time to update your printed materials

Printed marketing and sales materials play a crucial role in securing customers for your business. Unfortunately, too many businesses use the “set it and forget it” method of creating collateral. While some pieces can be used for a while without trouble, others might quickly become outdated. We rely so much on our websites and social media that sometimes those materials are forgotten, yet they are being passed around to potential customers all the time.   It’s smart for businesses to get in the habit of auditing their printed materials and refreshing them regularly. Even something as simple as your business card may be due for an update!

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Why should you audit your collateral?

Using fresh, up-to-date marketing and sales collateral ensures that you accurately represent your brand to customers. These materials should speak to your brand, demonstrate what your business does, and showcase your current offerings.

If your print materials are irrelevant, it can cause confusion or frustration among buyers. Depending on how much your branding or your business has changed (think Covid-19), the materials might not even be effective for your target market at all! If your goal is to persuade customers to make a purchase, you want to ensure your messaging is both accurate and fresh.

When should you do a collateral audit?
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It’s a good idea to revisit these materials every three months, or once a season. Not only will this help your team catch necessary updates, but it also allows you to capitalize on seasonal promotions and align with seasonal trends in your industry.

There are other times you may want to update, or better yet create seasonal materials you can stock and reuse.  Change or add:

• Any time you launch a new product or change your product line,
• Any time you rebrand or update your logo (have you done that recently?),
• Before every industry event or trade show where you’ll hand out printed materials,
• Any time your contact information or physical location (such as your address, phone number, or website) changes,
• Right now! It’s also a great time to audit and refresh your marketing materials now considering how your printed collateral can best support your sales team as they now begin scheduling in-person meetings.

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