Historically, marketing collateral referred to print marketing materials, such as brochures and flyers.
Today, the term applies to nearly any form of media that aims to build brand awareness, generate leads and convert prospects into customers.
The best marketing collateral is attention-grabbing, tailored to the needs or challenges of target audiences and factors in which stage of the buyer’s journey they are in. After all, you don’t have a one-size-fits-all audience and your marketing collateral needs to reflect that.
To help you get the most ROI out of marketing collateral, we compiled the best tips, strategies and examples for each stage of the buyer’s journey, including:
- Awareness Stage: Best marketing collateral for building brand awareness.
- Consideration Stage: Best marketing collateral for lead generation.
- Decision Stage: Best marketing collateral for sales.
Best Marketing Collateral for Building Brand Awareness
When it comes to building brand awareness, your target audience is in the awareness stage of the buyer’s journey.
Awareness-stage prospects have a need or challenge, and are searching for information to help them understand more about their situation.
The best marketing collateral for building brand awareness is educational and informative, not sales-y. Remember that prospects in the awareness stage are not ready to buy, so now is not the time to go heavy on overly-promotional and sales-focused content. Instead, show that your business understands their need or challenge. This will establish credibility as a trusted resource, and motivate prospects to learn more about your business and the solutions you provide.
The best types of marketing collateral for building brand awareness include:
Brochures are often created with a one-size-fits-all audience in mind. Unfortunately, a brochure is often the first interaction a prospect has with your brand, so it’s important to tailor the content accordingly. Tailor brochures to each segment of your target audience and ensure that you have a brochure for top-funnel (TOFU) and bottom-funnel (BOFU) prospects, but ideally, you’ll want to have a brochure for top, mid and bottom funnel prospects. Be sure to read our guide on best practices for brochure design to ensure your brochures hit the mark with pinpoint precision.
Company overviews, typically housed in a branded folder with a business card insert on the interior pocket, are the perfect way to provide a library of information and resources to prospects. The flyers, resources and inserts included in a company overview folder should be tailored to address the specific needs of each audience segment. The kitting and packaging of a company overview should be presented in a professional and polished manner–this is not the time to stuff brochures and flyers into a plain white envelope.
Blogs are an easy and effective way to provide in-depth and educational information. You’ll want to identify blog topics that can be formatted into lists, guides and Q&A’s, so readers can find what they want or need fast. In fact, you’re reading an awareness-stage blog right now! Be sure your blogs include a strong CTA that aligns with the awareness-stage mindset. For example, you may encourage prospects in the consideration stage CTAs to receive a product sample, promotional item or information kit (a.k.a. company overview) to keep your brand top of mind.
Best Marketing Collateral for Lead Generation
When it comes to lead generation, keep in mind that prospects are in the consideration stage of the buyer’s journey.
Consideration stage prospects are aware of their need or challenge, and are evaluating the solutions available to them. Prospects are not yet convinced that your business is the best solution, so keep in mind that they’ll be looking at competitors during this time.
The best marketing collateral for lead generation hits hard on how your business understands the needs or challenges of prospects, and convinces them that your business is the best solution. It’s OK to be a bit more sales-oriented here, but you still need to focus heavily on communicating the value your business provides.
The best types of marketing collateral for lead generation include:
Case studies, comparison guides and research reports are perfect for building trust and establishing credibility since they showcase exactly how your products or services have helped other businesses–and how you compare against the competition. Case studies, guides and reports can be used as both print and digital marketing collateral, so you’ll want to take advantage of their versatility.
Webinars educate and inform your prospects while also establishing your business as an industry expert. A webinar gives prospects a glimpse into what it would be like to do business with you, so be sure to focus on how much you understand the pain points of prospects and clearly communicate how your business provides the ideal solution. Be sure to follow up with attendees after the event with a personalized direct mail campaign to stay top of mind and get a physical piece of your brand in their hands.
Infographics are excellent visuals that stand out in a crowded field of content by easily explaining a process or fact to customers in a visually-appealing way. Similar to a case study, infographics can be used as both print and digital marketing collateral.
Best Marketing Collateral for Sales
Prospects in the decision stage of the buyer’s journey are ready to purchase. They are evaluating their options and determining which business provides the best solution for them.
Now is the time to show prospects that the solutions your business provides will exceed their expectations.
The best marketing collateral for sales will include specific details about the specialized offerings and solutions that only your business can provide. It’s perfectly fine to be sales-focused and promotional with decision-stage marketing collateral. This is the time to strut your stuff and showcase why your business is the best.
The best types of marketing collateral for sales include:
Whitepapers are long-form pieces on a technical subject. This type of marketing collateral is used to position you as a thought leader with plenty of research and data to back you up. A whitepaper can lay out just enough context and evidence to convince a prospect to close the deal.
Presentations: A strong presentation shared with decision-makers is standard when sales reps are close to closing a deal. Be sure presentations are loaded with valuable content that includes everything the decision-making team needs to convince them that your business is the perfect solution to their needs.
Print collateral is critical in the decision-stage, especially for B2B sales. For example, decision-makers may not have time to review all the slides from a presentation, so make it easy for them by bringing decision-stage print collateral as a leave-behind. Be sure to follow up via direct mail with a personalized letter and print collateral that is customized to their needs or problems. This is easy to do with a marketing portal. Examples of print collateral to share with decision-stage prospects include spec sheets, pricing, warranty information, product literature and FAQs.
Create the Best Marketing Collateral with Jet Mail
Since 1993, the marketing fulfillment experts at Jet Mail have helped businesses deliver attention-grabbing marketing collateral campaigns that build brands and generate revenue.
With all-in-one marketing fulfillment services under one roof–including a commercial mail-house, state-of-the-art print shop, 80,000 square foot fulfillment center and a global distribution network–you can rely on the Jet Mail team for all of your print marketing collateral needs.
Contact our team of experts today to get started!
COMMENTS