Stage One of the Business Credit Success Guide
How to Build Small Business Credit with No Personal Guarantee

Step 11 ~ Create Business Collateral Materials

Business collateral material is simply the marketing materials that help present your business, products or services.  It is important to keep the layout and message the same throughout all communication pieces whether it be brochures, flyers, posters, business cards and the overall style and appeal of your website.  There are many schools of thought around this but the most simple is to follow these easy steps below:

* Develop a color scheme and make sure they are visually attractive and appealing yet not overwhelming to the eyes.  You will always be safe with blues and greens. (notice the color scheme of our website)

* With your color scheme in mind you can begin development of your logo.  A unique logo can be your silent advertising piece so that your business is recognized in an instant.  When you think of any large corporation such as BMW or Apple you instantly picture their logo, and although it is unrealistic to develop this for your small business it is worth your time and effort to consider paying a consultant to help develop the “branding” of your business.  If you are like the majority of small business owners who want the help but don’t have the funds to pay the hefty consultants fee, there are still options:

– LogoYes ~ Easy, Affordable Do-it-Yourself Logo Design
– LogoWorks ~ Get a quality custom made logo at a great price!

* Now that you have the starting points you can begin developing your collateral material.  The first thing to think about with any of your marketing pieces is to be creative when preparing the language. The idea is to instantly catch the eye of your hopeful customer with catchy slogans and key terminology. Keep your business at the forefront and always point out benefits that distinguish you from the competition. Sprinkle in success stories, testimonials and a list of high-profile clientele and you will be well on your way. We recommend the following services to give your business that little extra for a little out of your pocket:

– Vista Print ~ Get 250 premium quality, color business cards FREE!
– iPrint ~ FREE Full Color Address Labels
– PhotoStamps ~ The exciting new way to turn your new logo into real US postage!

Congratulations!  Your business is now setup to properly present itself to prospects, clients and ultimately business credit issuers.