How to Create Effective Marketing Materials

From the desk of Karlton Bryan

Your marketing collateral gets sent out in the world to do one thing: act as an ambassador for your product or service, in place of you. This may seem like a big job for a piece of paper, but it’s a helpful way to think about the materials you create.

When you meet with a potential or existing client, you do a number of things. You make sure you are well prepared with all the information the customer could need. You dress in clothing that is appropriate. You anticipate their needs, and offer a solution to their problems. You may also cater to how they best like to receive information.

Chances are, you wouldn’t meet with clients just for the sake of meeting with a client – say, for instance, to show off your new suit. Likewise, you shouldn’t create and distribute collateral that is non-essential.

We all know that the biggest challenge for small businesses is the limited number of zeros attached their marketing budget. Marketing materials can be expensive, and a single, well-produced piece has the ability to devour the entire budget. Given that billion-dollar marketing campaigns fail every day, how can you be sure to make the most of, and be successful with, the dollars you’re working within?

The answer? Limit yourself to only the essential items for your individual business, and by produce themwell with the resources you have.

"You are measured in life by what you finish...
not what you start!" Karlton Bryan, CEO, Author, Public Speaker

Your Essential Marketing Materials

The easiest way to throw away your marketing budget is to create and produce marketing materials you don’t need. Since many pieces of collateral are paper-based, this not only leaves you with boxes of extra (outdated) materials, but also takes a huge toll on the environment.

Take some time to determine what marketing materials you do need, and stick to your list. It’s easy to want to “keep up with the Joneses” when your competition comes out with a new piece, but remember your focus should be on attracting and retaining a customer base, not matching the item for item.

Know your target market. Make sure you have a solid understanding of your customer base. From that knowledge, you can easily determine what best way is to reach out and communicate with them. Are they a paper-based or techno savvy client group? Do they appreciate being contacted by email or mail? Are they impressed by flashy design, or simple pieces? How you communicate is often just as or more important that what you communicate.

Pay attention to costs. Do you really need a die-cut business card? Does your flyer absolutely require ink to the edges? Unique touches to marketing collateral can grab a customer’s attention, but they can also dramatically increase the cost of production. Keep an eye out during the design process and make strategic choices about graphic elements.

Make mistakes – in small batches. Not sure if that flyer is going to do the trick? Testing out a limited time offer? Small production runs may cost a little more, but you’ll avoid collecting boxes of unusable materials. Or, try a split run with type versions of the same piece and see what works best.

Keep the environment in mind. Environmental responsibility is on everyone’s mind these days – including your customers. Always question if a particular marketing item can be produced in electronic format. Consider eliminating plastic bags in exchange for cloth ones, printed with your logo; print everything double-sided; send electronic newsletters; use your website to communicate; and, use recycled paper and envelopes when you can.

Brainstorm your wish list. Create a list of desired marketing materials, and ignore expenses, clients, or any other constraint. Then, beside each item, indicate realistically if it is a needed, wanted, not needed, or electronic item. The next page includes a checklist to get you started. Once you have finished, re-write your list in priority order. This will keep you focused on the essentials only.

Headlines + Sub headlines
If your headlines were all a potential customer read, how do you think your marketing materials would fare? Headlines need to be bold, dramatic, shocking and absolutely answer the questions “What’s in it for me?” or, “Why should I care?”

Headlines (and sub headlines) are vital in today’s market because we are bombarded with so much information that we scan everything. Readers are skimming your materials to find out why they should bother paying attention to your product or service. Hit their hot buttons, and tell them why they should care, in your headlines!

Remember that headlines and sub headlines are not just for advertisements. They work wonders in newsletters, sales letters, brochures and websites, and can be incorporated into all of your essential marketing materials.


Design
The cost of professional design can eat up the majority of your marketing budget in a hurry. However, the cost of distributing materials that look and feel unprofessional can often be much higher. The key is to find the middle ground.

Unless you have design or desktop publishing experience – or even if you do – your time is probably not best spent designing your own marketing materials. Depending on the size of your business and your graphic needs (i.e., Do you need frequent photography of your products?) there are a number of options you can choose from:

1. Hire a design agency. This is no doubt the most costly of your options. However, if you have a number of items to be designed, you may be able to get a package rate. Another option is to have the design agency create a logo and stationery package for you, then create a “how-to” guide for use of the logo, fonts, and other graphic elements in the rest of your marketing materials.

2. Hire a freelance designer. For most small businesses, the benefits of using a freelance designer (aside from cost savings) are convenience and trust. If you are lucky enough to find one you work well with, work hard to establish a seamless working relationship and you’ll never worry about the design of your marketing materials again. Ask colleagues for recommendations of local designers, or post an ad on craigslist.

3. Hire a part-time design employee. Need to hire someone part-time for a task around the office or shop? Consider recruiting someone with design skills and hiring them for full-time work. This could include graphic design students, or someone with an interest (and talent) in the field.

Whichever option you choose – or if you choose to design your materials yourself - the two most important things to remember about design are:

1. Keep it consistent. Your marketing materials must be consistent, or your customers will never learn to recognize your brand.

2. Keep it simple. Simple, clean design is the most effective way of communicating. Use “wow” pieces sparingly.

Use design resources. If you are going to spend any money on outside design help, this is the time to do it. Your logo is the visual representation of your product or service, and appears on everything that relates to your business. This is the core of your brand image, and needs to be done right the first time.

Remember the purpose. The logo needs to be a unique reflection of your business, your business values, and the industry you work in. Before you commit to your logo, make sure to give careful consideration to color choice, image selection and image recognition – as well as the logos that already exist in the marketplace. Test it out on your family and friends for an outside opinion and use their feedback.

Don’t get too complicated. Can it be produced (and seen clearly) in black and white? In a single color? With your company name? Too often businesses design their own logos that include a complex assortment of photos, words, and solid design elements. These do not photocopy well, and can’t be clearly read at a small scale. Keep your logo design down to a graphic image and the name of your business.


Business cards

Cover the basics. A business card needs to communicate your basic contact information to potential clients, including who you are and what your business does. Make sure you’ve covered the basics and made it easy for them to be in touch.

•Name
•Title
•Company Name
•Company Slogan / Description
•Phone Number
•Email Address
•Fax Number
•Address
•Cell Number (if applicable)
•Website

Make it memorable. Be creative. Choose interesting shapes, die-cuts, orientation (vertical vs. horizontal), bright colors, and unique materials (wood, plastic, magnet, aluminum or foam). You don’t have to go crazy or spend lots of money to do this – simple, clever twists on basic design make an impact. Just keep it relevant to your product or service.

Give them a reason to keep it. What is going to keep them from throwing it out, or filing it in a 3” binder of other cards? Make the card worth keeping by adding something useful to the backside. For example, coffee shops put frequent buyer incentives on the backside of their cards, encouraging customers to keep them in their wallets. Other examples include pick-up schedules, reminders, calendars, testimonials, or coupons.

Produce a high quality card. Use at least 100lb card stock, and print in color. Choose clear, easy to read fonts that aren’t any smaller than 9pt.


Letterhead

Ensure a professional quality. Letterhead that is simple, clean, and well produced allows the reader to focus on the important part: the content. Have your letterhead professionally printed on 32lb paper, or choose a textured stock. Show that you are invested in the professionalism of your company.

Pay attention to design choices. The design of your marketing collateral should reflect your corporate values and the personality of your organization. If you are environmentally conscious, choose recycled paper and write it in small print at the bottom of the page. Letterhead can also be a place for subtle graphic elements, like watermarks, in addition to your logo.

Keep consistent with other materials. Your letterhead is part of your stationery package, and should look and feel the same as the rest of your pieces. For example, if your business cards have been printed with rounded corners, so should your letterhead. Use consistent fonts, colors, and logo placement on your letterhead, business cards, fax cover sheets, and other internal documents to ensure recognition and ease of readability.

Brochures

Cover the basics. Each brochure you produce should include your basic marketing message, USP, and detailed company contact information. Product or service features, and customer benefits should be clearly displayed and described.

Be purpose-focused. Why are you producing this brochure? Are you featuring a new product line? Trying to increase awareness? Introducing your service to a new market? Stay closely connected to the purpose behind your brochure, and ensure all the information (and images) in the brochure support that purpose.

Keep it simple. Make sure the design and information organization is clean and easy to navigate. Like advertisements, leaving blank spaces gives the reader a break and makes it easier to narrow in on key messages.

Choose high quality production. If you don’t invest in your business, why should anyone else? Produce your brochure on high quality paper, in vivid color, and have it professionally folded. An impressive-looking brochure will travel further than a homemade one – from one client’s hands to another’s.

Keep it fresh. If you produce brochures on a regular basis, consider giving each a theme to distinguish the information as new and interesting. Keep the overall look and feel consistent, but play with images and content layout to revitalize the design.

Newsletters

Be in touch. Don’t wait until your existing clients walk back into your store. Show them they’re important to your business, and keep them updated on new products and services by keeping distributing a personalized newsletter.

Use an online distribution service. Online email marketing tools (CRM tools) have never been easier or cheaper to use, and enable you to personalize your letters without much effort. They will also track for you which clients open their newsletters, and which click through to your website.

Provide information, tell a story. Engage the reader with a short anecdote, or a piece of relevant information. Many people are bombarded by hard-copy and electronic letters on a daily basis, so make sure yours is worthy of their reading time. Include an “experts corner” or “new product feature” and structure the newsletter like your own business newspaper. Add links to relevant media articles, or special offers.

Choose a frequency you can maintain. Newsletters can be time consuming, so be realistic about how often you promise to distribute them. This depends on your resources, and the needs of your business, but generally once a month to once every three months is a good time frame.

Company (or Corporate) Profile

Your ultimate company brochure. Your company profile includes all pertinent information on your business and your offering, and acts as the base for all other marketing items. These are generally longer pieces – from five to 20 pages in length, allowing you ample room for written and visual content.

Tell your story. The company profile is the place to tell the story of your business. Engage the reader, use anecdotes, and describe how and why your company was created. If you inherited the family business, describe how you’re carrying on tradition and instilling new life. If you created your company from scratch with your college roommate, let the reader know. These real life details are interesting and establish trust with your potential clients and associates.

Communicate your values. Here you have the space to describe your company’s vision, values and approach, or philosophies. Make sure you relate your values to your offering, and keep this section short and succinct.

Explain your offering – features, benefits and all. Just like your brochure, make sure to describe the full features and benefits of your product or service. Sprinkle testimonials throughout the design to back up your statements. This can include your full range of services, or simply an overview of your product types. Use professional images and creative copy to keep readers engaged.


Tell your story. The company profile is the place to tell the story of your business. Engage the reader, use anecdotes, and describe how and why your company was created. If you inherited the family business, describe how you’re carrying on tradition and instilling new life. If you created your company from scratch with your college roommate, let the reader know. These real life details are interesting and establish trust with your potential clients and associates.

Communicate your values. Here you have the space to describe your company’s vision, values and approach, or philosophies. Make sure you relate your values to your offering, and keep this section short and succinct.
Explain your offering – Features, benefits and all. Just like your brochure, make sure to describe the full features and benefits of your product or service. Sprinkle testimonials throughout the design to back up your statements.

This can include your full range of services, or simply an overview of your product types. Use professional images and creative copy to keep readers engaged.

Choose high-quality design and production. Spend time creating a company profile that will last. Then, spend money producing a one that will impress. Choose glossy paper, and a high-quality press, and leave the profiles around your store and office for clients to read and admire.

Signage

Get professional advice. Outdoor signage can be a daunting task for anyone who hasn’t designed, produced, or otherwise gone through the process. Since signage is influenced by a variety of factors – one of which is your municipal government signage bylaw – you may wish to enlist the help of a professional (a signage designer or printer) to guide you through the process and avoid costly errors.

Make it visible. All of your outdoor signage should be easily seen from the street, or within the plaza or complex you are located in. In some cases, you may need more than one sign to do this. Keep in mind how your sign will look at night, as well as during the day, as your company logo and phone number or website needs to be visible at all times.

Make it distinct. When it comes to signage, you can get really creative with materials, lights, and colors. While you need to maintain logo, color, and font consistency, you can add other graphic elements that may not work on the rest of your collateral, including 3D elements and window treatments. Make it memorable.

Remember your indoor signage. Every business needs indoor signage to continually remind customers where they are. This includes section signage, product signage, way finding systems, and promotion announcements. If your business is located in an office, consider signage with you logo and company name above the reception area. Again, keep this signage consistent with the rest of your company materials, and you will be contributing to brand recognition.

Advertisements + Flyers

Place ads strategically. once you have determined who your target market is, you need to focus on advertising in the publications they are most likely to read, and distributing flyers in places they are most likely to be. Spend ad dollars strategically, and don’t spend them all at once. Take time to test what publications work, and which don’t by measuring the response from each placement. And, when you place ads, request placement that is well-forward and in the top right hand corner.

Grab their attention. You have less than half a second to grab the attention of your audience with print advertising, so use it wisely. Spend the bulk of your time =rafting the headline and choosing compelling images.

Keep their attention. If you caught their attention, you have another two seconds to keep it. Use subheadings to further entice them to read on for the details of your product or service offer.

Tell them why they should buy. Always include your marketing message or USP in your advertising. Describe the features and benefits of your product or service, but focus on the benefits that will trigger an emotional response from your target audience; love, money, luxury, convenience, and security.

Tell them how they can buy. Include a call to action beside your contact information, and include your phone number, website address, and business address (if applicable). You may wish to include a scarcity or urgency offer to compel your readers to act fast.

Know the importance of white space. If you try to cram too much information into your ad or flyer, your readers will skip it. Clean, clear, easy to read ads and one-page flyers =ith succinct messages are most effective.

Website


Be purpose-focused. Like your brochure, your website can serve a number of purposes. To be effective, you need to narrow in on the specific purpose when designing the content structure of the pages. Who is your audience? What do you want them to leave the site knowing? What do you want the site to make them do? Visit your store? Buy your offering? Pick up the phone? Make sure you are clear on this point before you start.

Make the address easy to remember (and find!). A website address that is too long or too complicated will not get remembered, or found. Do a search for available website addresses that relate to your business or marketing message, and try to secure a site with a .com ending. If your company name is taken, use your USP or guarantee instead.


Focus on content. The overall structure of how you organize the content on your site is like the foundation of your house. You can change the paint color, and the furniture, but the foundation is more or less there for good. Before you work with a designer and create the visual fabric of your website, focus on creating solid copy that is clearly organized. Put together a map of your structure, starting with your homepage and sub pages, and allocating specific content to each page.

Revitalize regularly. Your company is always changing, and so should your website. This is an important and relatively inexpensive way to communicate your company news and achievements, and most likely the easiest accessed source of information. Have areas for easy content updates – like a “news” section; and make sure sections like “employees” and "services” are kept up to date. For larger updates, go back to your purpose and website map, and make sure the content changes still support the original intent of the website.

Organize for intuition. Make key information easy to access – especially your contact information. You can quickly tell if a website is easy to navigate, because the information you are looking for appears in a natural order. For example, when visiting a restaurant website, a link to the reservations page is provided on the menu page. While you’re putting together your website map, do some research online and investigate what does and doesn’t work. A good rule of thumb is to ensure it takes no more than three clicks to access a page. Bury content too deep, and your audience will get frustrated and leave.


Keep consistent with marketing materials. Your website is an extension of your marketing campaign, and should be created as such. Use consistent logo placements, fonts, colors and images and that all elements of your collateral are unified. Likewise with marketing campaigns. If you are running a new promotion, or featuring a new item in an advertisement, include that information on your website. Customers responding to the ad will be reinforced, and customers who did not see the ad will be aware of the offer.

Measure your results. Your website is a piece of your marketing collateral, just like brochures and advertisements, and should be evaluated for effectiveness on a regular basis. Easy website analysis tools, like Google Analytics, will show you which pages your audience is viewing, how long they’re staying on each page, and where and when they leave the site. That is powerful information when it comes to structuring content, and choosing which page to put your most important messages.

Your marketing collateral gets sent out in the world to do one thing: act as an ambassador for your product or service, in place of you. This may seem like a big job for a piece of paper, but it’s a helpful way to think about the materials you create.

We all know that the biggest challenge for small businesses is the limited number of zeros attached their marketing budget. Marketing materials can be expensive, and a single, well-produced piece has the ability to devour the entire budget. Given that billion-dollar marketing campaigns fail every day, how can you be sure to make the most of, and be successful with, the dollars you’re working within?

The easiest way to throw away your marketing budget is to create and produce marketing materials you don’t need. Take some time to determine what marketing materials you do need, and stick to your list. It’s easy to want to “keep up with the Joneses” when your competition comes out with a new piece, but remember your focus should be on attracting and retaining a customer base, not matching the competition item for item.

If your headlines were all a potential customer read, how do you think your marketing materials would fare? Headlines need to be bold, dramatic, shocking and absolutely answer the questions “What’s in it for me?” or, “Why should I care?”

The cost of professional design can eat up the majority of your marketing budget in a hurry. However, the cost of distributing materials that look and feel unprofessional can often be much higher. The key is to find the middle ground.

 

Thanks for tuning in,

Karlton Bryan
CEO, Author, International Speaker

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