Using Templates to Market your Business

Templates are pre-designed models that let you add your own information, like copy, logo, photos, etc.  Templates can help you save time and money by allowing you to adopt a more “do it yourself” approach. No need to hire an expensive designer or buy expensive graphic programs to create your marketing materials. Sounds perfect right? Well, templates can have the potential to be very frustrating and limiting.

Some pros of templates:

Save money by not hiring a designer.

Professionally designed marketing materials at a fraction of the cost.

Often products can be bought in bundles-coordinating business cards, letterhead, brochures.

Satisfaction of creating your own materials.

Can spark creativity.

Some cons of templates:

Your brand may look like someone else’s.

Often limited selection.

May not be able to find your niche market products.

May not save time due to learning curve.

May require purchase and/or learning of unfamiliar (and often expensive) software.

Your message (copy) may not be effective.

It is up to each business owner to determine whether a template based approach would work for them. There are many free templates available on-line, but these are often over-used and dated. How important is it to your industry that your marketing materials look fresh? Some industries are less susceptible to the dated look, while others in the creative or technological industries often need to be cutting edge in their approach.

A good way to start developing your marketing materials is to take a peak at some of the templates that are offered by different companies. This can definitely get your creative juices flowing and give you an idea of some of the “industry looks.” Don’t be too narrow minded, as the beauty of templates are that they are versatile and easy to change. Your company may be in the pet industry, but say you are instantly drawn to a brochure that currently features stock photography from the travel industry. With a template, you will be easily able to switch out your photos for the current ones.

However be realistic with your current skill level of graphics and layout programs. When researching templates, check to see what format the download is offered. If you only have Microsoft Publisher and your favorite design is only offered in Photoshop format you have an expensive solution on your hands. Also think of any limitations you have with particular programs. You may find templates for say brochures in Microsoft Word, which likely you have on your computer. Word is NOT a layout program and it can quickly become very frustrating to get your text and images to line up correctly and more importantly PRINT correctly. There are limitations, frustrations, and learning curves for all the programs.  How much time are you willing to spend learning and tweaking? Are you a perfectionist who will miss out on other money generating activities while trying to get the perfect shade of green? Is writing copy a strength you possess? Are you able to condense your brand’s message and core function into a tri-fold brochure that effectively grabs your reader? Great design and terrible copy unfortunately make a not so good marketing piece.

So whether you decide to hire a full scale designer, work with a designer that uses templates, or decide to go it your own-make sure your brand is showing through!