If it is appropriate for a small business to have a website (and it often is, unless your target audience just doesn't use the web), then I often recommend starting your marketing writing with your website.
Why?
Because a website does not have the permanence or production costs of printed materials. You can write the copy for your website, post it, and then edit the copy as you get feedback from your clients and prospects. You can even get your designer to set up your website on a content editing program like Adobe InContext Editing and then you'll be able to get into the text and make those edits yourself. You'll be able to change out headlines to improve their effectiveness, add frequently asked questions, or just edit the text for more clarification.
Writing copy for your website, and then editing it, is much less scary and much more effective than designing and printing several hundred brochures. And, you have more opportunities to get feedback with a website and make changes as needed. Edits cost much less on the web (because you're not paying for printing as well).
Once you've gotten your messages organized online, and fine-tuned, then consider moving on to creating printed materials to promote your business.
