Small Business Marketing Guide - DIY (do-it-yourself) BRAND MARKETING STRATEGIES to HELP YOU GROW YOUR BUSINESS

Marketing Materials are an art. I mean sure it COULD be just a print out ~ color copied at kinkos… stuck in a folder… with someone’s business card haphazardly inserted… We get tons of those in the mail and at conventions. They are no fun! So when asked to discuss Marketing Materials, i decided it was more fun to SHOW you some of the fun ones that have found their way across my desk… If there’s one thing about creating marketing materials i think is critical, it would have to be – BRAND IT TO EVERY LAST DETAIL! Seriously. Stand out. Take whatever it is that makes your branding unique, what jumps out about your product, best use of your service, whatever it is ~ and take it all the way! But make sure it looks good, not a hair out of place. Because your attention to detail from the handwriting on the envelopes, to the state of the materials/products you are sending all say a lot about you, and your company.

So on the next page, you will get the cliff notes version in pictures of some of the many marketing materials i’ve received, all noteworthy in their own way! Enjoy! And I hope to add yours to the list soon!

1. Ace Hotels PR booklet ~ Technical Specification for Ace Hotel Properties

Commit to your brand, and do it right! Ace Hotels is branded so meticulously ~ from every postcard, email, etc ~ it was no surprise that when it came time to send press kits to announce their newest locations, they created these precise Technical Specifications booklets which are not only engaging to look at, but also filled with great stories about the philosophies, histories, and images of the new hotels. When you closed that booklet you felt you’d already been on a trip, gotten to know the founders, understand the space, and were ready to visit again!

2. Prairie Vodka

Prairie Vodka literally bringing the prairie to you – A rusticen graved wood box filled with their special no. 2 corn and straw, buffering their gorgeous bottle of vodka… accompanied by an envelope with more information and recipes… as soon as you opened that box you knew that it was made from corn… from the unboxing to the fonts to the styling of every aspect ~ the whole physical experience before even reading the press release, the back story behind the product was already coming to life.

3. Winstanley Associates

Some people say its hard to market the intangible, well Winstanley Associates packaged up some Nothing and sent it over… and it certainly puzzles and grabs you all at once. Can you help reading every part of the packaging? And then going to the website to find out more? They certain prove they can brand just about anything if they can brand NOTHING!

4. Veer’s Very Secret Order

Veer sells fonts, stock images, and playful design/typography related swag…  what better way to make designers remember you than creating playful experiences utilizing their products? Using their fonts and imagery they put together this incredible direct mailer so engaging and captivating… tapping into every inner child wanting to be part of a secret society, with membership card, secret messages, cryptic puzzles, secret handshakes and more… by the time you’re going through it, and you find yourself going over every last detail to solve a puzzle… you start to notice the fonts, and great images…and as this floats on your desk, next  time you need a font, you’ll probably check them out.

5. Coraline – 50 Custom Boxes for Bloggers

It’s a movie. A movie they spent 3 years animating by hand. And on top of those 3 years of movie making, LAIKA’s designers/animators/marketers took the time to hand craft 50 unique boxes to send out to their favorite reads! It has not only gotten those communities more engaged, but it really makes the film seem more real when you’re holding/seeing pieces used to make the film across so many sites!

6. Chanel Coco Mademoiselle

There is always something touching about a hand addressed envelope/note ~ that personal touch make everyone feel special! And don’t think the handwriting doesn’t matter ~ don’t go for chicken scratch, find the person in your office with the best hand writing! Well thought out presentation makes your campaign, branding, product really stand out ~ don’t just throw a product in some newspaper, toss it in a recycled box from amazon and slap a label on it… the whole unboxing experience will leave an impression and say a lot about you, your brand, and your product.

7.  BP Helios House – Plantable Flyers

BP’s Helios house is all about going green ~ and not just doing it, but educating as well! On printed materials, it was a great touch that they used paper embedded with seeds, so when you were done reading you could rip it up, soak it, and plant it!

8. Busy Beaver Buttons

Busy Beaver sells buttons ~ buttons of anything you want to put on them… so what better way to do direct mailers? Incorporate a great holiday button into a card ~ beyond sending their best wishes, it shows off their new button size, and gets customers giddy with new ideas… i know i was curious with what other ways i could incorporate buttons into promotional materials for NOTCOT next! And… i had to show you their Button tape… complete with different hair/hats on them all… makes the whole experience of opening their boxes that much more fun.