Print isn’t as popular as it used to be a few years ago. Digital marketing is everywhere, on your social feeds, websites, emails and even on screen billboards. But has all of this pushed print out of marketing completely?
Printed marketing materials may not be for everyone, but it still has its uses. When everything is digital, sometimes something printed can make a business stand out. Print doesn’t have to be just flyers and advertisements.
It might stand out more than you think
We all see digital marketing constantly. You may scroll through 10+ digital adverts on your socials in only a short time, but how many of them do you actually remember? Printed materials might just be the answer to stand out from the many adverts your customers may see in a day.
Not all businesses benefit from a billboard advert or printing small flyers, but smart print marketing created and designed with your client base in mind could make a significant difference to your marketing.
Sending something through the post to a potential client will likely stand out more than an email delivered into a busy inbox. It may cost more to produce, but the recipient may stop to open interesting looking mail rather than an ‘another’ email if it doesn’t catch their attention. Studies consistently show that people retain information better when they engage with something physical.
Print doesn’t have to be just a flyer
There are many ways you can use print to promote your business without it being a flyer. I love a flyer but some businesses may not think one flyer can cover everything they do in their business. But there is so much more to print for you to try.
For example, you may go to client meetings to pitch yourself and the business. But what happens when you leave? Could you leave something with a potential client that could support what you said in your meeting and keep you in their mind for longer?
Do you go to networking events and try to spark some interest in what you do? More than likely you’ll have a business card given to you, but could you give something away that was unusual and completely different to everyone else?
If you’re targeting high-value clients, you could spend more on your print and make it look superior and sophisticated, as your ROI would make it worth it. It’s all about how you want to be perceived. A flyer in this case wouldn’t be a good investment, but a high quality looking booklet or brochure may work really well.
Sometimes thinking outside the box might make you more memorable than your competitors.
Like digital marketing, you can track performance
Nothing made a bigger comeback than QR codes and they are a really useful tool for print. If you put out an advert in a magazine or send out printed materials, you can use QR codes to track if people are using your CTAs or going to your website. You may not be able to track the exact person doing it, but you’ll be able to gauge if it’s been worth doing and if people are engaging with your advertising.
You could put a trackable QR code on anything, including business cards, exhibition flyers, posters, banners etc to see how well it’s working, similar to any digital marketing.
There’s not much point in doing any marketing if you can’t track what’s happening. It’s the same with digital marketing. But everything is worth trying once to see how well it worked and if there are any improvements to be made going forward.
We track our print advertising this way to see the results. Has it worked? Did people see the CTA and act? Then we decide the next steps from this.
Print can work with digital marketing
Digital marketing is really important for businesses, you can’t deny that. But multiple channels can work well together and reinforce messaging from different angles.
If you’re looking for customers in a local areas, local magazine advertisements or direct mail might be more effective than digital marketing as you are really narrowing down your potential customers to the area you want to work with. You could also pair this with some digital marketing, or the same messaging on your website.
Print is seen to be more trustworthy, so you may come across a digital advert or email, but seeing the same messaging in print form may show your brand to be more reliable and established.
You can also use print to create an experience for potential clients. For example, if you sent a box or large envelope through the post with a little gift, some information about how you could support that client, and a personalised letter, you would make a massive impression on someone who may have only expected an email or a quick sales call. Following that up with an email to say ‘did you receive X’ could remind them of what you sent and spark better engagement and make it more personal.
Post isn’t as popular now, so some people may be more interested if they get something delivered. Also, a colourful envelope really stands out against white and brown generic post!
Could you use print in your marketing?
Hopefully this has shown that print marketing can support your marketing and could help you stand out in a very busy digital age. The possibilities are endless!
If you’d like to see how we can help you bring print marketing to your strategy, get in touch.