As a small business, advertising is very important.   But sometimes it can be hard to decide what forms of advertising you should  employ.  There are so many marketing materials out there, it can be difficult  to choose which ones will be effective for you and still be within your  budget.  Here is a rundown of 7 of the most popular advertising items and  how they can help your business.
   
  1.      Booklets/catalogs
  Booklets and catalogs are great for showing off your products in one convenient  package.  Sales catalogs are still popular ways for customers to buy  products.  They are also commonly used in fundraising campaigns.   Decide how you can best use booklets and catalogs in your business.   Obviously, this would not be a good choice for a service based company, but is  geared more towards product based companies.
 
  2.      Brochures
  Brochures are certainly one of the most common marketing materials.  They  are so popular because they are usually very effective.  A well designed brochure  printing can generate a lot of sales (if placed in the right  hands, of course). Business brochures are usually not all that expensive,  either.  The key, as it is with most advertising tools, is to give your  brochures to the right people.
 
  3.      Business Cards
  Perhaps the only marketing tool that is more common than a brochure, business  cards are an indispensable part of any businessperson’s repertoire.  Get  high quality, full color brochures printed, and hand them out to everyone you  meet.  The more attractive and unique your business card is, the more  likely it is to be noticed.
 
  4.      Door Hangers
  Door hangers are becoming more and more popular as a marketing tool.  They  act much like flyers, except that they are equipped with a doorknob-sized  hole.  This keeps them in position for the customer to find.  These  are great if you are targeting a lot of people in a small, residential area.
 
  5.      Flyers
  Flyers are sort of the older version of door hangers.  Now they are  usually used to post in grocery stores or libraries, or in other public  places.  A full color flyer printing can still be effective if placed in  the right spots.
 
  6.      Postcards
  The best direct mailing tool available, postcards are wonderful if you can  afford to send some out to your target customers.  Don’t be afraid to use  them in unconventional ways, such as placing special offers on them or asking  for testimonials from customers.
 
  7.      Posters
  Posters are much like flyers.  However, they are usually made of higher  quality material, and are usually placed in very visible, high profile  places.  Full color poster printing is slightly more expensive than flyer  printing, but can also be somewhat more profitable.