Maximising ROI from your printing
Marketers are forever thinking about the next big thing. Yesterday it was all about social media and HTML emails. Now we have VR ecommerce and Google ads that follow you from page to page. With all the online noise, it can be difficult to get your message across. Brilliant marketers know not to forget the tried and tested classics.
Enter print.
#1. Reach a wider print customer base
Direct mail marketing yields, on average, a 13-to-1 return on investment ratio.* It’s easy to see why - it’s tactile, eye-catching and real. Print lets you browse at your leisure or file for future use, meaning your customer can consider your offer when they are ready to purchase.
While many are unwilling to respond to your digital calling, print can add a more effective touch point. Research says that 39% of customers say they try a business for the first time because of direct mail advertising.* Whatever your business, print should form an essential part of your marketing campaigns.
Yes – it’s been around for a while, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t innovations almost every day. If you’re still sending out the same leaflets year-after-year, perhaps it’s time to take a fresh approach. Read on to see how our customers are maximising ROI to stay ahead of the competition.
#2. Track and test to increase conversion & reduce costs
In order to maximise ROI, you need to know how to measure and track success. This lets you keep what’s working and axe what isn’t. Measuring ROI on print might not seem as simple as it is by email - where a decent platform will give you real time analytics – but a few nifty tricks go a long way.
Landing pages - Use special landing pages with specific URLs that only your print recipients can find. This lets you easily monitor visitors who have come to your site directly from your print campaign. Why not install tracking plug-ins to analyse your customers’ online journey. You may find that your print marketing is working fine, but a broken link is letting you down. Not sure how effective this is? 44% of customers visit a brand's website after receiving direct mail marketing.*
Order codes – Perhaps the simplest way to track ROI is to use order codes or discount codes that are specific to your print collateral. When customers place an order – by phone, email or web, this code can then be used to identify how the customer has found and purchased the item.
Pre-paid post – One foolproof method of tracking print orders is to offer prepaid post on your leaflets. This lets customers simply return their orders by post so you can be 100% sure that your direct mail has led to an order.
#3. Engage personally to boost loyalty and retention
You’ll know how it is when the postman brings you something exciting in your name. Because print is tangible it offers an ideal way to show your customers that you really care. Thoughtful direct mail can feel like a gift.
With clean data and modern print technologies (like those we have here at LG Davis) you can post your print gifts at opportune times. Try sending New Year calendars with events they’ll love. Or how about birthday cards with special 24hr-only promotions, and love letters that show gratitude on the anniversary of your business relationship.
You can make these messages even more personal by using customised print technologies that tailor content according to the customer. These days you can do more than just change a few names and details, you can change dynamic content like colour themes and images to reflect your customers’ individual personalities. You might even have multiple types of brochure depending on your customer type, size and industry.
Similarly, educational print newsletters or mini magazines are a great way to inform your customer of new developments.
#4. Improve interaction with innovative design
Print needn’t be flat. Sure, it might not be as interactive as a website and might not gain the same feedback as your latest social media campaign, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t engage with your customers.
Get creative with your print. There are so many new forms of printing for you to experiment with. Think about the paper and the finish. Why not choose a heavy stock that really stands out with your VIP customers. Try a laminated finish or UV ink for to show your flashy side. Or go one step further with unusual cut outs and brochures that fold into interesting shapes.
New print technologies mean you can now have beautiful foil finishes and holographic elements.
Learn to zig while others zag. Simply look at your competitors’ print collateral and think how you can be different. It could be as simple as having a square brochure instead of A4 or A5.
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as receiving an order of brilliant print. Start thinking about your project right now.
*Source: Rochester Institute of Technology
