Marketing collateral refers to all of the content you create and use to communicate with audiences. It needs to be part of the strategy. In this article, we’ll be touching on the 12 various types of marketing collateral you need in 2022, thanks to their ability to reach and engage your targets.
What You Need to Know About Marketing Collateral
Marketing, at its crux, is based on presenting and sharing information with audiences. For it to be effective, it needs to be rooted in purpose - usually, to inform, entertain, or persuade. The kind of collateral you put out is an extension and reflection of your brand and is therefore linked to your identity and perception. Marketing content, whether traditional or digital, therefore, is vital as it is the showcasing of your marketing outputs.
When figuring out the purpose of the content, you can link it to your overall marketing plans and campaigns. Ultimately, no piece of content is just created on its own. There are journeys for different customers which need content to guide the process, with content designed to meet needs as they change in the sales funnel. Essentially, it is aimed at creating awareness, fostering interest, aiding evolution, and providing positive reinforcements.
It is also important to consider the platforms and distribution channels for your marketing collateral. This ties in with who your business is and what they want to achieve. Earlier we mentioned that marketing collateral is closely linked to branding. Your brand identity is expressed through tone of voice and delivery, so the kinds of words and visuals you use are important to consider. By establishing this, you’ll be better understood by your audiences and it will be helpful in relationship-building with them.
Types of Marketing Collateral in 2022
Wondering which types of marketing collateral there are for you to explore this year? Look no further. Naturally, you should select the types that are best suited to your business’s needs in a quality trumps quantity approach.
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Printed materials
Whether it’s a business card, flyer, or brochure, printouts are easy to hand over to customers. They can be expensive, however, and there is no easy way to measure their true reach. That being said, it can be useful for salespeople who want to present a potential customer with something tangible for mass awareness or in-depth explanation.
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Website
Having a website for your brand is imperative. It is the digital home of your brand and will contain all the need-to-know elements of your brand. Consider what collateral you place on the home page and how to ensure people find your site and have a great user experience once they land on it. There should also be enough home pages for your product or service, plus content on your ‘About’ page to detail your brand’s story.
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Blog
Having a blog can boost your online visibility. It is an opportunity to share relevant and valuable content that relates to your brand’s offering. This can include lengthy texts or infographic-style visuals.
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4. eBooks
eBooks and the like (white papers, reports, and magazines) are documents that reveal first-hand insight into what your brand knows (its expertise) and its capabilities (with case studies and applications). This type of marketing collateral is often created for the purpose of lead capturing.
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Video
Video has become a very necessary type of collateral for marketing teams. It needs to be high quality to engage and captivate audiences and can be shared across a variety of platforms. This can be used to explain and demonstrate information to audiences.
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Press releases
Press releases are an important way of communicating with third parties. Creating an effective and personalized release can result in your message being shared with a network of relevant audiences through media coverage. This extends to sponsored content (like advertorials) too.
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Displays
When you attend an event or conference, or when you put together an in-store display, the actual display/booth you present is also considered marketing collateral. These can be used to showcase your brand’s offering, and also work as a distribution point for other marketing materials to be shared. If you have a retail store, this includes your point of sale displays.
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Testimonials
Real reviews can work wonders, so your marketing team needs to actively cultivate them. Testimonials are gleaming accounts, often with a standout quote, that provide the social proof to encourage others to work with or support your brand.
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Augmented reality (AR)
AR is a way to bring the digital realm to life. It brings a product into the physical work by incorporating virtual reality. It can include information and visuals that simulate an experience and help seal the deal.
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Emails
Emails remain a highly relevant form of marketing collateral in 2022. Whether it's your newsletter or reminders about abandoned carts, emails have high success rates among audiences. This extends to having email signatures too, as it creates unity and professionalism among your team and shares important information relating to your brand.
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Proposals
When you’re dealing with a prospect, you need to assist them in taking the final step in their journey down the sales funnel. Having a tailored proposal can help them to visualize and plan their next step with you, and solidify the reasons why it is their next best move.
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Podcasts
Creating a podcast allows you to have an audio-only element in the mix among your marketing collateral. These have proven to be successful among audiences who want an auditory information session that is intimate and accompanies them while they’re on the go.
The Wrap Up
There you have it - all of the 12 essential types of marketing collateral your business needs in 2022. With diverse content that is well-produced and purposeful, you’ll be able to communicate with your audiences and present your brand identity effectively.
Need Marketing Collateral?
We at Nexa can help you strategize, create and distribute all of the marketing collateral listed above. Get in touch with us to get started.