I'm getting ready to order my holiday brochures (late, I know....) and I have decided to do a 'combo' this year. I'm offering a page dedicated to Halloween/Thanksgiving and then most of the remainder is for Christmas stuff.

My head is spinning and I need some help (please). First off, I order from vistaprint, so they are cheap. 25 brochures for free (just pay s/h). Also, I anticipate most will order the cookie bouquets or perhaps cookies by the dozen but what about the cute little treats? Do you guys offer those or just offer a few things to keep it simple? Do I offer the extras by the dozen?

Re: the cookie trays...how do you do this? Do you let them choose, do you offer 3 dozen variety and you pick, do you list what the variety will be, do you all specify weight? ( I have NO idea what it would weigh, btw.)

Do you mix the fudge, pretzels, barks, etc. or are those on a different 'candy' tray? Here are some of the other questions:

How many of the holiday brochures should I order?

Should I plan on giving several brochures to each school, dr's office, legal office, etc? Should I consider mailing them (was planning on hand delivering to avoid postal charges, etc.)
I was considering offering delivery (on set days) for $5.
**Speaking of 'set' days, I was going to offer the Halloween bouquets on the last 2 Fridays in October.

Should I list everything I offer? For instance; caramel apples, rice krispie treat pops, cupcakes, cookies (fancy & buttercream),oreo pops, etc? I was planning on adding a little blurb about how these must be ordered by the dozen, etc.

Do any of you offer your cute treats to sell at restaraunts? If so, do you sell them to them for less than you would normally sell for? Should I bring a few sample truffles when I hand the brochures?

So I am sorry for these weird questions but what it comes down to is I would like to do some business this holiday season and I have been a total wimp in last years, subconciously waiting until it was too late. (No clue why, I'll leave that to the therapist, lol.) I just don't want to be a maniac yet I would like to do well - thanks and I am happy to show pics of the finished product (no laughing!). And for anyone who needs cheap printing, vistaprint is such a great resource. They even offer free banners......ok, enough. And no, I do not have stock in the company, lol.

I was checking out Google Images and there are some flyers there too but none have pictures. That was part of the reason I was ordering color was because of the picture samples - is this a waste?

hmmm...so are brochures a bad idea? Maybe I should just try to do a double-sided flyer.

Is anyone else out there working on holiday advertising planning on doing Halloween/Thanksgiving on one side and Christmas on the other? I was thinking I could always follow up with them but if my Hal/Thx flyer had some eyecatching stuff for Xmas too, maybe they would hold on to it or remember it for 2 months later....

I have a marketing guy in my BNI group and his rule is photos, photos, photos. Less narrative. dont' say in a thousand words what you can get across in one photo. i won't even buy a cookbook that doesn't have photos of the finished product in it.

I'd put together some pre-set packages. Check a bunch of on-line cookie sites and you'll find they've already decided what cookies go in what package.

One idea I do is Themed Trays:

1) A Peanut Butter Lovers Tray. Peanut butter cookies, plus the peanut butter cookies with the Hershey Kiss or the Mini Reese Cup pushed down in the middle, plus a chocolate cookie with peanut butter chips in it plus *maybe* a peant butter cookie with chocolate chips.

2) Chocolate Lovers Tray: Chocolate cookies with various additives like crushed Andes mints (similar to Girl Scout Mint Thins); mini-M&M's, peanut butter chips.

3) Fruit Lovers COokies: Oatmeal Applesauce Cookies; Cranberry-Orange cookies; Chocolate Cookies with chopped Maraschino cherries; Raspberry Turnover Cookies; Lemon Cookies drizzled with white chocolate

4) BaKers Choice: Whatever the hell I feel like baking that day!

Hopefully this will give you the bump you need. I'm not printing up brochures, but don't think it's a bad idea. I love Vista Print too---have you also ckd w/ Staples or Office Max? Can't remember prices, but they run specials sometimes too.

As for handing them out....You might consider making some "sample" trays & deliver the trays & brochures together, as well as some business cards.

For what to put on the brochures. Keep it simple. A few awesome, staged pictures look better than a bunch of pics to show what you offer. I noticed you have a website. Take more pics & have them on there. You can or can't list everything in the brochure. I wouldn't, I would list several things & then say something like "for a complete list please visit my website......"

I wouldn't offer more than 4-6 varieties of each: cookie tray, candy tray, sweet treats tray (choc cherries, cake truffles, brownie/cheesecake bites, etc) or you will be killing yourself to keep up. I would keep orders to 1/2 or 1 dozen increments. Pick doughs that can be frozen ahead.

As for restaurants I wouldn't give them a break unless they ordered numerous quantities. They choose how they'll price them. If you do sell to restaurants ask if they'll mention or have a sign saying you made the desserts.

Hope this helps a little, wish I could help more

ETA: See indydebi beat me too it. She does it so listen to her!

oh, thank you! I never thought of the themed 'lovers' trays before - cool idea.

And I agree I need to keep it simple and not give discount unless they are ordering mass quanitities. The whole reason I was paying to order them rather then bust out some B & W was because I also am a visual shopper. Good pics speak volumes so I will be up late tonight finishing the cooke bouquets.

(I wasn't going to obsess on taking a picture of a tray but maybe I should at least throw some stuff together and take one picture.... crap, more baking to do tonight, lol!)

Thanks ladies - I appreciate your time and opinions