Summary: Your potential clients need an
education. They need to know how you are different. Join me as I coach other small
business owners through the process of creating marketing materials that educate and
sell...
I got another one of those calls the other day... "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 in business. 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.)
Every small business should create the following pieces of
information and format them in a way that allows them be printed inexpensively and updated
often. I like to call this approach, the Marketing Kit. Your marketing kit starts with
several professionally printed pieces that are the framework for up to 10 or 12 different
educational documents. The core components are:
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 marketing kit template page -
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 for the pages described below that insert into your pocket folder. (Your actual
marketing files can be MSWord type documents that are laser printed. This gives you the
ability to change and update your content and also allows you to tailor your marketing kit
content to specific prospects.)
Some combination of the following pages should be created
for your marketing kit.
The Difference Page -
Hit them with how you are different and shower them with
benefits of doing business with you. Don't tell them what you do. I like to keep this one
to the top 3 or 4 things that you do that your target market will value. Think benefits
that are unique
Deeper Differences -
Now take each core difference and tell the reader in
greater detail why and how that difference is important
A list of services/products -
Okay, now tell them what you do or what you offer.
Deeper Product/Service Descriptions -
Go into detail on each of your product or service offerings
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. I think this format works
well. State the situation, the problem, your solution, the result. Over time you can
collect more and more of these and draw upon the ones that fit an industry or problem that
in relevant to your prospect.
Testimonials -
Get quotes from real live clients and create a page titled
- "See what others have to say about us." These quotes can be some of the
strongest selling tools you have. New technologies make it easy to create audio and video
testimonials too.
Client List -
In some cases, just simply listing who else you do business
with can present a compelling case.
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.
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. You can learn
even more about how to use this unique tool here
This format allow for very inexpensive printing and a great
deal of flexibility when you need to update, change or even personalize your magnificent
marketing materials. |
