Today I will be running a webinar in Italian – normally, I present in English, and it’s always a great change to do it in my native language – and I will be talking about how important networking is. One of the sections of my presentation is dedicated to marketing materials, with great stress on business cards, fundamental tool for any in-person event we are considering to attend.
Print can be on anything
Yet, I thought it would be worth sharing a short list of example of marketing materials that can help you position yourself, advertise your services and establish your own style.
Yes, marketing materials are and should be heavily branded:
– your style
– your rules
– your colours
– your text
but also
they should be ideal for your audience and prospect clients.
Leaflets
A leaflet can be useful for various purposes, mainly targeting:
- local community
- trades shows
- postal clients
but also:
- to go with hard copy documents
- to be used as a nice, print follow-up to clients
Anatomy of a leaflet?
While it can be classic or more edgy, it should have:
- clear message
- clear font
- list of services
- contacts!
- call for action or stimulus
- possibly bilingual?
- not too big
Cards
Business cards are the must-have item for any freelancer. Essential for networking, they can be easily put into an envelope or used as a conversation starter. I suggest you get loads and do not underestimate that people like to get them and collect them. You could also have different types of cards for different purposes eg. a promo, a launch…
Cards can be concise yet fun
Anatomy of a card?
Mine has a certain thickness and can be written on. I’d include:
- Contacts
- Phone
- Full name
- Optional: location / address (I’d rather not say that unless it’s a public office)
- Language combination
- Photo / double-side: if you feel it works in your language / culture
Graphic CV
This is not necessarily printed, in fact there are solutions to have one online. I quite like the option offered by Slideshare (you need a profile) but you can get one done with the help of a designer or for the brave ones, try it out with Canva and similar DIY programs (InDesign, but it’s a bit more pro) and apps. You can use it for direct clients or agencies but I suggest to always make sure it is adapted to the audience e.g. a direct client does not (should not) want to know about how many million words you’ve translated as s/he has no idea so maybe remove that detail from the CV. An agency, instead, is interested in other info like your hardware or software so there you go, tweak the CV based on the recipient to make it impact more.
Anatomy of a CV?
- clear language
- clear font
- show your contacts clearly
- it’s a PDF and has a watermark
- not longer than 2 pages
A6 Cards
A6 format cards – the classic postcard size also known as flyer – are a great alternative to leaflets as they are practical, smaller and cute, and can indeed be sent as postcards. Moo makes some that come with a back to write addresses. Also, they can be cheaper as it’s not a foldable item even though on the downside, the content must be shorter. I prepared this for an event.
Robots don’t do translation. But if they do…
Anatomy of an A6 card?
- normally features a graphic side
- content should be to the point
- never too crowded with text
- back for address, if you want to post it
TIP: Customise them and put your logo on them – I got mine with Ripe Digital and I normally have my Xmas cards done here too.
Brochures
If you have in mind meetings with clients for larger projects or different services, you could think of brochures as a way to offer your prospects an overview of your work in a full-package style. You could also include sample translations in your pack, nicely organized in a custom folder with your logo and info.
Anatomy of a brochure?
It’s up to you, really. The basics are the same:
- clear language
- clear font
- show your contacts clearly
TIP: Make sure the quality is good – a cheap printed folder will not give the impression you envisaged!
PDFs
It’s the solution I prefer. Recently I’ve been converting Powerpoints to PDFs too, as it’s an infallible format and it works across any platform w/o conflict. PDFs are great for all of the above and especially to attach onto e-mails:
- T&Cs
- Tariffs
- Quotations
- List of services
- Special offers
- CVs
- Sample of work…
If you have some templates ready in a folder on your computer or your Dropbox, you can have them handy whenever you need them to send info to clients in just a click eg. at a conference or trade show, right after you met somebody or even when you’re still with them.
Other online options
LinkedIn, AboutMe, your website,… all these solutions should be in tip-top shape as ultimately clients will have a look at these resources to know more about you. Possibly, include a section for downloading the above-mentioned materials: e-formats are always handy, especially now that everything is done on the go and from a tablet. Consider the option of QR codes (I’m not such a big fan, but still) as it’s amazing the amount of info they can encrypt.
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Rainy London Branding 