You may have a flashy Web site and a blog, but you still need print materials to market your business.
That means you need marketing collateral — printed pieces that support your marketing and sales efforts.
Going on a sales call? Better bring a brochure, business card and catalog. Exhibiting at a trade show? You’ll need sales sheets to distribute.
Speaking at a networking event? Hand out fliers.
Print materials are an important part of your marketing plan because they’re affordable — far less expensive than most other forms of advertising.
Moreover, they’re tangible and long-lasting and they help explain your company, product or services even when you’re not there. And it’s always good to have something to give prospects to remember you — that’s why a term for a print marketing piece is a “leave-behind.”
The Essentials
The most essential print marketing pieces are:
– Business cards.
– Brochures.
– Catalogs.
-One-page sales sheets or product specification sheets.
– Fliers, postcards, rack cards and club cards.
– Stationery.
– Direct-mail pieces.
Once you recognize that you need printed materials, you’ve got a lot of good, affordable options.
Small quantities of price lists, fliers and sales sheets can probably be produced in high-enough quality on your own printer to serve your needs, especially if you have a good color printer.
You’ll be able to tailor information for specific recipients or situations, print them at the last minute and reduce waste by printing just enough for your needs.
I am not a big fan of printing your own business cards in-house, however. They just look too flimsy.
For larger quantities of material — and your more important marketing collateral — don’t use your own printer. Instead, use an outside print company.
Local copy shops are fast and relatively inexpensive. They can produce higher quality and larger quantity materials than you can in-house, and they’re faster than an online print company. They also provide services such as collating, folding and stapling.
Internet Printers
Internet-based print services abound, and these are typically less expensive than copy shops.
With an online printer, you either upload your digital files containing your camera-ready design or, in most cases, you can choose from a selection of their preformatted templates. This is an affordable way to get a variety of print marketing materials (business cards, brochures and fliers) at reasonable prices.
For the highest quality printed materials, and the greatest selection and control over your finished product, turn to a professional print company.
Generally, you’ll work with a local printer, but for large quantities of four-color expensive marketing materials, you may choose an overseas-based printer to reduce costs. You can use a print broker to help you find the right print company.
No matter what type of marketing material you print, make sure that your company name and contact information is highly visible and you keep your branding consistent with the same colors, logo and typeface.
When your company looks good in print, customers trust you more and feel better about buying your products or services. And you know what that means? More sales!
Rhonda Abrams is the author of “Six-Week Start-Up” and “What Business Should I Start?”
