As a small business, advertising is very important. But sometimes it can be hard to decide what forms of advertising you should employ. There are so many marketing materials out there, it can be difficult to choose which ones will be effective for you and still be within your budget. Here is a rundown of 7 of the most popular advertising items and how they can help your business.

1. Booklets/catalogs

Booklets and catalogs are great for showing off your products in one convenient package. Sales catalogs are still popular ways for customers to buy products. They are also commonly used in fundraising campaigns. Decide how you can best use booklets and catalogs in your business. Obviously, this would not be a good choice for a service based company, but is geared more towards product based companies.

2. Brochures

Brochures are certainly one of the most common marketing materials. They are so popular because they are usually very effective. A well designed can generate a lot of sales (if placed in the right hands, of course). are usually not all that expensive, either. The key, as it is with most advertising tools, is to give your brochures to the right people.

3. Business Cards

Perhaps the only marketing tool that is more common than a brochure, business cards are an indispensable part of any businessperson's repertoire. Get high quality, full color brochures printed, and hand them out to everyone you meet. The more attractive and unique your business card is, the more likely it is to be noticed.

4. Door Hangers

Door hangers are becoming more and more popular as a marketing tool. They act much like flyers, except that they are equipped with a doorknob-sized hole. This keeps them in position for the customer to find. These are great if you are targeting a lot of people in a small, residential area.

5. Flyers

Flyers are sort of the older version of door hangers. Now they are usually used to post in grocery stores or libraries, or in other public places. A full color flyer printing can still be effective if placed in the right spots.

6. Postcards

The best direct mailing tool available, postcards are wonderful if you can afford to send some out to your target customers. Don't be afraid to use them in unconventional ways, such as placing special offers on them or asking for testimonials from customers.

7. Posters

Posters are much like flyers. However, they are usually made of higher quality material, and are usually placed in very visible, high profile places. Full color poster printing is slightly more expensive than flyer printing, but can also be somewhat more profitable.