I talked last week about the benefits of a rebrand. I received some really great feedback from all of you, so this week’s Dinner Dates post is all about an aspect of your business that plays a huge role in your brand: Collateral Material.
We all know that branding is more than a logo or a tag line. It’s a way of life for your business. It’s your mission; it’s who are you to your clients & what you want to portray. And AFTER you figure out all the deep stuff, you get to play with the pretty:) After you figure out why you do what you do, who you want to attract and what you want them to see in you, your designer creates beautiful pieces like this to bring it on home.
Your Collateral Material consists of tangible materials that emphasize your brand. The usual ones include: business cards, notecards, & thank you cards. You can also have stickers, client experience products & the list goes on & on. I have Taylor & Ashlee to thank for every single one of these pretties. Taylor has THE BEST LETTERING and it’s beyond perfect for my brand; Ashlee designed my materials to reflect my personality, the way I want my brides to perceive me & to emphasize their experience as a DSE Bride.
When putting together your collateral materials, think beyond a simple thank you card. You want to go above & beyond. You need to think about every aspect of it: what type of paper will you print them on? what color envelope will you use? will it have an envelope liner? what color washi tape will you use to seal the envelope? what ink color will you write with? Everything is a reflection of what your brides think of you. And you want them to be wowed:) For example, on all my client gifts, I use a 1.5″ double-faced satin ribbon because I think it reflects my brand the best. It’s girly & sweet; I love the texture & it make the PERFECT bow:)
Everything about your business should reflect your brand… even the smallest details. Think about the brands you love & why you love them. Think about the small business owners you look up to, and how they emphasize their brand in everything they do – on social media, on their websites, in their packaging, etc. It all flows together & continues to emphasize who they are & what their businesses stand for. (Need some examples? My favorites include: Natalie, Annamarie, Shay & Rachel). As you can see, their brands are very different, but they ALL showcase who they are & the clients they want to reach; because of that, they take their business to the next level. They showcase their brand through EVERY aspect of their business, big or small, and as a follower of their brand, I recognize that and associate their branding materials with who they are. For example: whenever I see velvet ribbon, I think of Rachel; when I see black & white stripes, I think of Shay; and when I see nautical stripes & sailboats, I think of Natalie. What do your readers see when they think of you? What do you WANT them to see? Emphasize that in you brand details & in your collateral material.
And, because I love these pictures too much not to show them off, here’s a few more images of my collateral materials, shot & styled by Andrea Pesce Photography.
All materials designed by Ashlee Proffitt with lettered by Taylor of Letters of Grace Calligraphy.
PRINTING + OTHER SOURCES: “Hey There Sweetheart” Notecards, printed digitally on thick, luxurious paper: Stationary HQ | Gold Foil Thank You Cards, printed on fuchsia cardstock: A+P Design | Business Cards, printed digitally on thick, luxurious paper: Stationary HQ | DSE & DSE Bride Stickers: Stationary HQ | “Blossom” Envelopes: Paper Source | 1.5″ Light Blue Double-Faced Satin Ribbon: Paper Mart | Custom Address Labels: Zazzle | Gold Dot Jewlry Box: Target | Washi Tape: Michael’s | Heart Push Pins: Target
xo! kat
