Long before the invention of the internet, print marketing—advertising to customers through magazines, brochures, postcards, and flyers—was king. But in today’s digital-focused world, is print marketing still relevant? The short answer is…yes.
Consider this—even with the world’s internet obsession, people still trust print the most. In fact, 82% of consumers say they trust print ads when making a purchase decision. Online search ads, however, only garnered 61% of consumer trust.
Additionally, 80% of consumers admit to acting on directions they received from printed, direct-mail advertisements.
Long story short, giving up on paper entirely is bad for business…but you may be wondering how to incorporate print marketing into your current plan in a way that feels fresh and relevant.
And that’s where we can help. We’ve gathered 4 of our favorite ways to use print marketing in 2022 that will add credibility to your brand and leave a lasting impression on your audience.
We all know personalising email marketing is key to increasing leads and sales, so it shouldn’t surprise you to learn the same goes when it comes to print marketing.
Use what you know about your customer base to tailor your print materials. Customer data provides a treasure trove of insight. Use demographic information to personalise print ads for customers according to their age, location, and interests. Review sales information and what viewers have been looking at in your online store to create customised ads for those customers about those items. Let’s say you own an online gardening accessory store. Sending a 20% coupon for gardening shears to people who viewed said shears multiple times in the last month is more likely to be used than if you sent the coupon to everyone on your mailing list.
Personalised print material allows you to target the people most likely to buy a given product or service without wasting time and paper sending the same ad to everyone.
This is an extension of the first tip, but it also works when it comes to catalogs. There’s something so satisfying about thumbing through a physical, but not everyone is going to be interested in every item you sell.
Suppose you own an online fair-trade gift shop. Your items may vary widely—from housewares, to jewelry, to children’s clothing and toys. You can use the same customer information to see what type of purchases customers have made in the past and use it to send out a customised catalog.
Does anyone even pay attention to the pop-up ads that inevitably, well, pop up as we navigate websites? We’ve gotten so accustomed to these ads that we often close them out…even when they’re offering us a discount. Think of print inserts as the hard-copy form of pop-up ads.
But personalised print inserts appeal in a way pop-ups don’t—they’re cheaper than printing up a full catalog, and they allow you to include a personalised offer along with other mailings. Such inserts are great for creating a follow-up touch point with first-time shoppers. Nothing ingratiates a business to a buyer more than a “thank you” discount coupon sent after their initial purchase.
You can also use customised print inserts to notify loyal customers of the latest iteration of their favorite product.
Using print inserts to show customers just how valuable you find them can help you build brand loyalty and increase their engagement with your business, unlike the obnoxious pop ups you can’t exit out of fast enough.
Here’s where the magic can really happen—when we let go of the “either/or” mentality and embrace the idea that print and digital marketing can work cohesively. But how do we make that happen?
First, by including digital links on every piece of print material sent out. Make sure you include your website and all social media handles. This will allow customers to find you online through their preferred medium.
And don’t forget about QR codes. These matrix barcodes can be scanned using a cell phone or tablet and instantly transport users to a landing page of your choosing like your website homepage, an informational video, or specific product pages in your online store.
And so…
In this digital-centric world, there is something undeniably natural and familiar about holding a hard copy in your hands. Printed materials speak to the senses—who doesn’t love the smell of an old book?—and invites recipients to engage.
If you are interested in incorporating printed materials in your next marketing campaign, we hope you’ll contact us at Cloudprint Group. Our innovative print house is conveniently based in Sydney and offers personalised service. Whether you need custom brochures, catalogs, or print inserts, our team of experts will provide you with the highest level of service, creating exceptional print material that will increase customer engagement, leads, and sales.
Many thanks,
Christian & the CloudPrint team.