As marketing strategies explode onto the digital scene, print marketing is seeing some major advantages in the real world. In an industry where human connection can drastically affect the bottom line, the world of print is running with some very effective means of engaging audiences that are unique to the medium.
Since we still spend a large amount of time in the real world, there is endless opportunity to advertise offline. Existing in the physical realm allows print media to more easily interact with people on an emotional level through shared physical space, through tactile function, through aiding the various levels of recall, and even through augmenting reality in partnership with online campaigns.
Direct Mail – Print Marketing
Snail mail is the more rare way of receiving messages these days. And there are advantages to being delivered only once per day in this fashion: nostalgia and anticipation. There is a lingering sense of surprise when we take a bundle of paper out of our mailbox, during which time recipients tend to be especially attentive.
People connect to holding things in their hands. Direct Mail can get as creative as you like, as long as it still fits in your customer’s hand. There are gimmicks and strategies that play to these emotions – moving parts, lumpy bits, exclusive deals. Novelty itself, catches the attention of each recipient and draws them into your campaign at a time when they are receptive to it.
Business Cards – Print Marketing
Meeting someone, shaking their hand, and receiving a business card also creates a memory through various senses simultaneously. A client is better engaged and more likely to remember you and your company when they can recall your interactions.
In essence, business cards are an old school form of social media. Business interactions start with trading these personalized summary cards; introducing people to your business while leaving them with vital information to promote future engagements. Getting creative and unique on a business card is a fine way to make a good first impression, and to improve upon a client’s recall when considering your services again in the future.
Being visually pleasing also adds to a memorable impression. Effective business cards tend to utilize the following criteria:
- Legible font type and size
- Easy on the eyes, not too busy
- Logo and branding identifiers
- Printing on both sides of the card
- Creativity, within the dimensions of standard sizing
- Inclusion of all vital, long-term contact information
Printing On New Mediums
As creative as one can get with business cards, they are still essentially paper and ink. Modern marketing is no longer relegated to paper alone. Many successful marketing campaigns have incorporated merchandise tagged with company impressions. Items like office supplies, toys, and clothing can be purchased for fractions of a penny, putting them in line with the Costs-Per-Impression (CPI) for paper printing.
Branding on items that serve a dual purpose increases the odds that the merchandise will stick around in private and public spaces. You want your merchandise to linger in front of current and potential customers as long as possible. Paper tends to get tossed out on the next recycling day, but merchandise with vital company information can stay relevant much longer than the campaign for which it was created. If the item is also useful, it associates your company with an extra effort to be generous and considerate with your customer base.
Pop Up Banners – Print Marketing
Also breaking the mold on printing mediums, pop up banners have become a staple in business advertising. Because they exist in the real world, on materials that stand off the wall, they are more engaged in our physical space. The banners are a clean, visually pleasing advertisement that can be situated in high traffic areas, in “popped out” positions.
The materials are highly reusable, unique in appearance (especially when compared to one dimensional paper plastered to flat surfaces), and often richer and texture and movement than its print counterparts.
When dealing with the pros and pitfalls of printing marketing, it’s best not to guess and to waste your funds on strategies that are not effective. A strong print strategy requires analysis of your business size and type, your demographics, and your budget. Working with a marketing agency to start a print campaign will save your business from having to research and reinvent the printing press.