Spend Cash on Your Collateral
Consider your overall message and make sure everything, even the collateral, matches that message.
--Katherine Vessenes
"Collateral" is a term used in the marketing industry that covers the written presentation of your firm and supports your brand. It can include business cards, seminar invitations, newsletters, brochures, or even the folders that you would use to present your financial plans. The same financial adviser who would spare no expense on his or her personal office can suddenly become a cheapskate when it comes to the collateral. These documents often look like they had been printed on a back-office computer by a 13-year-old. And that may not be far from the truth. Consider your overall message and make sure everything, even the collateral, matches that message. Spend the money necessary to have your collateral professionally produced. This includes retaining a quality design team that can professionally lay out your materials and make them consistent with your message. If you cannot afford to use professionally designed materials, it may be better not to have anything at all. That way, the only message the client gets about your firm is directly from your lips.
-Katherine Vessenes in Stupid Marketing Tricks
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