Print Marketing Isn’t Dead, So Stop Missing Out
You hear it all the time: print is dead. Everybody tells the horror stories about print’s slow death thanks to the growth of the internet. And marketers are buying into the hype. They’re abandoning print marketing tactics in favor of things like social media marketing and SEO. But they’re doing so at a cost.
The fact is that print marketing isn’t dead. Have things changed? Of course. Is online marketing a cost-effective way to build a business? Absolutely. But that doesn’t mean that you should ignore the potential of offline marketing channels.
Here’s why print marketing isn’t dead:
Print marketing can still get results
Did you know that direct mail was named the No. 1 marketing channel in 2013? It’s true: 88 percent of respondents in a recent survey said they used or plan to use direct mail in their marketing mix. Another study found that direct mail actually had the highest new customer acquisition rate of all channels, with 34 percent of new customers responding to businesses that reached out via direct-mail marketing.
There are plenty of other statistics that support the notion that not only is print marketing alive and well, but it might be the most effective channel of them all.
Print marketing is often more engaging than online marketing
Did you know the average person often leaves a website in about 10 to 20 seconds and only takes time to read about one-quarter of the text on the pages they visit? Truth be told, people just aren’t as engaged by a digital screen, whether it’s a computer, tablet or cellphone, as they are by printed material.
Digital screens just aren’t as easy or as comfortable to read as paper. That’s why people often skim over websites quickly, because they don’t want to put in the time to read it all. With print marketing, you have the opportunity to engage your audience more effectively and thus get better results.
Print marketing stands out more
Online users are bombarded by marketing messages almost nonstop. Whether it’s ads or company updates on Facebook or Twitter, email offers, sponsored search results, banner ads or those pesky pop-up ads, the constant barrage of online ads causes most consumers to tune out because they’re so desensitized to it all.
The good news is that fewer businesses are investing in print marketing right now. As a result, your print ads will stand out more than ever before. The print space is less crowded, so you have a far better chance of getting your message noticed.
Print marketing helps establish your brand
Building a recognizable, trustworthy brand takes time and consistency. It requires regular exposure of your brand to your targeted customers, across multiple channels.
Print marketing gives you another way to solidify your brand’s identity and message. Just make sure all of your marketing is consistent across all channels. Use the same fonts, colors, image schemes and messaging to establish a more recognizable brand.
Print marketing is tangible
There’s something about the ability to hold a print marketing piece in your hand that makes it more real, more engaging and more lasting. The last point is the important one. Print marketing materials can last for years. Newspapers, magazines, brochures, flyers, and sales letters can hang around in someone’s home or office for a long, long time. Compare that to an online ad that vanishes instantly, and it’s clear that this is a major advantage of print marketing.
Print marketing can be integrated with online marketing for even better results
Who says that print and digital can’t play together nicely? A multi-channel, fully integrated marketing campaign that spans across digital and print can be incredibly engaging and successful, providing a great way to bridge the gap between the internet and print. Things such as QR Codes on print materials that lead to special online offers can be very effective at increasing your bottom line and improving your marketing ROI.
Stop buying into the lies. Print isn’t dead. It’s changing, sure, but well done print marketing can still generate a huge return on investment. There’s no reason that your company can’t use print marketing tactics to build your business.
For all your print marketing needs, remember to work with an established print company. A good print company can help ensure your marketing materials are well designed and position your brand in the best possible light.
About the author:
Tom Chu is the SEO Manager at PsPrint, which is an online printing company specializing in brochure and poster printing As well as other similar services. Follow PsPrint on Twitter and Facebook to learn more.
