Man and woman exchanging marketing handouts over table

How to Use Marketing Handouts Effectively to Promote Your Business [Infographic]

Keep reading to find out:

  • What marketing handouts are
  • Why they’re important for your business
  • How you can use marketing handouts
  • How to create marketing handouts

Marketing Handouts Help People Easily Find Out What Your Business Is All About!

Marketing continues to become more and more digital these days. But even in this increasingly digital world, marketing handouts are still an effective part of your marketing toolkit. And they will continue to be a great source of customer traffic going forward. 

Handouts can be quite an efficient approach to your marketing strategy. Every person in business should carry something with them that briefly explains what their business is all about.

Let’s take a closer look at what marketing handouts are, why they’re important and how you can use and design them to be effective and unforgettable.

What are Marketing Handouts?

A marketing handout is a one-page document that focuses on a key service or product your business offers. Some other names for handouts are one-sheets, one-pagers, slicks or sell sheets. These handouts bring attention to different areas of your business. 

With marketing handouts, you can highlight client testimonials, case studies, a new service you’re launching or facts about your business and services. 

Of course, you shouldn’t go overboard with the information. Otherwise, your sheet will be too cluttered. Instead, the sheet should focus on one main topic. 

Marketing handouts, therefore, are not flyers or brochures. Instead, they are something different. 

While they may have the same components as the other two, they differ in presentation. Flyers are a very brief piece of advertising that may only use catchy phrases or slogans. Brochures go more into depth about all areas of your business. However, a marketing one-sheet is a simple piece of information. It doesn’t go into as much detail as a brochure but provides a quick look at your business and services.

Why are Marketing Handouts Important?

Marketing handouts are important for your business because they help readers understand what your business is about and what it could do for them all in one easy-to-read sheet. 

It might sound hard to believe, but there’s a good number of people that still prefer printed materials over digital. Business owners and marketers alike love this type of marketing because it tends to be cost-effective. It also gives them something to hold on to and revisit when they need to.

Therefore, well-designed and well-written collateral will make your brand stand out from the competition. 

Custom graphic describing how to market with handouts

How Can I Use Marketing Handouts?

Marketing handouts are a great marketing tool because they are so versatile. You can also make multiple handouts to have ready if there’s specific information needed. For example, you can have a handout that highlights all your services and another that features client testimonials. 

Here are some different ways you can use your marketing handouts:

As An Attachment

One of the best ways to use your marketing handout is to add it as an attachment. You should attach your marketing handout to an email after speaking with prospective clients. This gives them something to refer to while considering your services.

You also can use it in email marketing campaigns and update current clients on your list of services. They might be reminded of other services you provide and reach out for more information.

A Give Away

After a cold call meeting, it is important to have something on hand to give your prospect. This helps them keep you on their mind as the day goes on.

If you attend chamber of commerce meetings, conferences or any other type of event, you can give away your marketing handout to provide background about your company. People love to have something to take away from these events. Use your printed marketing handout so they will remember you.

For Promotion

When you’ve made your handouts, you can use them to promote your business, too! Highlight the handouts on your website or social media to remind users about your products or services.

You can use it for social media marketing by highlighting quick snippets of the sheet on your accounts. And if you’re ever featured by the media, you can send them the marketing handout to provide them with basic information about your company.

It might also be beneficial to include this marketing handout on your website. This way, prospective and current clients have easy access to quick information about your business.

For Internal Use

Marketing handouts can be a great resource even for you and your employees! Creating an information sheet about your business can be useful for training and education, as well as quick reminders on services your business provides.

How Do I Create Effective Marketing Handouts?

How do you make a successful marketing handout? Your marketing handout should be simple and to the point. Use the following steps to create your own!

Step 1: Ensure It’s for The Right Audience

Before you create your marketing handout, you should always be crystal clear about the purpose of it and your intended audience. For example, a handout that goes over case studies or testimonials might be for potential clients who are considering you for your services. You’ll always want to craft your marketing handout for the people who are going to read it. 

Step 2. Write A Compelling Headline

Make sure to capture your reader’s attention! Otherwise, it will end up in the trash can before you know it. Your headline is the first thing your reader sees that tells them what your content is about. Its job is to engage them and capture their attention so that they ignore all other distractions to read more. Therefore, an impactful headline always comes in handy. 

To write a compelling headline, include an overall benefit or a unique value that the reader will receive. The benefit or value will hook them in and keep them reading.

Step 3. Include a Company Description

Start off your marketing handout with a very brief description of your company. You can include basic information about where you’re located, the year your company was established, your mission and vision statement or your industry. Keep this section very short, as you’ll want to dedicate most of the space to your services, testimonials or case studies.

Step 4. List Your Services

Listing your services should be the bulk of your handout. You can go into a little bit of detail for each service, including who it’s for and why it’s better than the alternative. You could start by talking about the problem and how your services solve that problem for the client. Giving the prospect a brief list of your services can help them make connections to other services they need but maybe they didn’t realize before.

Step 5. Consider Testimonials or Case Studies

Instead of services, you may want to highlight testimonials or case studies from current or past clients. This way, your prospects can see the value you’ve given to other clients and reasons why they should choose you over the competition. 

Step 6. Give Them an Offer

People are 27% more likely to make a transaction when they think they are getting a good deal. So, even if it is small, it is a good idea to have a bargaining chip. At the very least, use this part to tell them why you are their best choice.

Step 7. Make It a Good Design

Having a well-designed handout is equally, if not more important than the content. Clip art is not going to cut it here. If design is not “your thing,” there are affordable ways around it, like using online resources. You’ll definitely want to include your company logo and colors.  

One of the best ways to ensure you get a quality handout is by using a professional graphic designer. A graphic designer can navigate different areas, such as colors and fonts, more effectively. When you see the increase in business, you’ll know it was worth it!

Let Us Help You with An Unforgettable Handout!

It’s easy to see why developing and designing a marketing handout for your business is good for your marketing. You can include different kinds of information on your handouts and use them in many ways! 

The team at Frontier Marketing can help make your marketing handout by finding out what information is best to include and making it into a beautiful and unforgettable design. We provide service and more for businesses throughout Fox Lake, IL, and the Chicagoland region. Contact us today to learn more!

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2016 and updated in November 2021.