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7 Essential Marketing Tools Every Entrepreneur Needs for their Start-Up

July 15, 2015

The success of your start-up depends on the foundation of your marketing plan. Done correctly, your marketing strategy and techniques will help your small business grow, reach more consumers, and retain customers. There are essential marketing materials that every small business must have to ensure successful promotion and development of the company.

Logo – Make your business known!

First and foremost, every business must design a logo. This is the brand image that will be present on every form of your marketing materials that you submit to the public, such as business cards, flyers, brochures, articles, and press releases. This is an important tool to create brand recognition of your business. You want consumers to see your image and immediately think of your company and services. Logos should be neat and simple, but also stand out among the competition.

Business Cards – Marketing on the go

Business cards are a key element for social marketing as they are the tool for networking your company. Don’t underestimate their importance based on their size; a business card is responsible for the first impression of your company. Business cards are an important marketing tool as they are portable, memorable, and have a low cost structure with their production. What should you put on your business card? Your business card should be modern and simple with your basic contact information. There are a few main elements to consider: your logo for brand recognition, your company name, your personal name and title, phone number, email address and lastly your website URL. This may seem like a lot of text for a small card, but graphic designers can create a clean and eye-catching format that contains all of this information without looking too crowded.

Promotional Photography – A picture is worth a thousand words

Promotional photos are essential for creating a professional look of your marketing materials, and should be implemented on your website and social media platforms. Custom photographs can be taken for specific announcements or events your company may have. Consider using a color palette in your photos that matches with the colors of your business logo. A picture can often say more than a text, so make sure your promotional photos are done professionally. They should be adaptable to fit on your different marketing materials whether its a billboard or a brochure.

Website – All it takes is one click

One of the most important marketing tools is your website. This is where the multiple elements and layers of your marketing materials come together. Your website combines your logo, promotional photos, texts, contact information, and services. This is where the action happens. You can drive traffic to your website by linking from other social media platforms and using keywords to increase SEO. Your website should be user friendly and mobile friendly. Customers should be able to easily navigate your website whether they’re on a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Your website should make it clear where consumers can find the information they are looking for, and should be aesthetically pleasing to keep them on your page.

Flyers – Post them anywhere!

Flyers are an important marketing tool as they allow you to include more information about your company than a business card does while not becoming overwhelming. You are able to draw attention with an image and get your message across with a simple text. They are multi-functional as you can give them out like a business card, as an attachment in an email, or sent in the mail to reach a desired audience. Your flyer should have your logo and a bold image along with an alluring headline. In addition to including contact and website information, give them a reason to contact you such as a promotional offer or give-away!

Brochure – Read all about it!

Brochures include much more detailed information than a flyer. The typical format of a brochure is a three-fold flap that has images and information on front and back pages. Make the information easy to read by using a simple font, implementing bullet points, and using photos, graphs, or charts for reference. Brochures are a successful marketing tool as they are interactive with your consumers and include important information that can be taken on the go. Your brochure should be professional, leave your client with a better understanding of your company, and make them feel confident with your services.

Design Brief – Plan it out!

A design brief is essential to make sure everyone in your company follows the same design scheme. With everyone knowing what fonts, color palettes, and logos to use, you will save time and money by eliminating mistakes in your design plan. A design brief will ensure that your company is always consistent on letterheads, website format, and printing materials, which will keep your company uniform and looking professional. A good design brief will make working with other designers, printers and developers in the future a much more efficient and organized process.

Conclusion

Creating a marketing strategy with a logo, website, business cards and images that all fit your corporate design and style guide will give you a good kickstart into your business. Take a look at your personal needs and your potential customer and create a package that best suits your business model.

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