A lot of marketing talk today might seem focused on the downfall of print. With the onslaught of digital marketing, is there really a need for printed materials? Can it still have the same impact that it did in the years before? While many might tell you that print is officially out of fashion, nothing could be further than the case. Print still has a massive role to play for overall marketing impact and eschewing it all together in favour of other techniques might end up being a negative point for your campaign.
Both the public and the private sector still rely on printed marketing materials, and for good reason. It is a strong way to engage clients and prospects, leave a tangible reminder of who you are and invite clients and prospects to learn more about you and your business. More importantly, printed marketing material can accomplish these feats and see a great impact and provide a strong return on marketing investment. Let’s examine these factors in more detail:
Consider the following…
- Print is easy to process because it requires 21% less cognitive effort than digital media.
- 60% of consumers choose brands that engage their senses
- 61% of consumers feel more positive about a brand when marketing messages are personalized.
Print is a gateway to your brand. That kind of marketing collateral breaks through the noise of algorithms and never-ending scrolling and gives your audience something tangible. It gives them a way to learn more about you in an impactful way. While digital can be personalized, it still lacks that actual personal touch that customers want. Strong printed marketing collateral is a way for people to learn more about you without having to go through extra steps or jump through any hoops.
Target local markets better
While digital provides a lot of metrics and data for targeting local audiences, print can also accomplish this. Think of the different events you go to, the local services you use and where your audiences might be. Having collateral to leave behind helps you build a local brand that your audience can easily engage and interact with. Using marketing collateral as an introduction to your services in relevant places is an easy way to target new audiences and sectors. Investing your marketing budget in strategic printed collateral can give you better return without needing to play guessing games on its effectiveness.
Print and digital need to balance each other
Print ads will be more effective if they are a complement to your digital campaigns already in play and entice readers to interact with your brand online. – Forbes
It might seem easy to lean one way or another – either you forego digital marketing and stick to print…or you go the opposite way and decide to only participate in digital marketing and leaving nothing to print. One way or another, you are selling you and your business short. These are not meant to be opposing forces, but complementary in nature. Digital marketing has its own advantages, such as giving you targeted data about audiences and helping break into new sectors.
But print also has value in terms of audience reach and engagement and it can give your audience a more personalized view of your business. There are lots of personal touches you can add to make it more bespoke to your brand. There are a variety of papers to choose from such as card stock, opaque papers for flyers, thick stock that can be embossed or foiled…just to name a few. Plus, between the different finishing options such as matte and gloss lamination, there are plenty of ways for it to match your brand.
Rather than trying to choose one over the other, striking a balance between the two will help you create a better marketing strategy that allows you to reach the widest audience possible effectively and efficiently.
Ultimately, printed marketing collateral still has an important part and role to play in marketing today. It is a great way to boost visibility and engagement and get maximum return on your marketing investment. Having a strong set of printed marketing collateral helps you target audiences better, boost your brand and show that you know how to reach audiences in a meaningful way.