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It might be the digital age, but print media can still be an effective tool for marketing your brand. There are a lot of different ways to get your message and branding out there, and print media should be part of that mix for any business that wants to widen the scope of the people it reaches. Just like with digital marketing, using print media doesn’t have be made completely on your own. Using a quality Denver commercial printer can help you get the right materials to reach the right demographic.
Taking the time to understand the process can also help guide you to create more impactful print media. From the design to the message, print marketing has to make a quick impression in today’s fast moving world. You not only want your printed materials to grab your audience’s attention, but you also need them to be impactful enough to get that audience to look up from their phones. That can be a tall order with a society immersed in their devices, but here are some tips to get your target audience to look at you in a different light.
Different Types of Print Media
There is a wide variety of print media that can be used to get your message across. While some people will immediately think of newspapers and magazines as print media, don’t forget about things like flyers, brochures, pamphlets, or even posters and billboards. Each of them can be used to target different types of audiences, but all of them can be effective if crafted properly. Understanding your target demographic is imperative, and your printer can help you come up with some design ideas to go along with the proper medium.
Thanks to the internet, newspapers might not have the reach that they used to, but they can be good for reaching a broad audience. Magazines are typically ideal for reaching niche markets with targeted content. However, both of those may have in-house advertising teams that could impact your final advertisement. You’ll have more control over the design of things like brochures and posters – which are both very effective for delivering detailed information to a local market. Posters and billboards have high visibility, and brochures can quickly reach a large number of people, as well.
Compelling Content & Design
If a piece of print media isn’t engaging, it might not be worth the paper it’s printed on. This comes down to crafting solid, relevant content and combining it with impactful design. From the content side, headlines have to be catchy to grab attention, while the rest of the content must have clear messaging that’s consistent with your brand’s values and identity. Adding high-quality visuals will enhance the visual appeal of the piece while also bolstering the message. These should all lead to a clear call to action that encourages immediate response or engagement.
When creating the overall design, make sure to be consistent. Your branding should have its own colors, fonts, and logos, and those items should be used consistently throughout all of your marketing and advertising. Brand consistency is one of the most important things across all marketing, but the look also has to be pristine. Clean and professional layout will ensure readability and help with visual appeal. Be sure to use high-quality paper and printing services. When making an impression with print materials, it’s really easy for your target audience to recognize cheap materials. They won’t hold up as well, either, so taking the extra step to get high-quality materials is an important step.
Create a Clear Call to Action
There is a specific purpose behind every advertising campaign, and your print media and marketing need to shout this goal from the rooftops. You want your message to be delivered without confusion, so that your audience will be able to process the message quickly and efficiently. It can take some time to craft these properly, so be sure to use the resources at your disposal. An experienced Denver commercial printer should be able to help you align your message with the medium. This is arguably the most crucial aspect of reaching your audience and getting the marketing to be successful.
Not all of these goals are going to be directly dealing with you making sales. Maybe your company is overhauling its brand, or opening a new location. These things also need to be apparent, delivering a clear call to action for those you’re trying to reach. Whatever your main directive is, the print media has to be created accordingly. Getting the right design will help frame this call to action so that there isn’t any confusion as to the message you’re trying to get across.
Memorable Brand Awareness
There have been multiple studies done that show that advertisements and marketing done on print media outperform their digital counterparts. It’s easier for your brain to absorb the content on print advertising, as the tangible, physical interaction with the medium sticks with us longer. Think about it: When most people see an ad pop up from a website or on social media, the first thing they look for is the button to click out of it. Print media doesn’t have that luxury, allowing for the marketing and advertising to stay with the audience longer.
Digital ads may reach a larger audience, but print media allows you to target a direct demographic within your audience. If you customize items like pamphlets, brochures, and posters – and put them in the right traffic areas – you can get a greater response from your target audience. You can also collaborate with other businesses or media outlets to create co-branded campaigns for a wider reach. Print media is also much more effective than digital when distributing materials at relevant events like trade shows and other events. This can maximize exposure to the right audience, instead of trying to splash a digital campaign that may or may not land in front of the eyes of the right people.
Track Effectiveness of Print Campaigns
It’s much easier to track the impact of digital marketing campaigns, as there are multiple software programs built to do exactly that. However, it’s not impossible to get the same information from your print media marketing campaigns. You can use unique QR codes, web addresses, or even coupons to track and measure your return on investment. These special codes or URLs are typically lead to unique landing pages that can easily be tracked through Google analytics. Vouchers or coupons for discounts are perfect for tracking this, as you’ll know how many marketing items were sent out, and how many were used.
You can also gather important feedback from customers and clients that ask about the effectiveness of the campaign. This can give you valuable insight from the exact audience you’re trying to reach, which can help improve the impact of future campaigns. It’s also important to understand how the print marketing is doing alongside your digital marketing campaigns. Analyze your sales data to correlate how these campaigns are working together to get a better idea of how to improve each.
Integrate With Digital Marketing
If you’re using QR codes or are redirecting to unique websites, be sure to include those in your digital marketing, as well. This cross-promotion can create a very good balance between both worlds, and can bolster the impact of both digital and print marketing campaigns. Advertising and marketing is about providing value to your clients and customers, and being present on a variety of different platforms will help keep you relevant and at the top of mind. Every time you’re advertising a service, it’s delivering the potential to help your target audience.
Working both sides of the coin when it comes to digital and print can have an overwhelming impact. If done correctly, it can get you in front of the right customers – whether they spend all day on their smartphone or not. This gives insight into a larger customer base, and can help you learn more from the data. Use the insights from both tracking and feedback – from both print and digital – to help you refine your strategy. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different designs on both platforms, to see what part of your branding reaches the most people. Be sure to stay current. Keeping up with industry trends will also help you adapt your marketing strategy on both sides so you can reach the optimal number of potential clients.
Marketing is tricky, but it’s mainly about grabbing the most attention. While many people can’t live without their smartphone in their hands, there’s still a huge demographic out there that can be impacted by print marketing. Print media has been a successful way to market items for centuries, and it is still effective now. It just has to be done properly. For more information on how print media can help boost your brand awareness, reach out to the experts at Cottrell Printing today.