While printed media once reigned supreme in the advertising world, it now has to share its place alongside a whole host of online content too. In the digital age, print marketing is often pitted against websites, email marketing, social media marketing, pay-per-click advertising and SEO work in the battle for marketing budgets.
According to the latest Advertising Revenue Report from Pricewaterhouse Coopers and the interactive Advertising Bureau, mobile ads, that digital ad revenue grew from $72.5 billion in 2016 (from 22 per cent from previous year). And for the first time in advertising history mobile ads have accounted for half of the total advertising spending (51 per cent).
Yet, as our world becomes increasingly focused on new technologies, the power of print marketing is actually growing. And you’d be well advised to consider a cohesive strategy that brings both digital and print marketing together.
Here’s why…
Variety and versatility
Print marketing is a broad term that includes things like leaflets, posters, brochures and, of course, direct mail. Print marketing can be applied across a huge range of products and services with great effect. While raising brand awareness and catching the eye of potential customers online has been found to be incredibly effective, research has shown that by producing something tangible and tactile such as a leaflet dropped through the door, a brand can drive conversions more effectively. In fact, gaining attention online and then following up with print marketing has been found to be an incredibly effective marketing strategy.
It is also worth bearing in mind that although online marketing opportunities present themselves as operating in “real time”, this immediacy can also mean that visibility is short-lived. In contrast, print marketing often has greater longevity – for example a brochure that remains on a coffee table for weeks.
Print is personal
No matter what you are selling, your customers like to feel valued and they want to be loved. Print marketing can convey this to them in a way that digital marketing simply can’t. Again, this has much to do with the delivery of a physical object. Although a glossy piece of paper folded into a pamphlet may not feel like it has much value, it does make a brand significantly more memorable than if the same message was sent via email.
Print gives a competitive edge
The primary danger of following a crowd is that one can get lost within it. As businesses around the world rush online and neglect the potential of print marketing, those in the know understand that to stand out and get noticed it is often better to head in the other direction.
As fewer enterprises have relied on print marketing, those that now choose to use this medium have found that they are facing less competition and so are enjoying greater visibility.
Reputation and credibility
Of course, at London Letterbox Marketing we take all the hassle out of direct mail and doorstep print delivery. Yet the perception of print marketing in general is that it takes more effort than digital formats. Ultimately, this can work in your favour as it suggests that you are going the extra mile to engage your prospects and are serious about what you do. The appearance of a company’s credibility is often the difference between choosing one brand or another and so print marketing can be an important tool in your kit.
For help with your next print marketing campaign, contact the team at London Letterbox Marketing on 020 7193 2841 or contact us here.
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