Whether it’s digital or in print, your marketing campaign is only as successful as the metrics that generated from your strategy. One of the reasons that digital marketing has become so effective is due to the large amount of tracking points that can be collected. Unfortunately, many marketing teams believe that tracking can only be done with digital campaigns. However, when used correctly, tracking is just as important (if not more) for print marketing campaigns.
Tracking print marketing campaigns can help you determine if your marketing efforts are resulting in leads and profits, as well as what specific parts of your marketing are responsible for those leads.
Below are some ways that your business can start to effectively track your print marketing campaign.
Custom Landing Pages
Setting up a custom landing page provides you with a specific source to direct all your print marketing leads too. You can then track who is seeing and then interacting with your print marketing campaigns. For instance, on a flyer you could instruct a customer to go to a specific web address to take advantage of an offer. The number of customers who visited the page will now appear on your Google Analytics, showing you and proving to your boss that your flyers were a great idea all along.
The custom landing page could then be focused on the specific product/service you are advertising in the flyer, because you know that the users going to that website will have done so after picking up the flyer on the product/service they are interested in. By doing this, you will have created a focused advert incorporating both print and online marketing techniques. Just make sure you keep a log of all the print marketing campaigns and landing pages you create, the last thing you want is to forget which landing page leads to what campaign.
Use Discount Or Benefit Codes
One of the most common methods that companies use to track print marketing campaigns are letter and number codes. Include a code on the advertisement and a call to action for people to visit your website and use the code for a discount or other benefit. You will track how many people used the code and even what they bought with the code if used for a discount. Knowing how many people used the code and what they purchased will give you a good idea of how much return you are getting from the advertisements, so you will determine if and how you should change your method.
Use Google Analytics
Contrary to popular belief, you will use Google Analytics to track your print marketing campaign as well as your digital campaign. Start by marking the date your print advertisement is scheduled to be released. Google Analytics will then compare your website traffic before and after your advertisement. If there is a significant increase, your campaign has been successful. If there is little or no change, you should consider adjusting your marketing strategy
Ask Your Customers
It seems like an obvious strategy, but many print marketing campaigns overlook the simple method of talking to existing customers. Reach out to customers and ask them how they learned about your company and what made them seek you out. Talking to customers will give you information about which parts of your campaign are appealing to people.
Use a custom phone number
Despite the rise of the Internet and email, businesses still rely heavily on the phone to conduct business. Now, however, phone call tracking software lets you create custom phone numbers tied to specific print campaigns or marketing collateral. Then you can track which numbers are generating calls.
For example, you can create one phone number for your printed brochure, and you attach a second one to your magazine ads. You can track which marketing tactic is responsible for your leads, and adjust your spending, based on which performs better. Many phone tracking services also offer call recording, so you can review and qualitatively analyse your phone leads.
