New Year may be over, but Chinese New Year isn’t. That means it’s still not too late for a New Year, New Me resolution. How about starting with your business marketing collaterals first?

Just as your business must remain up-to-date in this ever-evolving digital age, so too must your marketing materials convey relevance and vitality. Take it this way, your suite of corporate collaterals, be it digital or printed, is an extension of your business; a visual representation of your product and service offerings, and sometimes even your values. Keeping them fresh and updated gives the impression that your business is always striving to provide the best and most relevant solutions your customers ask for.

So how do you know when your collaterals need refreshing? Here are 3 signs to take note of:

1. You’ve rebranded

This should be a given. Once your logo and brand elements have undergone a facelift, a marketing collateral refresh is warranted, so as to introduce your new look to the audience. Meanwhile, old collaterals should be phased out slowly, to ensure audiences are familiar with your new look before you remove the old one completely.

2. You’ve changed your offerings

Sometimes to keep up and remain relevant in the market, your product and service offerings may need to change and adapt, and that’s okay. But make sure these changes are reflected in your collaterals so that your customers know what to expect when they engage you.

3. The photos look dated

It’s true that photos last forever, but that does not mean they don’t show signs of ageing. Whether it’s a stock photo of your offering or a photo of an employee that has left, once you notice these are not the most recent visual representation of your company, you know it’s time for a refresh.

Now that you know a refresh exercise is due, let’s approach it strategically with this easy 3-step process:

1. Review your collaterals

Carefully review your suite of collaterals to make sure that all the numbers, dates, statistics and contact information are up-to-date. If you are new to the social media world, this is the best time to add that information in as well.

2. Partner with an experienced design agency

Working with an experienced and enthusiastic graphic designer can be thought-provoking and energising. Entrust your graphic designer to do the heavy lifting and enliven your collaterals with new layouts and visuals. Keep in mind to avoid radical changes that might scare some loyal customers away; strive for familiarity.

3. Don’t leave your designer in the dark

Your designer should be capable of doing all the heavy lifting, but don’t leave them guessing what you want, as that may affect efficiency. Work closely with them to brainstorm ideas on how you envision your new brand to look, and provide them with useful keywords to help to bring your ideas to life.

With the right graphic design agency by your side helping you every step of the way, you can now take on the year with only the highest hopes for your business. Ready for a refresh exercise? Drop us a note and we’ll be there to answer all the burning questions you may have.