While it may seem that digital marketing campaigns are the only way to market today, the reality couldn’t be further from the truth. There are advantages to digital marketing for sure. However, traditional marketing campaigns also have their own unique advantages. Central to success for any advertising today is a co-ordinated Omni-channel approach, combining both digital and physical media. Physical print advertising is still a viable and vital force to get your brand/product/service awareness increased. Let’s look at some reasons why your business should not forego print advertising. In addition, we will look at why print marketing is essential for any successful campaign.
What are Print Advertising and Digital Advertising?
Print advertising is any physical promotional material. Posters, flyers, brochures, or billboards are some stand-alone examples. In addition, any advertisements found in newspapers, magazines or any other physical media would be classed as print advertising.
Digital advertising includes any advertisements accessed with your mobile phone, computer or tablet. It can be, but not limited to, the form of an email, a post on a social media site or any size banners found on any website you visit.
Use Both Channels to Maximise Success
While we are living in the digital age, it would be logical to assume going with a digital marketing campaign would be optimal for success. However, physical printed advertising is still very effective in any campaign. Both forms definitely have their advantages and audience, but a considered, robust campaign should utilise both medias to maximise success.
It’s easy to assume that everyone is online. However, the truth is print remains a powerful force. The key to achieving a highly effective campaign is striking a balance between the two medias.
Print Advertising Is More Trustworthy
In a recent survey of UK consumers’ perceptions of traditional print versus digital advertising, 42% said they trusted print ads when making a purchase. For digital advertising, the figure was only 10% who trusted the digital ads.
With the proliferation of hackers it’s understandable why so many are sceptical. Print advertising has been around as long has print has been around. We accept print as being more genuine and trust what we see. Therefore, this longevity and tradition of trust makes print a continued valuable and powerful form of marketing.
Using Print Advertising to Boost Digital Presence
Even for new companies who may favour staying within the digital world, it may be beneficial to incorporate a print campaign to build brand awareness. By reinforcing your brand message in the world offline you build authenticity and trust. Therefore, you are building a base of valued customers rather than passive “fans”.
An effective way to combine print and digital advertising is to include your website and any social media handles on all of your printed promotional material. Therefore, you make it easy for customers to find your online presence and effectively drive traffic to your website and social channels.
Foster long-term customer habits by thanking one-time buyers for their purchase. Entice additional business by Including business cards or a flyer with a promo code with initial shipments. Take the opportunity to say thanks for the business. Invite them to leave a review or snap a photo of their new purchase and tag you. This is also something you can incentivise with a promo code for a discount, gift or shipping offer.
Customer Data Insights
The main benefit of digital advertising campaigns is that digital offers a wealth of customer data metrics and insights. Everything from location, device, digital path and channel is an excellent resource for businesses to understand their customers’ behaviour and shopping habits. This information is power and having this information can only improve how you do business and market in the future.
However all is not lost in obtaining data on your physical print marketing. There are a couple of ways you can determine what print media is resonating with your customer. Incorporating QR codes into your print advertising for customers to scan to access your website will let you know which media is working for you. Additionally, including a unique promo code for each type of marketing will give insight as to which pieces resonate for future promotions.
When combining digital and physical campaigns, there’s one big design tip to keep in mind. Ensure all your assets, no matter the channel, are aligned in messaging and design. All marketing campaigns should be cohesive but for some reason, they are not always aligned across physical and digital channels. Coordinated campaigns will resonate with customers more and increase the sense of genuineness about it.
Kaizen Print Does Print Advertising
At Kaizen Print, we have a team of experts who can help you with your printing campaigns. We have been helping businesses stand above their competition for over 10 years. If you are in Belfast, Omagh or anywhere throughout Northern Ireland, and have questions about print advertising, get in touch with our team. You can contact us by email via our contact form or by calling 028 9002 2474.
