Develop Your Marketing Materials

When you sit down to plan your marketing materials, be sure you look at every aspect of your marketing strategy. Marketing materials include white papers, articles, presentations, brochures, and even telemarketer scripts and interaction. Every scrap of marketing materials should be consistent.

Consider your logo and your color scheme and use that design throughout your designs. Create a master presentation format and make it available to all employees so that every presentation created and presented by your staff has the same look and feel. Use consistent fonts and spacing. When a client looks at your marketing materials they should know they are yours by the look of the material.   

Marketing communication starts with your marketing strategy. That strategy is not just about your competition. It must include the ‘how’ as well as the ‘what’.  

If you are in start-up mode, don’t put off the design and development of your marketing strategy and your marketing materials. Marketing techniques and marketing plans exist because you cannot be in all places at all times. You can’t create, build and run a business and still find the time to get out there and talk to prospects and clients to deliver your product or service message on a daily basis.

Your marketing materials provide valuable information about your business and your products but they also deliver an important message about your business and the image you wish to portray. The colors, content, pictures and style of your marketing materials tell your clients something about you. As such, these materials are a critical factor in the success of your business.  

Marketing materials should be polished and consistent. If you can’t afford to hire a professional marketing and advertising agency, you should still pay close attention to the design of your marketing materials. Hire a marketing pro to work for you if you can. In the beginning that person will probably have to play multiple roles but their expertise will be invaluable. As the business grows, your marketing professional can focus more on the marketing strategy for your long-term growth.  

If you intend to create your marketing materials the most important thing is to make a list of every type of communication you will employ with your clients and prospects. From your web site design to the newsletters you will product and the speeches you will make at conferences, your message must be consistent and professional.