When starting up a company, there’s an initial checklist people usually go through:

1. Company name – check
2. Location – check
3. Stationery/business card – check
4. Website – check

But developing business collateral, one of the most important things every start up needs, often gets overlooked. When starting up a company, or as your company grows, you’ll want to provide updated information about your business to employees, investors, existing and potential clients, and especially the media. This is the idea behind collateral items. As a design firm, we find there plenty of ways to show this information.

1. Fact Sheets/Biographies – For learning important facts about your business.
2. Capabilities Brochure/Product Fact sheets - For highlighting your company’s services or products.
3. Mission Statement – Serves as a basis of the ideas that are at the core of your organization, or to motivate employees and lets new hires know what you value.
4. Press Kit – Press kits are very useful for the media, trade shows, events and other public relations purposes.

Although there are other ways to have business collateral, we find these are the most common used. With these items, you’re ready to show off your company properly to any potential client, or employee. They’re easy to update, and great for every company to have, whether you’re starting up, or in business for 50 years.