In a crowded and ever more competitive marketplace, digital channels dominate the marketing landscape, with targeted, mobile-first ads and increasingly personalised content (thanks to AI). With all of us glued to our phones 24/7 this may suggest that print marketing is a thing of the past, an obsolete set of marketing methods to be cast aside and forgotten about. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth. Print media is as relevant as ever, perhaps even more so when used cleverly in conjunction with digital techniques. Small businesses especially can benefit from the use of print in their campaigns and overall strategy, and there are many ways to do it. Here are just five of them.
Targeting
Printed media enables you to accurately target parts of your demographic and provide them with strategic information, offers, promotions, and more. For example, distributing leaflets and flyers in specific areas with info relevant to the locale can boost customer engagement, and offer something tactile to read and take in. Adverts taken out in industry-specific magazines are also effective, with readership that may be directly interested in your product or service. Combine your printed materials with your digital output for the most effective results, for example, information about your website or a QR code.
Trust and Authenticity
In an age where we are bombarded with digital messages, it can be hard to know who to trust. Holding a piece of printed material in your hand can give a potential customer an element of trust that a Facebook ad simply can’t. Well designed, and quality printed material will give you results just as effectively as any digital strategy, and add an air of authenticity and professionalism to your brand. Whether we’re talking about simple flyers and leaflets or more detailed brochures or newsletters, when a potential customer holds a piece of print in their hands they feel that they can trust that company more.
Enhanced Awareness
Increasing your brand awareness is key, and combining your digital and printed output is a highly effective campaign strategy. Of course, be sure to ensure your logos, fonts, and other design elements match — having a strong visual identity is the cornerstone of any successful business, and nothing looks less professional than mismatched materials. Print is perfect for getting your brand out there — take out a billboard ad, or a good old fashioned mail out campaign. With our letterboxes emptier than ever, your message is much more likely to be read, and your brand remembered. Print marketing can also reach demographics who don’t engage digitally as much (or at all), such as older people.
Customer Engagement and Personalisation
Consumers are increasingly demanding personalisation when it comes to the marketing messages they receive, and AI does a good job of providing that in the digital realm. But print is also a good way to engage customers with a more personal touch, with direct mail campaigns targeting individuals and making them feel valued by your company (which, of course, they are). It’s been shown that customer loyalty has been increased by such items as thank-you cards for purchases, and personalised messages for repeat customers. Customer loyalty is at a premium in such a crowded and competitive marketplace.
Longevity
How many marketing emails do you find yourself deleting without even looking at the content every day? The answer could be in the hundreds. Or they may go straight into your spam folder without a second thought. Print marketing on the other hand, has longevity beyond the click of a mouse or computer key. Potential customers are free to peruse your messages at their leisure, and especially items such as longer brochures or other literature are more likely to be absorbed and engaged with. While the world is undoubtedly digitised, the beauty of printed marketing materials is that they have a longer life span, and will often be read at a later date, rather than just being cast into the trash. And if you send out branded materials such as mousemats, pens, or mugs, your brand is sure to live long in the memory of those who see it.
Printed materials are far from obsolete. When used in conjunction with digital channels they become a powerful force on the marketing landscape.
