As both businesses and consumers, we have grown used to absorbing content digitally. We have access to social media and other online content wherever we are via our smartphones and devices – so why is print marketing still such a vital part of our businesses?
Print marketing is not dead. In fact, research shows that people are 70% more likely to remember a brand they see in print rather than online. Physically engaging with printed material speaks to a wider range of our senses than digital does, meaning that it becomes much more enriching and memorable.
Not convinced? Here are some more reasons why print should be a relevant part of your marketing plan:
It gives you credibility
Information found in print is generally though of as being a more trustworthy source than digital. Perhaps this is because we have grown up with printed books and newspapers, which go through a process of research and editing before it goes anywhere near a printer. Digital content can, in theory, be written by anyone – whether or not they are an expert on the subject. Therefore, we have learned not to put our full trust in what we read on-screen. Print is easier to read
We all know that staring at a screen all day taxes the eyes and the mind. It’s common advice that we need to take constant breaks when we are using screens, which is why printed material is so much easier for us to digest.
Longevity
The internet is fleeting. An article you publish online today may be lost in the busyness of cyberspace tomorrow. Printed material on the other hand has more permanence – it can be referred to for days, months, even years depending on what and where it is. This gives the benefit of long exposure for a one-off cost.
Target specific
If you are targeting a local audience, print marketing is by far the most effective way of doing it. Whether you’re using advertising in a local publication, producing brochures or flyers, or giving out business cards or price lists at a local event, things that your customers can hold in their hands and read at their leisure always packs a punch. Much harder to delete than an email or social media post!
Print media has the unique ability to engage and inspire, and many online brands have begun to embrace its power. However you try to keep your business digital, there will always be a long list of materials that will be essential to your marketing campaign. These might include:
Business cards
Company letterhead
Postcards (to mail with purchases)
Product catalogues
Gift vouchers
Banners
Exhibition stands
Decals and signage for your office door, company vehicles etc..
Promotional materials – caps, t-shirts, coffee cups
If you’d like to chat about how print marketing could work harder for your business, contact me, or visit www.theprintinglady.co.uk where you will find plenty of guidance and ideas.