7 Key principles that create effective marketing materials

Establishing the seven key principles that create effective marketing materials helps our clients understand what we do, and why we do it. It’s our job to design, craft and create fantastic marketing resources, but when our customers appreciate the structure we use to underpin success, they can help us do the best job for them.

1. Medium or format

Knowing the best format for you marketing message is crucial – a simple direct mail postcard, with thrilling text and compelling images may do a magnificent job where a huge brochure would cost more and achieve less, especially with cold contacts. A marketing brochure is a printed piece of marketing collateral that often includes a trifold layout with page inserts or a booklet format. Brochures are one of several print options companies can use as part of business or product promotion. This tool is especially important and useful for small businesses.

Brochures offer much more room for company and product information than other print items, such as a newspaper or magazine ad or direct mail letter or postcard. Even a simple trifold design allows for a colorful front page and five separate sections for product and service information. You can tell a story in a brochure over the course of the layout and end it with a call to action. Coupons with special deals and discounts are also commonly included, which may prompt immediate business.

2. Create effective marketing materials – Be consistent

Use one typeface for headlines, sub-headings, body text and bullets. Never use more than two typographical styles in a document – you might think it looks more impressive but readers get tired when asked to swap between fonts and often give up reading altogether.

3. Logic and emotion

We’re here to help you the right balance between logic – the way you list and categorise your products or services and the strong emotions you want to generate in your readers. Putting your main points in clear order, and then leading your readers naturally and enjoyably through the whole text is vital to winning their confidence.

4. White space and thinking space

White space, strong headlines and short paragraphs give people breathing space to digest your ideas. They also help readers to move naturally through the content you provide. Stunning images punctuate ideas and create a place for the eyes to rest and absorb information. Statistics, reviews and testimonials and other solid facts help anchor people in the reality of your offering – using call outs, coloured boxes and other devices to support this material creates a stronger message.

5. Tell a story

Copywriters are experts at this, but if you choose not to hire one, at least read your copy aloud and see if it flows. it’s vital that reading your text is enjoyable, or people just won’t bother.

6. Consider guarantees

It isn’t always possible, but a guarantee, warranty or promise gives a reader confidence. They reduce any sense of risk and encourage potential customers to move from interested to committed.

7. CTA, CTA, CTA

For marketing, it’s not location but ‘call to action’ that makes the difference. Your ‘call to action’ or CTA might be strong, it might be subtle, it might be jokey or in your face, but it has to be there. A powerful CTA takes real skill and time to create – but you’ll know when you’ve got one, because it will produce the results you’ve been hoping for.