With today's marketing world becoming so digitally driven, it is easy to think that print itself is no longer relevant. Digital marketing has become a key success factor in marketing strategies, but what about print? Actually, print can go hand and hand with digital marketing to create increasingly stronger and more effective integrated campaigns.
There is no doubt that digital marketing is successful, but an effective campaign can go even one step further with the addition of print. Print can be the driving force behind your digital marketing. It can provide your digital sites with more traffic, raise awareness of your brand, and supply another effective way for more engagement with customers. Print not only helps people recognize your brand, but it also adds memorability and variation to help your marketing campaigns stand out.
When it comes to print marketing, there are many different ways to utilize it. These can include
direct mail,
brochures, and
fliers. For sales purposes, fact sheets,
catalogs, print ads, and
business cards can also be great tools in successful marketing strategies. Another essential form of print marketing is
signage. Each one of these types of print can be a useful aid in reiterating messages you are also communicating through your digital channels. Print adds authenticity which can build loyalty and result in a larger influence on your customer base.
Combining Social Media and Print Marketing
An especially important part of digital marketing includes social media. Social media is essential in marketing. With the whole world having access to digital devices it is a very easy and efficient way to communicate faster with customers, create closer relationships, and boost the engagement on your sites. But print marketing can still work fantastic in combination with social media.
One way print can be effective when it comes to social media is by using
printed materials. Printed pieces allow marketers to include social media handles to steer customers to social media channels. Marketers can place all social media information on
print marketing collateral, so customers know exactly where to find you. You can even boost your social platform followings using print by advertising with exclusive content to gain more attention.
As print and social media go hand in hand, each tool can be used to support the other one. Social media can just as easily boost your print campaigns. There is more to social media than just the likes and follows. You can use your social platforms to create targeted print and direct mail, by doing special giveaways or
promotional items.
Combining Websites, Email, and Print Marketing
Email lists and your personal sites are two more very important parts of your digital marketing strategy. These are places that customers know to go to find out basic information about your products and services. We can also use websites and email to further increase print marketing as well. If you want to really emphasize certain products, use print marketing materials to direct a customer to that service on your website. You can include URLs that link to your website(s) or a QR code that makes it quick and easy for consumers to find the exact page on your website with the click of a button. Use these tools for giveaways, email subscriber lists, or just to promote a product or service.
Leveraging Digital and Print Technology
You may think that the increasing popularity in digital devices and technology has caused us to go completely digital, but it actually gives us ways to combine the digital and print worlds. It is very effective to use integrated print and digital content campaigns because not only do they piggyback off of each other, but they give you even more variation and accessibility to customers. You can start with a tagline on your print materials that will then direct people to your digital accounts.
A more sophisticated example is fully customized print pieces.
Variable data printing allows for differences in text, color, graphics, and text to tailor to a specific recipient. With
personalized print materials, you can use
personal URLs to lead your customer directly to the digital information that suits their interests and needs.
With the latest augmented reality technology, we can combine the digital and physical worlds simply with a mobile device. AR is similar to QR codes in that you can lead a customer to a certain spot on your webpage and it can also prompt the customer to give you a call or send you a quick email.
AR can enhance your printed materials as well. When using AR with print, its benefits include revealing hidden text, photos, and graphics. AR can even cause graphics to be interactive on a screen. It can also be used to launch video or sound effects to strengthen your campaigns. All of that with just a smartphone and a piece of printed paper.
Creating the Most Effective Blended Marketing Campaigns
Certainly when planning your campaigns you want to continue to follow good marketing practices. When combining digital and print marketing, make sure that the information is relevant, up to date, and targeted at your audience. Using the blend of digital marketing and print in your campaign allows for more targeted marketing including customization, digital interactivity, and overall better content. The mixture of these two marketing tactics will without a doubt make your next campaign a hit.
As a reminder, all of your content whether it is digitally or physically shared, should contain a clear call to action. If you do use print to augment your digital campaigns, make sure the directions that lead customers to your digital sites are clear, organized, and precise to make your campaign customer friendly.
Also, do not forget about the importance of
graphic design. You should include graphics, colors, and fonts to ensure your customers recognize your brand as well as keep your content consistent. Pay attention to how you are designing your print materials. They must be interesting and engaging enough that consumers will give their attention to something other than their smartphones. You can use special printing techniques such as foil, embossing, glossy or matte coatings, to increase the attractiveness of your printed materials.
Finally, tracking your campaign is essential to finding out how many people are engaging in your campaigns. Think about how you will measure ROI for both the digital and print marketing strategies. URLS and QR codes can be a great help in seeing who is making use of both your print and digital efforts.
An effective marketing strategy still relies heavily on print. It is just as important today as it has ever been, but due to the increasing use of technology and its many benefits, print will be used in a variety of different ways compared to how it was being utilized just a few years ago. We must take advantage of the benefits of combining these tools as one campaign. Using print in your marketing campaigns is the key to better targeting and increased engagement.
At AlphaGraphics Apple Valley, we provide a full range of
printing services and
signs, including
postcards,
direct mail,
posters,
banners,
stickers,
large prints,
window decals and
wall decals. We have
graphic design experts who can help you develop
marketing materials. We also have resources to help you with digital marketing. To learn more go on our website at
https://www.alphagraphics.com/centers/apple-valley-minnesota-us489.html or call us at 952-953-5522