Dr. Jean Murray’s “Swipe” File Tip for Marketing Your Business

Dr. Jean Murray, a home business owner, business consultant and former blogger here at Home Biz Notes, gives us an idea for developing promotional materials.  Here is Dr. Jean’s tip as a guest post. 

As you start thinking about how you will market your business, consider a “swipe” file.  A swipe file is a collection of marketing materials that you collect and save, because you like the look or think they might be a good way to market your practice.

In other words, you “swipe” these ideas from others. I ‘m not saying you will steal someone’s idea, but you can use the “swipe” materials when you talk to advertising people or artists, to give them an idea of what you want your printed marketing materials to look like.

I “swiped” a couple of direct mail pieces that I received to create the new direct mail postcards I will be sending out after the first of the year. Get into the habit of looking at everything you receive, every ad you read, as a possibility for your “swipe” file.

What ideas have served as springboards for your marketing?