Walk Like a Giant, Sell Like a Madman

10.4. Designing an Attractive Marketing Packet

The first component of your shameless self-promotional campaign is an attractive marketing packet that you can deliver to prospects before meeting with them. You should have a standard packet for prospective clients and put together custom marketing packets to introduce yourself to reporters, potential partners, and other professionals with whom you might want to team up.

Your marketing materials should all include your name, your photo, and complete contact information, so people can get in touch with you by phone, e-mail, web site, or blog. You want everyone to be able to recognize you.

If you are artistic, you can design the marketing materials yourself and take them to a local print shop to have them produced in quantity. Otherwise, hire a graphic artist to draw up some designs from which to choose. The proprietor of the print shop can recommend local artists, or a colleague may refer you to one. Try to find someone who can design everything for you, including your web site or blog when you are ready to add those components to your marketing campaign.

Your marketing packet should include the following materials:

• Folder: Use a legal-size folder to keep all of your other marketing materials. Since the folder is the first item that prospects will see, make sure it has an impeccable design.

• Business card: Your business card is a key component of your marketing packet, and you will hand it out to everyone you meet, even if they are ...