Every business manager needs essential business collateral to help them run their business. This includes business cards, letterheads, invoice templates, social media templates, promotional email templates, etc.
Running a business is no small task. There are many things to keep track of – from sales and marketing to finance and operations. And that’s not even counting the day-to-day tasks that need to be handled! It can be tough to stay organized, especially when starting out. That’s why managers need to have all the essential business collateral and documents in one place. This way, you can always access them when you need them, and you won’t have to waste time looking for them.
Collateral helps strengthen your branding, create a professional image for your company, and help with marketing efforts. In this blog post, we will discuss the essential pieces of collateral every business should have. We’ll also provide links to business letterhead templates and more to get you started!
Sort out the basics first
The first thing you need to establish is your brand image. What vibe do you want your brand to exude? What’s your target audience? And how can you make your brand stand out from the competition? Once you’ve answered these questions, you can start putting together the basics of your business collateral.
For example, if you run a tourism agency targeting luxurious tours for wealthy individuals, you’ll want to focus on creating high-end, professional-looking collateral. This could include items such as letterheads with gold foil detailing, business cards printed on thick paper stock, and promotional materials that highlight your unique selling points.
On the other hand, if you run a small local business catering to families, you might want to focus on creating friendly and approachable collateral. This could include items such as business cards with your company mascot, letterheads with playful fonts, and promotional materials that emphasize your family-friendly services.
Business cards
Every firm needs business cards as it’s one of the most basic and essential pieces of business collateral. After all, you never know when you’ll meet a potential client or customer!
If you meet a potential client at a conference, would you verbally tell them your email or contact number as they save it on their phone? That’s highly unprofessional – what they’re asking for is your business card.
A sound business card should include your name, title, company name, company logo, website URL, email address, and phone number. You can also have a short tagline or slogan that briefly describes what your company does. And, of course, you’ll want to make sure that your business card looks professional and is easy to read. Check out these business card templates if you’re not sure where to start.
Letterheads
A letterhead is a sheet of paper with your company’s name and contact information at the top. It’s used for formal correspondence, such as sending letters or invoices to clients. For example, if you need to send a client a contract for them to sign, you would use a letterhead.
Your letterhead should include your company name, logo, address, phone number, and email address. You can also include a short tagline or slogan if you have one. If you have a physical location, you may also want to include your store hours and directions.
Make sure that your letterhead is professional-looking and easy to read. You don’t want your potential clients to be turned off by a cluttered or unorganized letterhead! If you need some inspiration, check out these business letterhead templates.
The most important thing is to make sure your letterhead reflects your brand identity. But what does that mean, and how can you do that?
Use the right fonts and colors
Your letterhead should use fonts and colors consistent with your brand identity. For example, suppose your company offers real estate for rent to wealthy tourists. In that case, you’ll want to keep your design futuristic yet minimalistic and fonts and colors that give off a royalty vibe from your logo, business card, letterhead, and more.
It’s usually a good idea to keep it simple and not overstuff your collateral with too much information that repels the reader. The goal is to make an excellent first impression, not overwhelm your audience!
Once you’ve got your business collateral sorted out, you’ll be on your way to impressing potential clients and customers. Remember to keep it professional, consistent with your brand identity, and easy to read. And if you need any help getting started, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional designer. They’ll be able to help you put together a cohesive and impressive business collateral package that will help you close more deals and grow your business.
Choose a paper stock that reflects your brand identity
The type of paper you use for your letterhead can also reflect your brand identity. For example, if you want to give off a luxury feel, you may want to use a thicker paper stock. Or, if you’re going for a more eco-friendly image, you can use recycled paper.
There are many different paper stocks to choose from, so take some time researching which one would be best for your brand identity. The best way to choose the right paper stock is to have a dozen or more samples delivered to your office. Next, feel how the paper feels in your hands. Is it too thin and flimsy? Too thick and hard to fold? Just right?
After you’ve narrowed it down to a few favorites, print out your letterhead on each type of paper and see which one looks the best. And don’t forget to ask for other people’s opinions, too! You want to make sure that your letterhead looks professional and reflects your brand in the best light possible.
Envelops
Your business envelope should match your letterhead in terms of design, fonts, and colors. This helps to create a cohesive look and feel for your brand. The size of your envelope will depend on the size of the paper you’re using for your letterhead.
Ask your printer or stationery supplier if you’re unsure what size envelope to use. They should be able to help you choose the right size for your needs. Like with your letterhead, you’ll want to ensure that your envelope reflects your brand identity. This means using the same fonts, colors, and overall design.
If you have a logo, make sure to include it on the envelope. You may also want to include your company name, address, and contact information. And don’t forget the return address! This is especially important if you’re sending out a lot of mailers or if you think there’s a chance that your envelope may get lost in the shuffle.
Tailor your promotional materials
Promotional materials are any collateral you use to promote your business, such as flyers, brochures, postcards, and catalogs.
When it comes to designing your promotional materials, you’ll want to make sure that they’re consistent with your other business collateral. This means using the same fonts, colors, and overall design.
Your promotional materials should be eye-catching and easy to read. They should also include all of the important information about your business, such as your website, contact information, and social media handles. If you’re not sure where to start, there are many online templates that you can use. Or you can hire a professional designer to create custom promotional materials for your business.
A call to action is a must-have
Lastly, don’t forget to include a call to action in your collateral. Your call to action is what you want your recipient to do after receiving your envelope. For example, if you’re sending out a direct mailer, you may want them to “call now for a free consultation.” Or, if you’re sending out a newsletter, you may want them to “visit our website to learn more.”
Your call to action should be short, sweet, to the point, and relevant to the collateral you’re sending out. For example, if you’re sending a postcard, your call to action might be “visit our website for more information.”
The bottom line
Business collateral is an essential part of any business, and it helps to create a professional image and can be used to promote your business. When designing your collateral, make sure it’s consistent with your brand identity and easy to read. And don’t forget to include all of the vital information about your business.
By having all of your business collateral sorted out, you’ll be on your way to impressing potential clients and customers. As a final piece of advice, make sure your business collateral is online-friendly. This means that you should have a PDF version of your collateral readily available on your website. By making your business collateral available online, you’ll be able to reach a wider audience and make it easier for people to learn about your business.
