Direct Mail Services

By Sylvia Rosen

Your direct mail campaign will require certain materials that pertaining to your specific business. This material, easily distributed to media outlets, potential investors, clients, and new employees, will provide pertinent information about your company. The success of your business will depend, in part, on how well you prepare and communicate this information, from company and product fact sheets to biographies of essential employees.

When presenting these collateral items that showcase the details of your company, be sure to have them printed and readily available for distribution.

1. Fact sheet. Potential investors, clients, and employees should be privy to important facts about your business. A quick and easy fact sheet is a great way to layout pertinent information about your company. A complete company fact sheet will include the following information:

• The date the company was started.
• Headquarter locations and affiliate offices.
• Names and experience of company founders and management
• Contact information
• Mission statement

2. Product Information A fact sheet describing your products and services should include the following:

• The function of each product.
• Distinctive features of products and services.
• Comparison to similar products on the market.
• Quality level.
• Reliability.
• Cost.

3. Employee Biographies. A complete biography for each founding member, manager and board of directors member is useful information for anyone interested in learning more about your company. Bios should include education, relevant experience, awards or honors, and any publications that have featured the team member's work.

4. Mission Statement. A mission statement motivates and directs employees as well as giving new hires the focus for your company. This information is also helpful for potential investors, lenders or members of the media.

5. Company Background. A detailed description of how your business was started, key figures in its implementation, and overall focus are all good points to include when describing the background of your business. You may also want to include your reason for starting your company, the niche you plan to fill, and your goals for the future.

6. Current Client list. Brag a little. A complete list of clients you currently serve is a great way to show how successful your business has been to date. This information may be particularly interesting to potential investors and clients.

7. Press kit. When launching a new business or product, distributing a press kit is a necessary marketing step. Press kits are great for distributing at business at a trade shows. A professional press kit should include the following:

• A folder with your company's logo.
• A personalized letter describing your company's products and or services.
• Company fact sheet
• Product fact sheet
• Press release
• Articles and clips written about your company
• A business card
• A complete company background

Keeping up to date and current press kit documents on file, is a good way to avoid distributing out of date information about your business.

8. Clips and Articles. A current file of newspaper and magazine articles about your business is essential. Consider hiring a public relations firm to make sure these media mentions are seen by the right people.

9. Brochures. Professionally constructed informational brochures are a great way to spread the word about your business and its products and services. Color, graphics, and photographs that tell your story, can add to the layout and detail. The brochure is a convenient way to distribute information at trade shows or conventions.

10. Business Cards. Individual or business contact information can be shared in the tried and true method of the business card. Contact numbers, email addresses and website information can be found in a small amount of space, that is as easy as a handshake, to distribute.

11. Giveaways. Company logos on free items are a sure way to get people interested in your business. Backpacks, water bottles, even pencils can be designed with your company name and contact information, for everyone to see. People love a free item, take the opportunity to advertise wherever you can.

12.Signs, Magnets and Decals. Promotional products like signs, magnets, and decals can be designed with details of your business, to be shared and displayed in a variety of locations.