How to Create Magnificent Marketing Materials
How to Create Magnificent Marketing Materials
"Liz, can you make me a brochure?"
Many business owners have been sold on the notion that they need a tri-fold brochure or they are not really in business. I’m telling you right now, forget it...everybody's got one and no one uses it. Your potential clients need an education. They need to know how you are different. (The typical tri-fold brochure simply confirms that you are the same.)
No single brochure can grab your prospect’s attention, hold it, and demonstrate how you are
uniquely qualified to solve their greatest challenges.
To do this your marketing materials must go much deeper than you may be used to.
Your prospects believe that your firm is pretty much like any other firm that does what you do. On the surface they are right. If you are an electrical contractor, you probably wire a ceiling fan the same way every other electrician does. The difference is in the way you provide the service, the experience, the way you communicate, your professionalism, your training, your 27-point safety checklist, your story. That’s the stuff clients need to hear about. That’s the stuff that will make them say, “This is someone I can trust coming into my home.”
Your business should create the following pieces of information.
1. A pocket folder - A multi-use workhorse, this piece alone, if designed well, can send the message that you are in business to stay. (This one will cost a little but it has many uses)
2. A template - This should be a professionally printed piece that carries your logo and contact information but is different than your letterhead. This is the base piece then for the following pages that insert into your pocket folder.
3. An executive summary - Hit them with how you are different and shower them with benefits of doing business with you. Don't just tell them what you do. This is where you will communicate your core marketing messages. If you have an unheard of guarantee, if you are faster, smarter, cheaper…let’s hear about it on this page.
4. A list of services - Okay, now tell them what you do or what you offer. You may even need to create a sheet for each of your services or different service areas.
5. Case Studies - Pick representative clients or industries and outline how your product or service solved someone else's challenge. People learn in different ways and case studies allow them to see themselves getting relief.
6. Testimonials - Get quotes from real live clients and create a page titled - "See what others have to say about us."
7. Process Description - Show them how you do what you do. Create detailed checklist and flow charts that show them how you keep your promise. In many cases you have these anyway but by making them part of your marketing you can demonstrate how much more professional your organization is. These also help you justify why you charge a premium for your services. Many people underestimate how much really goes into delivering a quality product or service. So show them.
8. Your Story - Many companies have interesting or even gut wrenching histories. Tell them your story in an open, honest, and entertaining way and you will win their hearts as well as their heads.
All of the above pieces can, in many cases, be word-processed files that are laser printed onto the template I described above. This format allows for very inexpensive printing and a great deal of flexibility when you need to update, change or even personalize your magnificent marketing materials. (Wait…this looks like a pretty good layout for a website too!)
Will they read all of this stuff? Like all marketing efforts, some will, some won’t but the one’s that do will pay a premium to acquire the services of someone so obviously magnificent.
How to Create Magnificent Marketing Materials - To learn more about this author, visit Liz Walker's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
I got another one of those calls the other day.
"Liz, can you make me a brochure?"
Many business owners have been sold on the notion that they need a tri-fold brochure or they are not really in business. I’m telling you right now, forget it...everybody's got one and no one uses it. Your potential clients need an education. They need to know how you are different. (The typical tri-fold brochure simply confirms that you are the same.)
No single brochure can grab your prospect’s attention, hold it, and demonstrate how you are
uniquely qualified to solve their greatest challenges.
To do this your marketing materials must go much deeper than you may be used to.
Your prospects believe that your firm is pretty much like any other firm that does what you do. On the surface they are right. If you are an electrical contractor, you probably wire a ceiling fan the same way every other electrician does. The difference is in the way you provide the service, the experience, the way you communicate, your professionalism, your training, your 27-point safety checklist, your story. That’s the stuff clients need to hear about. That’s the stuff that will make them say, “This is someone I can trust coming into my home.”
Your business should create the following pieces of information.
1. A pocket folder - A multi-use workhorse, this piece alone, if designed well, can send the message that you are in business to stay. (This one will cost a little but it has many uses)
2. A template - This should be a professionally printed piece that carries your logo and contact information but is different than your letterhead. This is the base piece then for the following pages that insert into your pocket folder.
3. An executive summary - Hit them with how you are different and shower them with benefits of doing business with you. Don't just tell them what you do. This is where you will communicate your core marketing messages. If you have an unheard of guarantee, if you are faster, smarter, cheaper…let’s hear about it on this page.
4. A list of services - Okay, now tell them what you do or what you offer. You may even need to create a sheet for each of your services or different service areas.
5. Case Studies - Pick representative clients or industries and outline how your product or service solved someone else's challenge. People learn in different ways and case studies allow them to see themselves getting relief.
6. Testimonials - Get quotes from real live clients and create a page titled - "See what others have to say about us."
7. Process Description - Show them how you do what you do. Create detailed checklist and flow charts that show them how you keep your promise. In many cases you have these anyway but by making them part of your marketing you can demonstrate how much more professional your organization is. These also help you justify why you charge a premium for your services. Many people underestimate how much really goes into delivering a quality product or service. So show them.
8. Your Story - Many companies have interesting or even gut wrenching histories. Tell them your story in an open, honest, and entertaining way and you will win their hearts as well as their heads.
All of the above pieces can, in many cases, be word-processed files that are laser printed onto the template I described above. This format allows for very inexpensive printing and a great deal of flexibility when you need to update, change or even personalize your magnificent marketing materials. (Wait…this looks like a pretty good layout for a website too!)
Will they read all of this stuff? Like all marketing efforts, some will, some won’t but the one’s that do will pay a premium to acquire the services of someone so obviously magnificent.
How to Create Magnificent Marketing Materials - To learn more about this author, visit Liz Walker's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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Joe DagerJoe Dager is President of Business901, a progressive coaching company providing no-nonsense direction in areas such as Lean Six Sigma Marketing and organized referral marketing. What others say: In the past 20 years, Joe and I have collaborated on many difficult issues. Joe’s ability to combine his expertise with “out of the box” thinking is unsurpassed. He has always delivered quickly, cost effectively and with ingenuity. A brilliant mind that is always a pleasure to work with.” - James R. If you want to learn more about Business901, start a conversation with us. We can be found @ Web/Blog: Business901.com Web/Blog: FundingYourNonprofit.com LinkedIn Profile Follow me on Twitter - Visit Joe Dager's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
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