With the rise of digital marketing, many business owners assume printed marketing materials and direct mail are a thing of the past. But while online marketing can be highly effective and cost-efficient when done well, this does not cancel out the advantages of well-executed print marketing. Custom-designed, printed collateral still plays a significant role in successful marketing strategies, particularly for financial advisors.
Custom-designed, printed marketing materials help customers know, like, and trust you (See this article on The Know, Like, Trust Factor in Your Marketing) by making your brand more recognizable and memorable, and deepens relationships with existing clients. Here’s how.
Kinds of Custom Printed Marketing Materials Financial Advisors Can Use
To grow your client base, your marketing materials should feature your expertise and present a polished brand. Your prospects want to know they can trust your knowledge as well as trust that you can help them reach their financial goals. Low-quality printed materials undermine their confidence.
Your printed materials should include compelling messaging, an expertly designed layout, professional graphics and photography, and be printed on high-quality paper.
Some examples of printed materials to use in your marketing efforts include:
Brochures
A brochure should convey who you are, what you do, and who you serve as succinctly as possible. You may want to have a single company brochure or one for each of your services or ideal client profiles. You’ll want brochures available to hand to prospects during in-person meetings or include in mailings following phone calls with prospects.
Educational Materials
Seminars and workshops are a time-tested method to attract new financial advisor clients by presenting information on finance-related topics. (See Webinar Marketing for Financial Advisors to learn more about this topic.) It’s important to provide attendees with handouts or booklets summarizing the material presented, and all the materials should feature your contact information prominently.
Postcards and Mailers
Because so many businesses have moved to digital-only marketing, “snail mail” stands out and gets noticed – – but only if it’s well-executed. Nobody wants more junk mail! Send postcards to promote events, including online events such as webinars, to a curated mailing list.
Business Cards
While some professions can do without printed business cards, some who rely on networking still benefit from using them. Your printed business card is an essential networking tool, particularly if you are working with older clientele. As you are connecting with people in your community, you’ll want to hand out a nice business card printed on heavy stock paper.
Custom Printed Books
While some professions can do without printed business cards, some who rely on networking still benefit from using them. Your printed business card is an essential networking tool, particularly if you are working with older clientele. As you are connecting with people in your community, you’ll want to hand out a nice business card printed on heavy stock paper.
Collateral Materials for Financial Advisory Firms
As a business owner, you should always be marketing. Marketing does not end when a prospect signs with your firm. Your existing clients are your best resource for generating new business. Not only do you want to maintain their business, but you want to make it easy for them to refer new clients to you. If they are an ideal client, they are likely to know other people who are also ideal clients for you.
Some examples of brand-elevating custom printed materials include:
Thank You, Birthday, and Holiday Cards
Sending custom-printed stationery cards – especially with a handwritten note – goes a long way in providing a personal touch that people still appreciate. Emails let them know you’re thinking of them, but real mail takes this one step further.
Welcome Kits
When a new client signs with your firm, give them a printed welcome kit with all the information they need to get started. Even if you provide the details digitally, give them a branded folder with printed materials such as a welcome letter, FAQs, published articles, brochures, and your business card.
Newsletters and Articles
Email newsletters are more popular these days, but many advisors tell me that their clients and prospects still enjoy getting their custom-printed newsletters monthly or quarterly. Another popular option is to send a print version of a published article you’ve written. This is also a good way to follow up with warm prospects and stay top of mind.
Supplemental Materials
As you provide guidance and insights to your clients, you are often walking them through complex concepts and information. Providing them with handouts that include overviews, graphs, charts, and bullet points can make data more accessible and concepts easier to grasp.
Where to Get Custom Printing and Design
Over the past decade, custom printing has become more accessible and cost-effective than ever. From digital tools that offer accurate previews of print jobs to online ordering and advanced technology, small business printing has come a long way.
Here are a few tools and resources you may want to consider using:
Local Printers
I always recommend checking with your local printers first. While small local printers can sometimes be slightly more expensive, they tend to have quicker turnaround times, more refined attention to detail, and can recommend other needed services. Plus, building relationships with local small business owners can help to build your network. Moreover, circulating dollars in your local community whenever possible makes solid financial sense.
Got Print
This family-run, web-based printing company with multiple locations throughout the country and overseas has served small- to medium-sized businesses for over 20 years, providing industry-leading premium promotional printed products.
VistaPrint
Founded in 1995, VistaPrint is one of the most popular and well-recognized online printing services available. It is known for the value it brings small businesses and affordable, quality service.
4Imprint
Like VistaPrint, this London-based company has been around since 1995 and is known for providing quality custom printed products and promotional materials with quick turnaround times and good customer service.
Canva
Known as a free or low-cost, easy-to-use design tool with customizable templates, Canva skyrocketed to popularity among digital content creators and social media marketers over the past decade. The platform has now partnered with printers to bring your designs to life and deliver premium custom prints with a few simple clicks.
Custom Printing is an Investment in Your Business
Your marketing is an investment in your business growth, and this includes custom printing. When you are considering custom printing jobs, take the time to plan the project, work with a marketing or design consultant to ensure each item paints your firm in a positive light, and do your research on printers. Any potential printer you work with should provide quotes, clear instructions on how to proceed, and samples.