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You’ve got a logo. A few brochures. Maybe a pitch deck from three years ago. Your sales team? They’re either winging it or using hacked-together slides that don’t match your current brand.
Most marketing managers in B2B businesses are stuck in collateral chaos. You’re constantly reacting… redesigning on the fly, rewriting the same content over and over, because there’s no clear, up-to-date set of brand assets everyone can actually use.
And the worst part? You’re not even sure what you should have in the first place.
Here’s the truth: effective brand collateral doesn’t just make you look good. It helps your sales team close more deals. It keeps your messaging consistent. And it saves you hours every week reinventing the wheel.
In this article, you’ll get a clear, no-nonsense breakdown of the essential brand collateral every B2B business needs so you can stop scrambling and start scaling with confidence.
Why Brand Collateral Matters in B2B
In B2B, deals don’t close after one conversation. There are follow-ups, internal meetings, and multiple decision-makers, most of whom never talk to your sales rep directly.
That’s where brand collateral comes in.
It’s not just “nice to have” marketing fluff. It’s what tells your story when you’re not in the room. Whether it’s a one-pager that gets passed to a CFO or a case study sent after a demo, great collateral gives your message legs.
Done right, it does three things:
- Supports Sales at Every Stage: From first contact to closed deal, your team needs assets that answer objections, build trust, and reinforce value. The right collateral turns interest into action.
- Keeps Your Messaging Consistent: Without consistent brand materials, every rep creates their own version of the pitch and that’s how you lose trust fast. Collateral ensures every touchpoint feels aligned and professional.
- Saves Time (for Everyone): When you have the right pieces ready to go, you stop reinventing the wheel. Sales move faster. Marketing gets fewer frantic requests. And your brand always shows up strong.
Essential Brand Collateral Every B2B Business Needs
This isn’t a wishlist. It’s the core set of assets every B2B business should have to support both marketing and sales without wasting time or budget.
1. Company Overview / Capabilities Deck
A clean, well-structured slide deck that gives prospects a high-level view of who you are, what you do, and why it matters. Think of it as your digital handshake. Sales teams use this early and often.
Here’s an example of a capability template deck that you can download.
Quick tip: Keep it short. 10 slides max. Focus on outcomes, not just features.
2. Product or Service One-Pagers
These are essential. One clear, well-designed page per product or service, outlining the problem it solves, key benefits, features, and a clear call to action.
Here’s an example of what one could look like:
Why it matters: Perfect for email follow-ups, intro calls, or procurement handoffs.
3. Case Studies or Testimonials
Buyers want proof. Real results, from real companies. A solid library of short, focused case studies gives your sales team instant credibility.
Format: Problem → Solution → Result. Bonus points for quotes and measurable outcomes.
Here’s an example of a case study on our website for reference.
4. Sales Presentation Templates
If your reps are building slides from scratch, you’re losing brand control. A master presentation template (with plug-and-play layouts) keeps your message clear and your visuals consistent.
Here’s some Canva Sales Presentation Templates you can start using and designing with today.
Pro move: Include slides tailored to common objections or use cases.
5. Email Follow-Up Templates
Make life easier for sales. Provide a few branded, value-driven follow-up email templates that align with each sales stage or objection.
Why it matters: Keeps your messaging sharp even after the call ends.
6. Explainer Videos or Demo Clips
Visual content builds trust fast. Whether it’s a 60-second explainer or a short demo walkthrough, these videos help buyers “get it” quicker and share it internally.
Key: Don’t over-produce. Clarity beats polish.
7. Social Media Graphic Templates
Your marketing team needs to be agile. Templates (in Canva or similar tools) help maintain visual consistency across campaigns without waiting on a designer.
Use for: Thought leadership, product launches, testimonials, events.
8. Lead Magnets (eBooks, Guides, Checklists)
Content that offers value in exchange for contact info. It pulls in leads and nurtures them before sales gets involved.
Here’s an example of a lead magnet on our website.
Download Your Free ‘HubSpot Pricing Guide’ eBook Guide
Keep it focused: Address a specific problem, offer a solution, include a next step.
9. Brand Guidelines
This ties everything together. A simple, accessible guide that covers logo usage, colours, fonts, tone of voice, and messaging do’s and don’ts.
Goal: Anyone creating content or selling on your behalf stays on-brand every time.
How to Keep It All Organised and Aligned
Having the right collateral is only half the battle. If no one can find it or if they don’t trust it’s up to date, it’s useless.
Here’s how to make sure your brand assets actually get used:
1. Create a Central Collateral Hub
Use a shared drive, internal wiki, or simple portal where sales and marketing can access everything in one place. Organise by stage of the buyer journey or by product/service to make browsing easy.
Quick win: Add thumbnails or short descriptions so people know what each asset is without opening five files.
2. Keep a “Top 10” List of Go-To Assets
Most sales reps won’t dig through 40 files. Highlight the 10 most important pieces they should be using regularly. This makes onboarding smoother and ensures your best content gets used.
3. Set a Quarterly Review Process
Outdated collateral kills deals. Set a reminder every quarter to review, update, or retire assets that no longer reflect your offering, pricing, or messaging.
Bonus tip: Make someone the “owner” of each asset so it doesn’t fall through the cracks.
4. Educate Your Sales Team
Don’t assume your reps know what’s available or how to use it. Run quick training sessions or include tips in your weekly sales huddles to show them where to find assets and when to use each one.
Result: You’ll see higher adoption and better alignment between marketing and sales.
So, What’s Next?
Brand collateral isn’t just about looking polished, it’s about enabling your team to tell the right story, to the right buyer, at the right time.
When you’ve got the essentials in place, from one-pagers and case studies to sales decks and follow-up templates, you give your sales team the confidence to close, and your brand the consistency it needs to stand out.
The key? Don’t overcomplicate it.
Start by building the core pieces. Organise them in a way your team can actually use. Keep them updated.
And make sure every asset supports the ultimate goal: helping buyers say yes with clarity and confidence.
Next, learn about how to align your B2B Content Marketing Strategy with sales.
How to Align Your B2B Content Marketing Strategy with Your Sales Goals
