Designing Your Own Marketing Materials

Whether you are a chamber group just getting started, a teacher expanding your business or a small arts organization, you are likely struggling with branding and marketing. It’s one of the more expensive budget items for any organization, especially if you want to do it well and create professional materials that help you get more contracts or clients!

Instead of hiring a professional in the beginning, I highly recommend you check out Canva. Canva is a free design tool that just about anyone can use. In fact, all my marketing materials are created in Canva and it’s the tool many bloggers, content creators and solopreneurs use as well.

What is Canva?
Simply put, Canva is a graphic design platform, used to create social media graphics, presentations, posters, documents and other visual content. Unlike photoshop which can take a long time to learn, Canva already includes templates and pre-made design elements you can use to create your own materials. The basic version is free, but you can upgrade to Canva Pro for free access to thousands more photos and design elements.


Why should you create professional quality materials ASAP?
The simplest answer is that marketing materials help you create your brand, or business image. It’s how the audience, presenters, students, and/or clients will recognize your business and develop trust.

The goal is to create a consistent image that will be recognizable across many platforms and the sooner you get started, the sooner you start building your brand.

Marketing materials also serve as a way for people who have never met you, to get to know you. If a parent has seen your logo many times while searching for the right teacher, that actually builds trust. If a presenter passed on your group last year because she had never heard of you before, she might hire you in year 3 because by then, your reputation AND your materials have built her trust.

How to use Canva
Instead of writing about how to use Canva, I created this video where I walk you through what’s possible and how to create a couple of designs.

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In the near future, I’ll be creating more videos on developing the elements of your brand.


What Marketing Materials should you have?
Here are some common marketing materials and who should have them.

• Business Cards: private teachers, organizations, presenters, managers, etc.
• Resumes: Anyone looking to work for an organization (teachers, administrators, etc.)
• Media Kits: Performers, Ensembles, Organizations
• Website: Literally Everyone!
• Posters: Anyone who hosts an event, no matter if you are a teacher or an arts organization.
• Social Media: Everyone. Yes, if you aren’t aware already, a social media presence is all but a necessity these days. You’ll want branded graphics for whatever platforms you use.

Enterprising Musician Canva Templates

If you aren’t quite sure where to start, one of the greatest things about Canva is you can use premade templates to create your own materials. The Enterprising Musician has created a Canva Template Store to help you get started with your own marketing materials. 

The store has templates for resumes, business cards, media kits and posters, and we are adding more regularly. 

If you are looking for eBook or Workbook templates for your blog, check out our Etsy store Studio Cadenza.

Here’s to creating your own recognizable brand!