At any one time, most businesses find themselves storing several boxes of materials they have had printed over the years – flyers, brochures, leaflets, etc. And it’s tempting to keep using them even if they’re not quite perfect, particularly if you were over-generous with the print run.
But ask yourself – do they look as professional as you’d like, and do they represent your business in the best possible light?
Giving out poor marketing materials could actually be counter-productive. A potential client might not be very impressed with your outdated flyer – but they might have been with a fresh new one.
If you’ve got some extra time on your hands at the moment, it’s worth going through your printed literature and being honest about whether it serves your company well or if it’s time to rethink your designs.
This includes your business card – we see so many awful business cards; poor quality print, paper stock, and the worst thing of all, a pen used to update a phone number or website – gasp!!
To make sure you’re professional, check for the following:
Consistency
Are your marketing materials instantly recognisable as yours? In other words, does your branding stand out and is it the same across all of your literature? Be sure to always use consistent fonts, colours, logos, themes and designs on all printed documents.
Think about if this also goes across your social media – do they look part of the gang too?
Is it word perfect?
Even the briefest of leaflets can benefit from a bit of wordsmithery magic. If crafting copy isn’t your strong point, consider hiring a professional to ensure your wording is succinct and attention-grabbing.
Mistakes are a no-no
It might be frustrating (not to mention expensive!) to ditch hundreds, or even thousands of flyers simply because of a printing error, but it really is the right decision. Mistakes such as a typo or incorrect phone number create an unprofessional impression. And please, don’t even think about correcting them in pen! Potential clients could assume that you take the same slapdash approach to all areas of your business.
Up-to-date details
Does your literature include the most recent and accurate details about your offering? Don’t miss out on a sale simply because you haven’t listed the one product or service your customer is looking for!
Quality counts
Perhaps some of your older literature was produced at a time when budgets were tight and printed on lower grade paper than you’d like. Now is the time to think about investing in upgrading to higher quality materials to match the professional image you would like to portray.
Don’t forget business cards!
A business card is often the first tangible item from your organisation that a potential client will see and touch. It speaks volumes so make sure it looks and feels first class!
Get in touch if you’d like help with proofreading, creating copy or design at hello@izzypr.co.uk
