Traditional Print V's Digital Marketing
With fast evolving digital marketing techniques and the growth of online marketing it’s easy to forget about the importance of traditional marketing in your business.
In fact, we’d go as far as to say that it’s absolutely crucial to utilise traditional print in a marketing world dominated by digital. Why?
Because you’ll stand out from the crowd!
It appears to be losing its popularity, but traditional marketing has a history of high success rates and reaches the customer in ways that digital marketing cannot. A well thought out piece of print that lands on your prospects desk is far more effective than relying on them finding you on a digital platform.
Exceptional marketers combine traditional and digital methods allowing you to access a wide audience and engage with them across multiple networks.
But, let’s have a look at a few reasons why traditional print is still a valuable asset:
It’s a tangible piece of ‘touchy feely’ marketing collateral that cuts through the usual online clutter
It’s easy for everyone to understand - printed material communicating an offer to the customer is easy to understand and demonstrates a clear call to action
It grabs the attention of the customer often through its compelling design which invites them to read the material
By using traditional methods, it allows a business to reach those customers who are not online savvy
Print marketing is more personal, your prospects can keep the material and look over it multiple times. It makes them feel more valued and the information gets absorbed more than online content
There’s less chance of your prospect sneaking a look at your competitors which they’re likely to do online
It builds customer rapport, with the print being delivered directly to the consumer it makes them feel valued. Along with using professional, visually engaging material this builds the credibility and reputation of a brand
It encourages a brand to showcase its creativity. Print can be interactive, a folding business card or a 3D leaflet for example can grab the attention of potential customers. Material exhibiting an interesting design is going to capture the consumers attention for longer.
Driving our customers from Off-line Marketing to On-line Marketing
Research shows that 37% of consumers that receive print marketing search for more information about the business online. Not only does the customer have a physical copy of the marketing material that they can keep but they can also access the company’s website allowing them to engage with the brand across multiple channels.
Content marketing is now a popular aspect of online marketing, which can also work by Brands releasing their content in printed magazines. While this can be a relatively expensive approach, it is leading to a boost of online visitors and an influx in traffic across numerous channels. So, where can you place your content off-line to drive more visitors on-line? Look at trade magazines etc.
Hashtags
A prime example of pairing traditional and digital marketing is businesses using hashtags on their print. This approach makes the print interactive for the customer and allows them to engage with the brand online with many companies inviting customers to share an experience or enter a competition using a hashtag from their printed material.
QR Codes
Using QR (Quick Response) codes on print and packaging allows people to quickly find out more about you. The customer scans the code with their phone which leads them to a new resource such as a websites or app. With consumers now having the ability to directly engage with a brand online, print that allows the customer to find them online is very effective.
So, although we’ve recalled the values of traditional marketing, it’s the power of using it in tandem with digital platforms that will boost your sales figures.
If you want to find out more about how traditional print will help your business and what sort of marketing collateral you should be sending out give us a call on 0121 430 9000.
