Launching or revamping a marketing strategy for your small business (or any business, for that matter) can be overwhelming. With numerous marketing materials available, it’s easy to feel lost.
This guide breaks down the essential marketing collateral every business needs and the beneficial assets you can create with additional resources.
Understanding Marketing Collateral
Marketing collateral encompasses any branded material promoting your company, product, or service, fostering relationships between your brand and your audience. It includes everything from your logo, which builds brand awareness, to case studies that educate potential customers.
Marketing collateral’s diverse nature makes it invaluable. It enables you to reach any audience, on any platform, at every stage of the customer journey.
Let’s explore the essential marketing assets you need and the valuable additions to consider.
Essential Marketing Collateral for Every Business
This section covers the indispensable marketing materials every business needs, regardless of size or budget.
1. Logo
Your logo is a cornerstone of your branding, appearing on most of your marketing materials. It needs careful consideration to ensure it reflects your brand’s identity and includes your company name. To create the perfect logo, opt for a design that aligns with your brand’s purpose and personality, making sure to incorporate your company name.
2. Mission Statement
Your mission statement should concisely convey the impact of your work and the value you offer your audience.
Consider TED. Their mission transcends hosting talks or organizing events. It aims to spread ideas. Emulate this focus on the bigger picture for your mission statement.
Note how TED’s mission aligns with its tagline, featured in its logo, exemplifying brand consistency.
3. Website
Having an online presence is crucial, regardless of your business type. Your website acts as a digital storefront, providing essential information. While a basic website can suffice, optimizing it for search engines, lead generation, and conversion can significantly enhance your marketing efforts.
4. About Us Page
While the specific content of your website depends on your business model, every business needs a well-crafted About Us page. This page should clearly articulate your identity and what you do.
Follow our simple guide to create a compelling About Us page and draw inspiration from these about us page examples.
5. Social Media Profiles
Establish a presence on social media platforms relevant to your audience. This could include Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or niche platforms like Reddit or Quora. Conduct thorough research to identify the platforms frequented by your target demographic.
Highlighting a missed opportunity for Albertine Press, a small stationery shop in Cambridge, MA, due to their absence on Twitter.
Maximize your online visibility by completing all profile fields on each platform. The depth of information varies, with LinkedIn company pages being comprehensive and Instagram bios being concise and creative.
6. Online Listings
Ensure accurate and up-to-date online listings on platforms like Google, Facebook, and Angie’s List. These listings are often the first point of contact for potential customers. Don’t miss out on leads by neglecting this crucial aspect of your online presence.
Emphasizing the importance of a complete and optimized Google Business Profile.
7. Email Signature
A branded email signature enhances professionalism and leverages email interactions as branding opportunities.
Consider these email signature templates from Wisestamp:
Incorporating an image, either your headshot or logo, adds a personal touch and reinforces your brand.
8. Business Cards
Always be prepared to network by carrying business cards. These can be simple or reusable but should include your company name, logo, and contact information.
Showcasing the diverse and creative possibilities of business card design. (Image source)
9. One-Pager
Create a visually appealing one-pager summarizing your products or services. This document should include a testimonial, details on getting started, and be readily shareable digitally or as a printed handout.
10. Brand Colors
Consistent use of a signature color palette significantly enhances brand recognition. Research shows it can increase brand recognition by 80%.
This level of recognition is vital for business growth. Explore our color psychology tips if you need guidance selecting your brand colors.
Valuable Marketing Collateral Additions
The following assets, while not strictly essential, are highly beneficial and relatively affordable to produce. Consider prioritizing them as your budget allows.
11. Templated Emails
Every email you send, from newsletters to order confirmations, is an opportunity to reinforce your brand. Create engaging, branded email templates for various communication purposes.
Here’s an example from Blackbird Donuts, a local Boston chain.
For content inspiration, refer to our collection of copy-and-paste email examples and templates.
12. Blog Posts
Blog posts are crucial for content marketing. They enable you to engage your audience throughout their customer journey, establish your brand’s voice, and enhance your online visibility through targeted keywords.
Well-crafted blog posts are excellent for SEO. Leverage our nine blog post templates designed to drive traffic to your website.
13. Ebooks or Guides
Long-form content, whether ebooks or guides, educates your audience and can be valuable lead magnets. Gating this content can be an effective lead generation strategy.
14. Online Ads
Online advertising, including Google Search Ads, Google Display Ads, and social media advertising, can effectively reach a targeted audience and attract new customers.
However, consider the costs associated with ad creation, bidding, placements, and account management. When you’re ready to invest in online advertising, resources are available to guide you on running Google Ads effectively.
15. Landing Pages
When running ads or offering downloadable content, dedicated landing pages are essential. These pages focus on a specific offer or campaign. Explore these landing page examples for inspiration.
16. Testimonials and Case Studies
Testimonials and case studies provide powerful social proof, showcasing your ability to deliver results. Case studies offer in-depth success stories, while testimonial ads can be concise or detailed. Both are valuable assets for your marketing toolkit.
From our post on crafting compelling case studies.
17. Pitch Deck
A branded pitch deck ensures consistency and professionalism during sales presentations. It eliminates the risk of inconsistent information, off-brand visuals, or misaligned messaging.
18. Flyers
For businesses relying on local marketing, like car washes or restaurants, flyers remain effective for promoting events, sales, or simply raising awareness. Having a template ready to go streamlines your marketing efforts.
Bonus Marketing Collateral
These assets can further enhance your marketing and sales efforts if you have the resources and capacity.
19. Explainer Videos
Explainer videos concisely demonstrate your product or service’s value proposition, typically by presenting a problem and showcasing how your offering provides a solution. They are excellent for highlighting features and benefits and can be used across various platforms.
20. Swag
Branded merchandise doesn’t have to be expensive. Simple items like mugs or pens can provide long-lasting brand impressions. Research indicates that 60% of consumers keep promotional products for up to two years, offering significant brand exposure.
21. Customer Welcome Kits
Welcome kits are a thoughtful gesture that can make a lasting impression on new customers. A branded gift box thanking them for choosing your business can foster long-term loyalty and positive brand associations.
This gesture sets a positive tone for the customer relationship.
22. Thank You Prompts
After a purchase, encourage customer reviews by incorporating a review request into your thank-you emails. This helps generate fresh testimonials regularly.
Ace Hotel Brooklyn provides an excellent example.
23. Original Graphics
Create original graphics to enhance your blog posts, web pages, and social media content.
Mailchimp’s line illustrations demonstrate this effectively.
Original visuals maintain brand consistency and keep your content engaging.
Next-Level Marketing Assets
The following are high-impact marketing assets that require significant resources and are best suited for businesses with dedicated marketing teams and budgets.
24. Podcast
Podcasts offer a popular and flexible format for content creation, allowing for niche targeting and creative exploration. However, they demand significant effort and resources.
25. Reports and Research Projects
Original research reports and data projects establish thought leadership and provide valuable content for your audience. They can become valuable link magnets for your website.
Consider making this an annual initiative like the Content Marketing Institute
26. Branded Community
Community-driven marketing can be highly effective but requires dedicated time and effort. Branded online communities foster engagement and loyalty. Research by CMX Hub found that 84% of organizations believe their community has contributed to achieving business objectives.
Start Building Your Marketing Arsenal
Begin by addressing any gaps in your essential marketing materials. Once you have a solid foundation, consider tackling the valuable additions or even the next-level assets as your resources allow.
These materials are crucial for effectively reaching your target audience and driving business growth.
Here’s a recap of the 26 types of marketing collateral discussed:
- Logo
- Mission Statement
- Website
- About Us Page
- Social Media Profiles
- Online Listings
- Email Signature
- Business Cards
- One-Pager
- Brand Colors
- Templated Emails
- Blog Posts
- Ebooks or Guides
- Online Ads
- Landing Pages
- Testimonials and Case Studies
- Pitch Deck
- Flyers
- Explainer Videos
- Swag
- Customer Welcome Kits
- Thank You Prompts
- Original Graphics
- Podcast
- Reports and Research Projects
- Branded Community