As the kids start packing their school bags with fresh stationery for a new school year and have new name tags sewn into their uniforms - have you made sure that you have the right marketing materials for your business term? From company brochures to promotional postcards, refresh your marketing materials and make sure that they have your name written all over them so that you are not mistaken for your competition.

Your marketing materials - be they brochures, website or leaflets - are your silent salesforce. They represent your business when you can’t. This is why it is crucial to get the marketing messages, design and format right from the start. You should take as much time over developing these sales tools as you would do preparing to pitch for a new customer or contract.

Marketing materials must inform and educate your customers and potential customers about you and what you deliver or provide. They have to demonstrate the benefits of engaging with your business – cost, quality, variety, speed – and create a ‘call to action’. Once you have identified your USP then this has to be the main focus of the message you are trying to get across. As a general rule, less is better when it comes to the quantity of the content for your newsletter. You can also add value and a longer life to your materials by providing additional information for your customers. This could include: tips on how to save money; how best to use your products; or an insight into a problem that your business can help to solve.

Whether you want to go for an attention grabbing image or a subtle yet professional look and feel to your toolkit make sure it represents your goods or services appropriately. You can explore creative printing solutions that help your materials to stand out from your competition without blowing your budget.

As with all things, if you can do it yourself and have the time that’s great BUT to really get it right hire a professional! Get a freelance writer or a graphic designer to develop and fine tune your ideas or copy and present you with a professional layout. As with the first day at school, tell your customers all about you and what you do and make new friends with a brand new set of marketing materials.
 

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