How to use traditional and new media marketing materials in your business

While most business owners understand the importance of effective marketing materials for their businesses, many get confused nowadays about which types they should use. Much of marketing has moved to the web, but that doesn't mean a business owner should forgo all print collateral. The most effective marketing plans include both. Here are some ideas for how to incorporate both types into a small business marketing plan.

Brochures

Brochures are like the visual equivalent of the workhorse; they do a lot of work without costing a lot of money. These types of marketing collateral combine text, pictures and graphics together, giving prospective clients an idea about your business's unique selling proposition. Many businesses have them online now, but it's a good idea for business owners to carry a few with them. The brochure gives a more detailed description of a company than a business card does and they provide talking points for the business owner when he or she is with a new customer. A brochure lays everything out for them and provides the potential client with something that's more visually appealing—and therefore memorable.

Online Blog

A blog counts as one of the best types of free marketing materials a business owner has at his or her disposal. Websites like Blogger or Tumblr allow anyone to create a free blog, which the business person can use to not only build interest in a new company, but also to connect with people who are already clients.

To most effectively use these types of marketing materials, a business owner should plan on marketing the blog using both traditional and new media outlets. For example, the blog address should be written on a business card or brochure or those clients who receive an emailed newsletter should get links to the blog in each new issues of the newsletter.

Finally, adding a call to action to a blog like a contest ensures that customers are engaged and actively helping a business owner promote his or her business.

Press Releases

Many company PR departments use press releases to directly garner local and national media interest in their companies. Although this is one way to build a brand, it's not the only way that a company should use these important marketing materials. There are online PR companies that distribute press releases, which large and small media outlets use to add filler to their newsletters, weekly newspapers and other printed or online materials. Companies like PR Web or PR Newswire bring a business in front of bigger markets or allow it to expand into different markets.

However, a business owner who uses a press release as part of his or her marketing strategy should keep in mind that the information must still be newsworthy to be picked up by a news outlet. For these marketing materials to be effective, the person writing them must think like a reporter or news director. For example, a new business that's opening in the community is news, a sale is not.

Mobile Apps

Phones have come a long way, and savvy business owners are implementing marketing materials like free mobile apps to attract faithful customers. Big companies like Aveda or L'Oreal are creating apps as part of their marketing plans, and these marketing materials can be used for a number of things. Businesses can use them to help a customer navigate their stores or to alert mailing list clients about new sales. A small business owner can visit sites like eLance or ODesk to find designers who can create a mobile app for a reasonable price.

Conclusion

When creating marketing ideas for a business, a company owner should plan on using both traditional and new media to make these business promotion items. Before any steps are taken, the company owner along with the marketing/ sales manager should sit down and write out a budget for each type of marketing collateral and how it will be used in the overall scheme of the marketing plan.