Marketing Collateral: A Comprehensive Guide to Types and Best Practices

Introduction
What is Marketing Collateral?
Key Information before Creating Marketing Collateral
Understanding the Marketing Funnel
Types of Marketing Collateral
Choosing the Right Marketing Collateral

Introduction

With the explosion of available channels and fast-paced nature of campaigns, busy teams are asked to produce much more marketing collateral than ever before. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the ins and outs of marketing collateral, including its definition and the different types of materials you can use to promote your brand. We’ll delve into the world of sales and advertising materials, sharing best practices for creating assets that resonate with your audience and align with your brand identity. Whether you’re focused on generating leads, nurturing prospects, or closing sales, we’ve categorized our marketing collateral examples into funnel stages to help you achieve your different business goals. Let’s get started!

What is Marketing Collateral?

Before we go any further, let’s define marketing collateral to make sure we’re all on the same page. Marketing collateral refers to any material used by businesses to showcase their products or services, ultimately driving sales and fostering brand recognition. Essentially, it can be any marketing asset that faces the public.

Key Information before Creating Marketing Collateral

Before you create your marketing collateral, you’ll need to gather some key information. If you’re creating collateral for a client, you’ll need a solid understanding of their brand guidelines — colors, tone, logo, fonts, and value proposition. It’s also important to know where your marketing collateral will appear, as each distribution channel/social media platform operates by its own rules. Additionally, understanding your target audience and their position in the marketing funnel is crucial for effectively reaching and resonating with them.

Understanding the Marketing Funnel

In addition to knowing who your target audience is, you’ll need to know where they are in the customer journey, or “marketing funnel.” The marketing funnel is an easy way to segment customers by awareness. The funnel consists of different stages, including:

Awareness Stage: Potential customers are just starting their search for a solution to their problem or need.
Consideration Stage: Potential customers have begun to zero in on a solution and are researching specific options.
Decision Stage: Potential customers are weighing their options and looking for exact differentiators, comparing specific brands or providers.

Understanding these stages will help you create marketing collateral that meets the needs of your audience at each phase of their journey.

Types of Marketing Collateral

As promised, here are 29 types of marketing collateral you can use to connect with consumers throughout the marketing funnel:

Brochures

Historically, companies distributed print brochures to prospective clients when they met in person or through the mail. Today, brochures are usually digital and contain information about a company’s products or services, along with contact information. Here’s an example of a brochure from the Nature Conservancy.

Business Cards

Business cards are a tried-and-true way to introduce yourself and your business to potential customers. Whether you’re at a conference, seminar, or convention, having a business card to hand out can be useful for networking. Here’s an example of a creative business card made from unconventional materials.

Buyer Guides

Buyer guides can be used to entice prospects with contextual marketing, especially if there’s a large sum of money at stake. They provide detailed information to help potential customers make informed decisions.

Cart Abandonment Emails

E-commerce stores use cart abandonment emails to remind users that they added items to their shopping cart but haven’t checked out yet. These emails often contain incentives, such as discount coupons, to encourage customers to complete their purchase.

Case Studies

Case studies are great examples of marketing collateral for the consideration stage. They showcase your brand’s success stories and demonstrate how clients achieved success with your product or service. Here’s an example of a case study format.

eBooks

eBooks are valuable tools for educating and informing your audience. They can help position you as an expert on specific topics and can be used to capture leads by requiring an email address to download the content.

Event Displays

Event displays are alternative ways to distribute marketing collateral. For example, an event booth can provide potential customers with information about your products and services through brochures, flyers, or free samples.

Explainer Videos

Explainer videos are short, animated pieces that explain a feature or features of your product or service. They are effective for visual learners and can help simplify complex concepts.

Flyers

Unlike brochures, flyers typically consist of one A5-sized sheet rather than a foldable pamphlet. They are effective for outdoor marketing because they can be distributed quickly to many people.

Infographics

Infographics are powerful visuals that present information, particularly statistics and data, in an easily digestible way. They can be standalone pieces or part of an article or blog post. Check out this example of an infographic.

Paid Search Ads

Paid search ads, such as Google Ads, can be effective for capturing leads and driving traffic to your website. They typically include minimal text and a clear call to action.

Long-Form Blog Content

Blog content is a hub for answering questions that people are searching for. It drives traffic to your website, helps build brand awareness, and positions you as an expert. Include relevant visuals in your blog posts to keep readers engaged.

Newsletters

Newsletters are a great way to foster customer loyalty, introduce new products, and encourage repeat business. They allow you to stay in regular contact with your audience and provide them with valuable content.

Podcasts

Podcasts are effective for positioning your brand as a thought leader and sharing insider tips. They are ideal for companies with a lot to share, such as health and fitness brands.

Portfolios

Portfolios are useful for showcasing your creative projects and proving your expertise. They can be used to attract new clients and partners.

Point-of-Sale Displays

Point-of-sale displays are located in retail stores near the checkout to encourage impulse purchases. Online equivalents can also be created to nudge people to make a purchase and place items in their shopping cart.

Press Releases

Press releases are used to share important news about your company, such as awards and recognition. They can be published on your website and distributed to news organizations to expand your reach.

Product Comparison Pages

Product comparison pages allow potential customers to compare different products or services you offer. They provide objective information and help customers make informed decisions.

Product Pages

Product pages provide detailed information about your products or services, including features and benefits. They help customers understand what you offer and why it’s valuable.

Promotional Products

Promotional products, such as can koozies, stress balls, or notepads, are affordable items that can be branded with your logo and given away at events or conferences to stay top-of-mind with potential customers.

Proposals

Proposals are confidential documents for B2B clients that outline terms, conditions, and pricing. They should be tailored to the preferences of the audience.

Retargeting Ads

Retargeting ads are used to re-engage people who have visited specific pages on your website. They can offer special discounts or incentives to encourage conversions.

Slide Decks

Slide decks go beyond sales presentations and provide self-serve information to potential customers who want to learn more about your product or service. They allow audiences to explore features at their own pace.

Vertical Pages

If your product or service covers multiple industries, you can create dedicated vertical pages for each audience. These pages address specific industry needs and use cases.

Testimonials and Reviews

Testimonials and reviews help build credibility and trust. They serve as condensed case studies and showcase satisfied customers. Visual elements and specific benefits add authenticity to testimonials.

Text Messages

Media-rich text messages are effective for sharing special offers and promotions. They can include hyperlinks and images to engage customers.

White Papers

White papers are authoritative, in-depth pieces that cover technical subjects. They establish you as an expert in your field and provide solutions to specific problems. They should be well-researched, professionally formatted, and visually engaging. Here’s an excerpt from a white paper from Venngage.

Conclusion

In this guide, we’ve explored various types of marketing collateral that you can use to promote your brand throughout the marketing funnel. Each type has its own benefits and can be effective at different stages of the buyer’s journey. By selecting the right marketing collateral and tailoring it to your audience, you can create engaging and impactful materials that help you achieve marketing success.

Choosing the Right Marketing Collateral

Choosing the most effective form of collateral for each stage of the buyer’s journey is crucial for marketing success. Creative resources are not unlimited, and creative teams must choose wisely in the types of marketing collateral they prioritize. By understanding your audience and their needs, you can determine which collateral will have the greatest impact. It’s important to consider the goals of your marketing campaign and align your collateral with those objectives. Experimenting with different types of collateral and analyzing their performance can help you continuously improve your marketing efforts. Remember to stay flexible and adapt your collateral strategy based on feedback and insights from your target audience. By focusing on the right marketing collateral, you can maximize your creative efforts and achieve marketing funnel success stories.