Importance Of Marketing Collateral Material
In the fields of marketing and sales, the collection of various media in order to support the sale of a company’s products is referred to as marketing collateral. The purpose of these sales aids is to simplify sales efforts and to make it more effective.
Examples of Marketing Collateral Material
In the marketing communication venues of any company, the production of their marketing collateral material is imperative and includes:
- Demonstration scripts
- Printed product information (e.g. brochures, flyers, postcards, etc.)
- Product data sheets
- Product whitepapers
- Sales presentation visual aids
- Sales scripts
- Web content
Marketing collateral should not be confused with advertising as they differ because marketing collateral is normally used considerably later in the sales process. In most cases, companies will utilize their marketing collateral once a company has identified a potential buyer and is are being contacted by the sales department.
The Problem Involved with Marketing Collateral
The problem that most companies are up against is basically a lack of action where their marketing collateral is concerned. Many companies today have no way of using a database to ensure that their marketing collateral material is getting delivered thoroughly and is up-to-date. The use of an effective marketing collateral management tool will help companies solve this problem. Granted, not every company has a need for marketing collateral, but most of them do in some way.
The Benefit of Using a Marketing Collateral Management Tool
Many companies will still question the need for developing marketing collateral material when in reality, the answer to that should be very apparent, especially if it applies to a small business. The key benefits of using a marketing collateral management tool include:
- Creates credibility for your business
- Explaining why your product or service is better
- Provides your marketing and sales team with an effective way of explaining the function of your product or service
Finally, once you understand the value of your marketing collateral material, it should always be part of the focus of your marketing strategies.
