Research by Serif, a leading software firm, suggests that as many as 50% of small businesses produce their marketing materials in house in a bid to save money. But unless you know how to produce your own marketing materials to a professional level, it can do more harm to your business than good. Keep reading to find out how to produce your marketing materials on a shoestring budget.
Your Website, Business Cards and Promotional Material
The first things that any strap cashed business needs to invest in are a website, business cards, and some form of promotional material such as a newsletter or a brochure. These three things create the first impression that a client has of your company so they need to look professional. If they look home made, people may assume that your company is amateur, and unable to meet the standards that they require.
Branding
When designing your own marketing materials, it’s important to have a common theme that runs through them all. Whether this is a logo, a colour scheme, or a typeface, it should be identical on all of your marketing materials. Not only will this look professional, but it will also help to develop your brand. Companies that forgo branding in the early stages of marketing, often find that their materials are disjointed and so need redoing.
If you are not sure how you want to brand your business, it may be worth hiring a professional designer to help you with this part of the process. Not only could a professional help you to design a logo, but they can also provide you with templates which can be easily edited later on.
Printing
Once your marketing materials have been designed, your next step is printing. It is possible to print professional quality leaflets, booklets, and business cards in house if you have a laser printer. However, if you are planning on printing out a large quantity, or require glossy brochures or posters, outsourcing the print process to a professional printer may be the better option. Not only will the quality be better, but it will likely be cheaper too. Ask the printers in your area for more informationon their costs and then compare it to your in-house fees.
Sometimes It’s Cheaper to Hire a Designer
Think about it. If you really aren’t sure about the direction you want your marketing materials to take, or if you aren’t confident in your skills, it can be cheaper to hire a designer. There is no point in building a website if it looks unprofessional, and brochures and booklets will be thrown in the trash if they look like they were designed and printed at home.
Marketing should be thought of as an investment rather than a cost; a well planned marketing campaign can lead to many new customers, which will often offset your marketing budget massively. Sometimes it is better to hire a professional who can help your company stand out from the crowd.
