Using high-quality marketing supplies like brochures, business cards and gift certificates helps establish you as a professional, lends credibility to your business, and save you the time it would take to make your own. And if you really want to spiff up your marketing supplies, invest in the services of a professional personalization service.

What is personalization?

Personalization is adding your contact information to materials pre-made by companies who specialize in them. Options include gift certificates, brochures, postcards and newsletters plus other tools like baseball caps, greeting cards, water bottles and pens. Personalizing also allows you to add a professionally-printed logo and personal message to those supplies, such as an announcement or special offer.

Personalization accomplishes one other important task. It allows you to present your unique approach to working with the specific clients you want to serve. At its best, personalization is your chance to do all of this with style and professionalism.

Tips for the most effective personalization

Whatever method of personalization you choose, here are some important basics to consider.

Be sure to include your phone number and other contact information!

We get calls regularly from would-be clients who say they picked up a brochure, but the only number they find on it is ours (Natural Touch Marketing). Remember, even if you are handing your brochure, newsletter or other educational information directly to an individual, they may pass it on to someone else who will want to get in touch — with you.

Remember to proof!

Our experienced proofreaders recommend that you slowly read your information at least five times before it’s set in stone, checking separately for errors in:

1. Content or wording
2. Spelling & numbers (is it THERAPEUTIC or THERAPUETIC, MASSAGE or MESSAGE? )
3. Punctuation ( 222-555.1234 )
4. Capitalization ( APpointment )

Is there too much or too little information?

Consider using less text, so people are more likely to read it. If your information is clear, they will be able to call you with their questions.

State benefits, not modalities.

Listing the modalities you’re trained in isn’t likely to get people’s attention. You need to know what myofascial release is — your clients don’t. They need to know that your work will reduce their pain and tension, so tell them that. They want to know your work gets results, so say something about that.

Check for graphic readability.

Choose typefaces that are big enough and easy to read. And avoid the “ransom note” approach —use no more than two typefaces in any layout. Use different type sizes, italics or bold where they make sense (for example, to differentiate your practice description from your contact information), but use them sparingly.

Be consistent.

Throughout your marketing materials, have a consistent typeface and logo or graphic, not only on your postcards and business cards, but in your signage, ads and website.

Develop your own professional style.

Even though simplicity is usually best, your design doesn’t have to be boring. You can achieve a professional, easy-to-read layout that’s also interesting by using graphics, shapes, size, and alignment (not everything has to be centered).

For example, even if you don’t have a logo, your name or business name can be turned into a graphic element with an interesting font and appropriate type size. Check out the example for Joanna Franklin on our own personalization example page.

Now use your creativity and have fun coming up with a design that will be easy to recognize and respond to.

Check out our a wide variety of gift certificates, postcards, and brochures, which we can help you personalize with style, professionalism and, yes, affordability. Check out our personalization webpage for more information.