Article

John Sollars
John Sollars 17 November 2014
Categories Content

Using Marketing Collateral To Your Advantage

When it comes to marketing, you might think that traditional printed material is dead, but you can use it to up the anti on your campaigns.

When it comes to marketing, you might think that traditional printed material is dead. After all, can’t people just go online to check you out? Yes. Yes, they can. But, they can also get a little nervous if you don’t have a physical presence. Printed materials like brochures, business cards, newsletters, and fliers, even sell sheets are all considered “marketing collateral”

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They’re used to bolster online marketing, but they also serve the function of introducing prospects to you as a company. Tangible means “real.” And, you want people to believe in you as a real company, not just a virtual one.

Sending Newsletters

A physical newsletter carries an inherent value, especially if it’s done well. Now, a lot of businesses have jumped onto this bandwagon recently, but they don’t always know how to do a good newsletter. It’s like businesses have latched onto an abstract idea - “the newsletter” - without really understanding what it’s all about.

A newsletter conveys information about your company or industry in a unique and interesting way. It delves deep into unusual aspects, clarifying them and giving prospects and customers actionable information about problems they may be facing.

 

Needless to say, you’ll need a rare form of talent in your business to put this together - a professional researcher and writer who is also a product expert. Most businesses don’t employ a professional writer. Either become one yourself or hire one and train that person on your product line.


Using Flyers

Flyers - you’ve undoubtedly seen them before. They get stuck to car windshields and doorknobs all over the UK. But, did you know they also help businesses spread the word about their products and services?

 

Flyers are usually one-page sheets of paper with descriptive text, and possibly a photo or image, that guides people to action using a clear “call to action.” Usually, fliers don’t try to sell something directly. Instead, they are part of a “two-step” process aimed at selling something to the prospect.

 

But, even though fliers are simple, they’re not always cheap. You need a lot of ink to print them, and manpower to distribute them. For ink, visit the website that most businesses use to pick up ink supplies. For manpower, “hire” interns to help you pass out the fliers.


Sell Sheets For Quick Facts

Sell sheets are sort of like fliers, but they contain quick facts about the product or service. They may try to sell something right in the handout - usually a low-cost product or service. For example, a sell sheet may tell people about the benefits of buying petrol from a particular fill station.


Or, the sheet might sell some service priced at £10.

Business Cards

Ah, the lowly business card. We barely know ye. It’s something that most established businesses still use, but many new businesses have forgotten about. The business card is making a comeback though. There is simply no quicker way to tell others what you do - in a face-to-face meeting - than with a business card.

 

But, you don’t want just any business card. Go for quality. Moo.com and Inkd.com sell some of the highest-quality products on the market.


Brochures

Brochures are the unloved child of marketing collateral. They provide more information than a flier, but they’re not easy to hand out. They require people actually stop and read them. At the same time, they can really boost conversions if you use them properly.

 

Brochures typically give more detailed information than sell sheets, and are used to advertise a website or brick-and-mortar operation.

 

Combined, these tangible marketing tools can supplement and augment your existing marketing efforts, drive leads, and help you convert more sales.

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