Getting Started - Promo Products For Your Resume Business

I find promotional material to be THE most fun aspects of running a business. There's little more exciting than seeing your business name on the side of a coffee cup or tote bag.

Through the years, I've purchased many different promotional items to help promote my resume business — coffee mugs, post-it notes, business cards, pens, and water bottles.

The water bottles particularly were a huge hit at Chamber networking events.

There's nothing more satisfying than cracking open a box and marveling over all those pens or coffee mugs that have your company logo on them.

It's so thrilling! 

Promotional materials can be rather elaborate, so let's start with the basics, such as business card, stationery, and brochure.

In the beginning, you can likely get away with not having too much.

Minimally, have a small stack of business cards that you can mail to prospects and clients and distribute at networking and business events.

Having a small inventory also helps you identify what you like and don't like about your business materials. If you haven't quite decided on whether you love your company logo or your marketing message, staying reserved with your promo buying is ideal.

Marketing materials does have an impact on how people view the validity and professionalism of your business, so as your business grows, continuously critique the content, layout, sales message, and color scheme on your business promo materials.

Looking for ideas on what to input into your promo material?

Start by picking up and reviewing paper stock from other companies.

Of course, these materials will likely incorporate elements irrelevant to your business; however, the research serves as a great starting point to get your creative juices flowing relevant to your own design.

How Do You Produce Top-Quality Promo Material and a Logo on a Tight Budget?

When money is in short supply, and you lack the creativity to do the job yourself, ask everyone you know for a referral to a graphic designer.

I'd bet that you are surrounded by countless individuals who have a creative eye, but don't graphically design for a living. Be sure to check out the person's previous work.

Once you are comfortable proceeding, offer to barter for services. Possibly you could offer resume writing, or some other form of writing services, in exchange for a business card and stationary design.

Another option is to contact your local college, and solicit help from a college student completing a degree in the design field. In exchange for a low- or no-cost alternative, the student may be able to receive college credit for helping with your project. If not, be prepared to pay the student.

If money isn’t an issue, you can choose a professional graphic designer, which you can easily find by calling your local Chamber of Commerce for a recommendation. Because the image of your company is very important, opt for using a skilled graphics professional when financially possible, because the creatives these firms produce are oftentimes phenomenal, in my opinion.

99Designs

Another fantastic option for business cards, letterhead, envelopes, t-shirts and more, give 99designs.com a try.

What I find particularly interesting about this company is that graphic designers compete for your business, providing multiple different design versions of what you're seeking. You then pick the design you like and pay the designer's work that you chose.

Neat!

What Should Your Promo Material Include

Standard information to include in business material includes company name, slogan, address, phone and fax numbers, email, and web address.

Promo material, such as a business card or flyer, needs to provoke a person to contact you. Company material doesn’t need to be all things to all people, so avoid cramming large amounts of information within a small amount of space.

Keep your material clean, yet informative.

Nowadays, there are different types of business cards: one sided, two sided, half folds, and designer (e.g. shaped like a house for realtors or a key for car dealers) — not to mention raised and inlay ink types. Business card designs are limited only to the creativity of the designer and the limitations of a printer, so have fun with your design.

Market Yourself and Your Business with Business Cards

A business card – those little slips of cardboard that people try and slip into your pocket every time you’re in a networking situation – are a lot more than another chance for the printing company to take a bite at your bank account.

They are, in fact, one of the most powerful marketing techniques at your fingertips – so use them obsessively!

The purpose of a business card is twofold.

One, it gives people a one-stop information source about you, your business (or company, if you work for someone else), and your contact information – including your website and e-mail addresses.

Two, it’s a tiny portable salesman for your personal brand or for your business or service – you can’t personally stand in the offices of everyone you ever meet, but your business card can.

There are two important things to keep in mind when you order business cards: what to put on them (and what to leave off), and who should get one.

You want your business card to be attractive and functional – that means no oddball fonts, no tiny print, and no color choices that make the card hard to read.

You don’t have to limit yourself to 14-point black Arial font on plain white cardstock, but you do need to avoid the cursive 5-point font on a rainbow card. If people can’t read your card, they won’t – and if they don’t read it, you’ve wasted a priceless marketing opportunity.

Your card must contain your name, your mailing address, your contact numbers (phone, fax, and cell), and your Internet address – both a website and your personal e-mail.

You should also include a catchy one-line headline or tagline that sums up you or your business, so that the person looking at thirty-five cards knows what your card relates to. Many entrepreneurs put their logo on their cards as well.

The more information on the card, the better, but at the same time, remember to keep your card layout functional and clean – don’t cram so much on the card that your contact information is exiled to one tiny line of print down at the bottom. Again – if they can’t read it, they won’t try.

Now that you know what to put on your card, where do you hand them out?

The answer to that one is easy: everywhere you can!

Your business might not be suited to sticking a card under the windshield wiper of everyone at the mall (or it might) but any time you meet someone who could have the slightest interest in your business or service, give them a card.

Not everyone will want a business card as a business card – but if you’re giving someone your home number socially, why not write it on the back of the business card and “stealth” it into their Rolodex?

Similarly, you can write play dates for your kids on the back of the card when you meet other parents at the park, you can insert a card into any correspondence you send (even bills that you’re paying), and so on.

Grocery stores, bulletin boards, doctor’s offices, on the tables of fast-food restaurants, inside library books – the possibilities are endless. Another good technique – don’t give someone one of your cards, give them two, one for themselves, and one for a friend.

Envelopes

Professional looking envelopes may be a portion of the process you’ll overlook, but this extra touch of attention can make a huge difference with individuals who receive mailings from you.

 

In the beginning, you may not be aware of how many envelopes you’ll utilize so purchase a 100 or more to get started.

There are printers who work exclusively around short-run printing projects; and utilizing such as service provider can provide great stationery at a fraction of what other printers might charge. To locate one of these services, ask a graphic designer or call your local Better Business Bureau and Chamber of Commerce office.

Continuity Across Each of Your Materials

Notice how the above graphics of a business card, envelope, and letterhead match with the same color scheme and logo design.

Of course going to this length might seem strange to some, but the details I feel make a huge difference in the overall appearance of promo material when presented in a package.

Imagine if each piece didn’t match the other.