DIY-brochures for agents

Agents are being given the chance to create professional bespoke brochures on demand to cater for holidaymaker's individual needs.

Brochure distribution company BP Travel Marketing Services has launched the system to the trade since buying printing company Jem Digital Media two months ago.

Managing director Paul Markland said ‘print on demand' brochures should reduce brochure wastage, target sales more effectively and increase agents' client databases by sending the finishing product to customers.

Already Cosmos, one of the big four and a medium-sized operator are known to be interested in the system, which would allow them to produce one-off brochures for customers.

The system allows agents to trawl the database of BP's sister e-brochure company Travel Media, finding accommodation and flights from different tour operators to fit customers' exact needs.

The product requested for the brochure can then be emailed as an order to BP, which can print off all the information as one glossy brochure, including additional branding or marketing information as requested.

The cost – £1.17 for a 12-page brochure plus postage and packaging – is paid by the agent before it is sent to the client within 48 hours of ordering.

Markland is confident the brochures should significantly increase current brochure conversion rates which can be anything between one in eight and one in 50.

"It is interesting we've gone from paper brochures to e-brochures and now back to paper ones – it's a natural culmination.”