Resources Marketing materials

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Make your marketing materials work

Do you know many companies that can sell their product or service without literature or other supporting materials? It’s tough to do.

Marketing materials help you communicate and strengthen your messages. They’re also known as “marketing communications” or “sales literature” or “collateral” and they may include:

    • Company brochures
    • Product data sheets
    • Case studies
    • White papers
    • PowerPoint presentations
    • Websites
    • Newsletters
    • Reference lists
    • Proposal templates
    • Calculators


The printed word can carry a lot of credibility, so your materials are important tools in your arsenal. Plus a single printed piece can reach multiple decisionmakers when your primary contact passes it along.

Marketing materials should overcome a specific objection

Good literature and tools are tightly integrated with your sales process. Rather than inundating a prospect with all of your information at once, break that information into distinct pieces that answer a prospect’s key questions at a specific stage in the process. As a result, your prospects can quickly absorb what’s most relevant, make decisions more quickly and move to the next stage.

People never absorb 100% of material presented to them. If you dump all your marketing materials in your prospect’s lap at the first meeting, odds are they’ll file it or throw it away.

Your sales literature and tools are strong elements in your arsenal. They convey your brand, speak directly to your prospects, and deliver the right amount of information at the right time.

Analyze your current materials

If you think your existing literature and tools could be more effective, take inventory:

    • Review each piece to determine its sole focus.
    • Ask your sales team and others for feedback on whether the piece works.
    • Make sure the piece supports your value proposition and brand strategy.
    • Make sure each piece is delivered at the right time.


Determine what materials you need

List the steps of your sales process, then

    • Brainstorm the materials you could use to answer a prospect’s questions at each step
    • Define a singular purpose for each piece of literature or tool


Write, design & print your materials

To develop your content, focus on the singular purpose of each piece.

    • Outline the content that needs to be in each piece
    • Hire vendors for design & writing if needed
    • Research and write the content
    • Develop your design requirements
    • Design the piece
    • Get quotes and work with your chosen printer to ensure that you’re happy with the final outcome


Train your team to use the materials

Make sure everyone knows the purpose of each piece and when to use it. Email us now and we'll send you free marketing materials analysis tool to see whether your materials are used properly.

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