Given the obvious success of online strategies like SEO and social media marketing, the decline of print media doesn’t come as a surprise. Yet, is digital everything?
According to Marketing Week, 4% of consumers will view an online ad for longer than 2 seconds. But, 88% of them will view a print ad for longer than 2 seconds. Remember the excitement around Amazon’s Kindle? Since e-book reader sales are in decline, it is safe to say it has died down. A lot of people still prefer the feel of a real book.
A business needs every tool at their disposal if they want to build brand awareness. Your marketing efforts may benefit most from a dual approach. You don’t have to choose one over the other. You can use print media to reclaim wasted opportunities from digital marketing.
Simplicity
According to a Canada Post study, it takes 21% less cognitive effort to process print information, when compared to digital. And, 75% of people who took part in the study were able to recall the brand at a later date after seeing a print ad. Only 44% of people could recall the same info after seeing a digital ad. Print is much easier to absorb.
The Emotional Impact
Parts of the brain responsible for taking in visual information are less responsive to digital ads than print ads. Print leaves a bigger impression due to the personal, emotional bond it can create.
Marketers constantly bombard the average consumer with internet ads. The consumer doesn’t receive simple, well-designed print media so often. So, when the consumer does see a print ad, it will likely stand out and have a more significant impact than any digital ad the consumer has seen that day.
And, 84% of people are more likely to remember the name of a brand when they receive a promo product with the brand’s logo on it. By using print, you can make sure your prospects remember your brand. When we can feel and touch a piece of marketing, we are much more likely to remember it.
Print media appeals to the senses. You can’t find such ads online. Smelling the ink and feeling the paper is a much more human experience. You can make your print ads more effective by making sure they trigger many senses.
Better Engagement
The world moves much faster than before, thanks to the internet. Plenty of us don’t have the time to read full emails and letters. Our messages usually contain no more than 140 characters.
Digital ads are not very engaging. Most of us like to multitask while we surf the web. But, when the consumer is holding a newspaper or magazine, they focus entirely on its content. These days, such length of attention is precious to marketers.
Increased Brand Loyalty
To many businesses, keeping old customers is more important than getting new ones. Customer loyalty can keep your business afloat. Print is an age-old tool used to keep loyal customers happy.
Handing out loyalty cards saying “Buy five items, get one free” is a sure way of keeping customers coming back. Such loyalty cards tell customers they are benefiting by sticking with you. But, it’s important to make such deals time-limited. That way, you’re creating a sense of urgency.
Sure, you can make loyalty programs work online as well. But, again, the emotional element is missing online. When you stamp your customer’s card when they walk into your brick and mortar shop, it provides them with a sense of gladness.
You can use print to create urgency among prospects as well. Coupons and vouchers are a tried and tested way of enticing new customers. This is where you get to blend the two words. You can print special codes on coupons and loyalty cards and track the performance of your campaign by using Google Analytics.
Enhancing e-Commerce
If you order something online, your product may arrive with a catalogue. Catalogues are the everlasting symbol of print media. Since they offer a convenient browsing experience, you can use them to drive online profits.
Customers can even digitally interact with paper catalogues. The mobile shopping app Pounce is the perfect example of that practice.
A catalogue does not have to be fifty pages. A six-page overview of your popular products is enough to pique interest. To test the waters, you can try a limited print run. You can adjust your marketing strategy according to the results.
To create buyer awareness, companies often rely on circulars. When you include famous brands in your circulars, you can leave a lasting effect on your customers. Each time they see their favourite brand, it may remind them of your business.
Direct Mail
Direct mail is powerful since it allows you to target customers as you would online. It offers the best of both worlds. If you like to golf and fish, you may receive mailings on outdoor hobbies. Your neighbour may receive something completely different.
You can deliver messages to a captive audience when you have a powerful targeting tool. Unlike most other printed forms and spam emails, you can pretty much be sure the customer will see their mailing.
But, unlike digital forms, it comes with a personal touch. You can use direct mail to show customers how much you care. Sending birthday cards with exclusive promos tells the customer how much you appreciate their business. And, by implementing customised URLs, you also get to track the performance of your direct mail campaign.
Filling Out the Gaps
Online ads can’t reach prospects in areas with limited connectivity. Printed materials can fill in that deficit. You can use them to reach the audience that prefers “the real thing.” Not everyone has enough patience for smartphones and computers.
The main sources of info for such an audience are magazines, newspapers, and TV. You’ll always have people who don’t want you to email them any “viruses.” But, they’ll gladly take your business card.
Conclusion
Printed materials come with credibility and permanence that you cannot achieve online. Our mind remembers printed images better than digital. You can boost your business by taking advantage of our biological makeup.
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