio, or television marketing also means creating additional paper waste. Plus, consistently creating and printing brochures can be costly and time-consuming.
To make a brochure worth the time and money it takes to produce, business owners will need to ensure that it reaches and inspires the right customer base. This is no easy feat. For tips on how to create a successful brochure, check out this article: 14 Ways to Make Sales Brochures Effective.
Brochures are marketing tools that customers can keep with them and reference whenever they need those products or services. The use of brochures could impact a company’s sales and revenue. But brochures can be costly, produce waste, and take a lot of effort to produce and distribute successfully.
Business success is in the details: details in the marketing, formation, and operation of a venture. ZenBusiness specializes in handling those details. Their ZenBusiness Formation Plans can make it quick and easy to properly start a business. Their Worry-Free Compliance Service can help business owners keep their companies up-to-date and legally compliant, too. ZenBusiness is here to help business owners succeed.
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Disclaimer: The content on this page is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. For specific questions about any of these topics, seek the counsel of a licensed professional.
Written by ZenBusiness Editorial Team
The ZenBusiness Editorial Team has more than 20 years of combined small business publishing experience and has helped over 850,000 entrepreneurs launch and grow their companies. The team’s writers and business formation experts are dedicated to providing accurate, practical, and trustworthy guidance so business owners can make confident decisions.
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