In the ever-evolving world of marketing, collateral plays a pivotal role in shaping customer journeys, guiding prospects from awareness to decision-making. Marketing collateral encompasses a variety of assets-digital or physical that communicate your brand’s value, highlight product benefits, and instill trust among potential buyers. In this article, we’ll explore 30+ types of marketing collateral vital for building brand awareness, supporting sales efforts, and ultimately driving conversions. From B2B marketing collateral to creative design strategies, this guide will provide insight into optimizing collateral for maximum impact.
What is Marketing Collateral?
Marketing collateral is a collection of branded resources and assets designed to communicate a company’s offerings and build trust with potential customers. This material ranges from traditional print items, such as brochures and business cards, to digital resources, including eBooks, infographics, and interactive landing pages. The purpose of marketing collateral is to engage, inform, and motivate an audience to take specific actions that move them closer to purchasing or forming a lasting relationship with the brand.
In recent years, digitalization has transformed marketing collateral design, making it more dynamic and interactive. As a result, companies can now offer their audience rich, multifaceted content that is accessible and impactful. In B2B marketing collateral, the focus is often on in-depth informational pieces, like white papers, case studies, and reports, to cater to a more research-driven audience. Meanwhile, B2C brands may rely on eye-catching visuals, engaging videos, and quick-to-consume materials to capture consumer attention.
Absolute, Must-Have Marketing Collateral
While there are many types of collateral materials, some are foundational to any marketing strategy. Key pieces include:
- Business Cards: Still essential for face-to-face interactions, business cards convey professionalism and provide easy access to your contact information.
- Product Catalogs: These present your products comprehensively, offering prospects a clear idea of your offerings in a single resource.
- Landing Pages: Serving as tailored entry points for campaigns, landing pages capture attention and drive users to complete a specific action.
- Brochures and Flyers: Compact and information-rich, these are great for providing quick overviews of your brand’s products or services.
30+ Types of Marketing Collateral
Let’s break down the top 30+ types of marketing collateral across each funnel stage, helping you deploy the right materials at the right time.
1. Brochures
Brochures are essential, multipurpose tools that summarize a company’s offerings in a concise format. Ideal for trade shows, events, or handouts, brochures are visually rich and convey a brand’s key messages, value propositions, and contact details. They’re a compact yet effective way to introduce prospects to your brand or products.
2. Product Catalogs
Catalogs are extensive guides to a company’s products, providing photos, descriptions, specifications, and pricing. Particularly useful in B2B marketing collateral, catalogs make it easier for clients to explore and compare offerings, often serving as a go-to resource for decision-making.
3. Business Cards
A professional and memorable business card is a key networking tool, reflecting your brand’s personality while making it easy for people to follow up with you. Even in the digital age, business cards remain invaluable, particularly at events and in industries where face-to-face connections are common.
4. Buyer Guides/Spec Sheets
For products with technical specifications, buyer guides or spec sheets help answer detailed questions. These materials are essential for B2B customers who require in-depth information to make informed purchasing decisions.
5. Cart Abandonment Emails
These emails serve as reminders for customers who left items in their carts without completing a purchase. With personalization and enticing incentives, these emails often succeed in driving conversions by nudging customers to revisit and complete their transactions.
6. Case Studies
Case studies are powerful tools that tell real stories of how your product or service benefited past clients. By showcasing actual results, these pieces build credibility and foster trust, particularly in B2B settings where prospective clients want to see proven success before making a commitment.
7. Ebooks
Ebooks dive into topics relevant to your audience, providing educational and engaging content that demonstrates your brand’s expertise. They work well as lead magnets, capturing prospect information in exchange for access to valuable content.
8. Event Stories
Event stories recount your brand’s participation or hosting of events, capturing memorable moments and sharing the experience with your audience. These stories are typically featured in blog posts, newsletters, or social media and add a personal touch to your brand’s narrative.
9. Instructional Videos
Instructional videos use animation or live-action to break down complex concepts, making them accessible and engaging. These are particularly effective in introducing new products, educating audiences, or answering common questions.
10. Flyers
Flyers are low-cost, straightforward, and ideal for promoting limited-time offers or events. Their design is focused on quickly conveying essential information, making them a practical choice for in-person distribution at events or within local areas.
11. Infographics
Infographics turn data and information into a visual, easy-to-digest format. They’re popular on social media and blogs, as they increase engagement and shareability by presenting complex information in a simple, graphic format.
12. Landing Pages
Dedicated to specific campaigns or products, landing pages are optimized to encourage visitors to complete an action, such as signing up, downloading, or purchasing. With a clear message and strong call to action, landing pages boost conversion rates by focusing on a single offer.
13. Long-form Blog Content
In-depth blog content positions your brand as a thought leader. Articles that are 2,000+ words help answer audience questions comprehensively, attract organic traffic, and nurture leads who seek in-depth knowledge.
14. Newsletters
Newsletters allow brands to stay top-of-mind with their audience. By sharing updates, promotions, and valuable content, newsletters build relationships over time and keep subscribers informed and engaged.
15. Podcasts
Podcasts provide an audio platform for brands to share insights, stories, and expert interviews. They offer flexibility, allowing audiences to engage with content while commuting, working, or exercising, making them ideal for building brand loyalty.
16. Portfolio Pages
A portfolio page is essential for showcasing your past work or completed projects, particularly for service-based companies. It offers social proof, demonstrating your skills, capabilities, and past successes to prospective clients.
17. POS Displays
Point-of-sale (POS) displays enhance the in-store shopping experience, often promoting seasonal products or deals. They’re particularly effective for encouraging impulse purchases and guiding customers toward specific items in physical retail settings.
18. Press Releases
Press releases formally announce newsworthy developments, such as product launches, partnerships, or awards. They’re a key component in public relations strategies, providing journalists with structured information they can quickly disseminate.
19. Product Comparison Pages
Comparison pages help prospects evaluate different options, particularly valuable in B2B sectors where decision-making can involve comparing complex product features and benefits.
20. Product Pages
E-commerce relies heavily on product pages, as they showcase everything a potential customer needs to make a buying decision. Well-designed product pages include descriptions, images, reviews, and detailed specifications.
21. Promotional Products
Promotional items, such as branded pens or water bottles, serve as tangible reminders of your brand. Often distributed at events, these items keep your brand top-of-mind in a subtle way.
22. Proposals
Tailored proposals outline how your product or service addresses a specific client’s needs, presenting pricing, timelines, and deliverables. Proposals are essential for securing B2B sales, providing a detailed roadmap that reassures the client of the partnership’s potential value.
23. Retargeting Ads
Retargeting ads remind potential customers about your brand or products they previously viewed, appearing across websites or social media. These ads serve as effective prompts for undecided shoppers to revisit your offerings.
24. Slide Decks
Slide decks visually support presentations, pitches, or webinars, organizing information into digestible sections. A well-designed deck can make complex information engaging, helping presenters hold audience attention.
25. Solution/Industry Pages
These pages address the needs and pain points of specific industries, showing how your solutions directly benefit these sectors. By focusing on industry-specific challenges, these pages improve SEO and resonate with targeted audiences.
26. Sponsored Content
Sponsored content reaches broader audiences by publishing your brand’s message on external media platforms. These articles or posts appear like regular content but subtly weave in brand messaging, making them non-disruptive yet effective.
27. Testimonials
Customer testimonials lend credibility to your brand, often displayed on product pages or landing pages. These provide valuable social proof, showing potential customers that others have benefitted from your offerings.
28. Corporate Magazines
Corporate magazines allow companies to share stories, insights, and updates with their communities, fostering a sense of loyalty and exclusivity among readers.
29. Text Campaigns
SMS campaigns reach customers directly with timely offers or updates. They are particularly effective for time-sensitive promotions, reaching customers on their mobile devices.
30. White Papers
White papers are comprehensive research documents that provide authoritative insights on industry challenges and solutions, making them valuable for B2B decision-makers.
31. Content Hubs
Content hubs aggregate related resources on your website, allowing users to easily access relevant articles, videos, and downloads in one place.
32. Digital Reports
Digital reports present insights, survey results, or statistics, positioning your brand. They provide valuable data-driven insights, helping establish your brand as a thought leader. These are especially effective for B2B marketing, where prospects are often looking for data to guide their decisions. Digital reports can be used to share market research, industry trends, or customer survey results, building credibility and showing your company’s commitment to providing in-depth knowledge.
What Kind of Collateral Should You Use?
With so many types of marketing collateral available, deciding which pieces to create can feel overwhelming. The right collateral mix depends on factors such as your business goals, target audience, industry, and sales funnel stage. Here are some strategies for choosing collateral materials effectively:
- Early Funnel: For generating awareness and attracting new prospects, use eye-catching content like infographics, social media posts, and explainer videos. These are designed to capture attention quickly, offer value, and introduce the brand without overwhelming the audience.
- Mid-Funnel: At this stage, focus on educational and engagement-focused materials such as eBooks, long-form blogs, case studies, and buyer guides. These pieces provide deeper insights and build trust with potential customers who are gathering information before making a decision.
- Late Funnel: When prospects are ready to make a decision, they look for evidence and reassurance. Use product comparison pages, testimonials, proposals, and white papers to provide the final push, addressing specific pain points and showing the direct benefits of choosing your brand.
For B2B marketing collateral, high-value content like case studies, white papers, and solution pages are particularly effective, as they cater to a more analytical decision-making process. B2C businesses, on the other hand, may benefit from a focus on visually appealing, emotionally engaging materials like flyers, product pages, and POS displays.
Designing Your Marketing Collateral
Once you’ve identified the types of collateral to create, it’s time to focus on the design. Marketing collateral design is essential to making a lasting impression, as it enhances both the appeal and effectiveness of the content. Here’s how to ensure your collateral materials are impactful:
1. Brand Consistency
Consistent design across all materials solidifies brand recognition and builds trust. Key elements to maintain include:
- Logo: Your logo should appear prominently on every piece of collateral to reinforce brand recognition.
- Color Scheme: Use your brand’s colors consistently, as this will make your content immediately recognizable and help create an emotional connection with your audience.
- Fonts and Typography: Using the same fonts across materials helps create a cohesive look and feel.
- Tone and Messaging: Consistency in your messaging style, whether formal or conversational, ensures a unified brand voice.
2. Using the Right Design Tools
There are many design tools available today that simplify the creation of high-quality marketing collateral. Here are some popular options:
- Canva: A beginner-friendly design platform, ideal for creating social media graphics, infographics, and simple brochures.
- Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign): A professional design software suite, suitable for more complex and customized designs.
- Figma: A collaborative design tool, excellent for designing and prototyping digital assets like websites, landing pages, and product pages.
- Piktochart or Venngage: These tools are especially useful for creating data visualizations and infographics.
Choosing the right design tool depends on your team’s expertise and the complexity of the collateral. While basic tools like Canva can handle most needs, more advanced designs for print brochures, slide decks, or digital reports might require Adobe software.
3. Optimizing for Digital and Print
If your marketing collateral will be used in both digital and print formats, ensure the designs are optimized for each medium:
- Resolution and File Format: For print, use high-resolution images (300 DPI or higher) and save files as PDFs. For digital, ensure files are optimized for quick loading.
- Interactivity for Digital: Add interactive elements like clickable buttons, embedded videos, and hyperlinks to enhance user engagement on digital platforms.
- Color Mode: Use CMYK for print designs to ensure color accuracy, while RGB is best for digital displays.
Marketing Collateral: FAQs
What is the difference between marketing materials and collateral?
Marketing materials are broader, encompassing any resource created to promote, communicate, or sell a product or service. Marketing collateral, on the other hand, refers specifically to assets that support the sales process and aid in decision-making, like brochures, case studies, or product catalogs. Collateral is usually designed with the buyer’s journey in mind, guiding potential customers toward a purchase.Marketing materials are broader, encompassing any resource created to promote, communicate, or sell a product or service. Marketing collateral, on the other hand, refers specifically to assets that support the sales process and aid in decision-making, like brochures, case studies, or product catalogs. Collateral is usually designed with the buyer’s journey in mind, guiding potential customers toward a purchase.
What does brand collateral include?
Brand collateral includes any branded assets used to build and reinforce a company’s identity. This can range from logos, business cards, and letterheads to comprehensive items like brochures, flyers, and websites. Brand collateral communicates your brand’s values, voice, and visuals, ensuring a consistent impression across all customer touchpoints.
How to create marketing collateral?
To create marketing collateral, start by understanding your audience and identifying which stage of the sales funnel the collateral will target. Use design tools like Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or Figma for professional-looking results. Focus on brand consistency, clear messaging, and user-friendly layouts. Test and iterate based on customer feedback to enhance effectiveness.
What are examples of event collateral?
Event collateral includes materials designed specifically for event promotion and engagement, such as banners, booth signage, flyers, handouts, branded giveaways, and interactive presentations. These items attract attention, reinforce brand presence, and leave a memorable impression on attendees.
Conclusion
Marketing collateral is a cornerstone of any successful brand strategy, providing tangible resources that guide, inform, and persuade potential customers. By choosing the right types of collateral for each stage of your sales funnel and ensuring they align with your brand’s design, you maximize their impact and support your business objectives. Whether it’s a case study or a business card, each piece of marketing collateral adds to the overall brand experience, helping you foster relationships and drive growth.
