Marketing Collateral

Marketing collateral is a type of media or advertising used along the sales cycle to achieve a

certain goal. From industry to industry and business to business, there is a large range of

marketing collateral available. And of course, when you consider both digital and print material,

the list gets longer.

The key characteristic among all marketing collateral is its focus on communicating the business.

Although it’s the approach to communication that creates a distinction among the different

collateral. For example, if your business wants to focus heavily on visual appeal, then you’d

create an infographic rather than a blog

Of course, the intent of the communication varies as well. Your business could create one

marketing piece to promote a new product or service with the purpose to increase conversion or

publish a different piece with the purpose to educate your existing customers and establish

customer loyalty.

With the numerous types of marketing collateral, there are many options to choose from when

marketing a service, product, and brand. Deciding on the correct type of marketing collateral

depends on the desired approach and intent of the marketing initiative.

Blog Posts:

A blog post is a very popular form of marketing collateral or content marketing used among

businesses of all sizes. It gives your company the ability to regularly share content on your

website. Blogs vary in topic, length, and purpose, but ultimately they are a powerful tool for

marketing your business for a variety of reasons, as explained below.

(e.g. keywords), you can increase website traffic and search rankings, which all contribute to

higher search results.

Include a call to action (CTA): Blogs are a great way of focusing on a single topic and including

a relevant CTA at the end to convert the reader into a potential lead.

Help sales team: Blogs are easy content for your sales team to send to leads or clients that

provide insight into what you offer without focusing on “sales talk.”

Landing Page

A landing page is a standalone page separated from the website’s navigation and is designed

with a sole purpose or goal that revolves around the call to action (CTA). Landing pages are

often used in campaigns because you can create multiple pages for different touchpoints with the

exact information you want.

Not permanent pages: Although landing pages can resemble a page on your website, it is not a

permanent page. This means it can be used for campaigns during a certain duration without

interfering with the main website’s navigation.

Can test landing pages: A landing page allows you to run tests and record the performance of the

pages. For example, you can run an A/B test between two landing pages to measure which one

performs better and why.

Direct and to the point: Landing pages are created with a single purpose therefore the

communication is clear.

Infographics:
Infographics are a visual representation of a topic or key point. Instead of taking a written

approach, infographics present the information in a visual manner. Infographics can vary in size,

style, or intent, but they all share the common goal of communicating information in an engaging

and creative way.

Simplify information: An infographic oftentimes simplifies content using elements to explain or

support the content. Instead of explaining it aloud or writing it down, it uses visuals to clarify the

information.

Shareable: Since infographics are easier to comprehend and visually appealing, they generate

increased engagement. People enjoy viewing and sharing easy-to-understand information.

Can tell a story: Sometimes to successfully tell a story or get a point across, you need to use

graphics or images to paint the picture.

Brand Relationships and Themes of Equality

Rapid globalization has resulted in the phenomenon in which people rely very much on

technology. This phenomenon has changed how people interact with others. Information has no

longer been delivered verbally. Communication is made possible using technologically advanced

communication tools that transfer and receive information quickly and easily. Customer loyalty

can be sustained when brand trust is maintained appropriately. A trusted brand is a brand that

consistently meets the promises to customers through superior performance. Doing that way

implies that customer brand loyalty is ensured (Chiou and Droge, 2006). This implies that brand

trust also leads to brand loyalty. Moorman, Zaltman, and Deshpande (1992) suggested that trust

and loyalty have to be interrelated since trust is an important key to developing a consumers’
commitment or loyalty to the enterprise.Brand loyalty has some strategic benefits for enterprises.

They may include larger market share and new customers, brand expansion, reduced marketing

cost, and brand strengthening against the competition. A larger number of loyal customers will

generate profits for enterprises because it will serve as the fort for enterprises and a barrier for

other companies to enter the market. It also serves as the basis for determining the premium price,

the timing for competitive innovation. Equally important, it protects the enterprise from

destroying price competition (Atilgan et al, 2005). Brand loyalty is the core of brand equity.

According to Janonis et al. (2007), a brand itself does not ensure any competitive advantage in

the market. Companies that fail to communicate their brands therefore fail to create or keep a

competitive advantage, considering the incapability of managing the brand communication,

reflecting its identity, and determining its elements, uniqueness and equity (Janois et al., 2007).

Floor (2006) highlights that inconsistencies in communication could contribute to negative

effects on the Brand identity and brand awareness. The wrong brand information could be spread

to their customers, which could develop into misunderstandings between the business and the

customers, as well as with the employees and the business’ objectives (Floor, 2006). Mohr and

Nevin (1990) further add that ineffective communication can lead to mutual feelings of

frustration, misunderstandings and incorrect strategies. According to Jung and Hecht (2004),

individuals often choose brands that match their own identity and aspirations. If brands do not

live up to consumers’ criteria, gaps can occur as a result of negative interaction of

communication and social relations (Jung & Hecht, 2004). This also indicates that emotions play

a big part in the communication of Brand identity (Floor, 2006). Because of this, businesses that

are unaware of their target group and their characteristics can fail to deliver and communicate an

attractive Brand identity to consumers. Jung & Hecht (2004) further state that it can have
negative effects on the communication satisfaction of the consumers, which explains the

emotional response when inner standards are reinforced in communication, leading to bigger

communication gaps. Overall, communication gaps should be avoided since they can harm a

brand’s customer relationship and stagnate or degrade companies’ success.

Global vs Local Marketing

Global marketing involves marketing on a worldwide scale, treating the world as one market

with a unified strategy. It focuses on the similarities among consumers worldwide and offers

standardised products. An example is Apple's iPhone, which is marketed similarly across the

globe. On the other hand, local marketing tailors strategies to specific markets based on local

culture and preferences. It focuses on the distinct needs of customers in different regions.

McDonald's is a prime example of this, as it offers region-specific menu items, like the McSpicy

in India, catering to local tastes while maintaining its global brand. Opting for a global

marketing strategy offers businesses the advantage of economies of scale, as large-scale

production and uniform marketing efforts can lead to significant cost savings. Moreover, a

consistent brand image strengthens recognition and reach worldwide. However, this approach

might overlook local nuances, leading to potential cultural insensitivity. This lack of local

relevance can alienate customers in specific regions. Furthermore, there's a risk of global brand

damage; negative publicity in one region can tarnish the brand's image internationally.

Therefore, while the strategy provides extensive reach and cost benefits, it must be executed with

a keen understanding of its potential pitfalls.