What’s In Your Print Marketing Strategy?
Is your print marketing strategy on point?
Print continues to be an integral part of any content marketing strategy, giving businesses seemingly endless ways to connect with customers and prospects.
Take a look at our top considerations for using print marketing next year:
Understand Why Print Has Value
Even in the digital age, printed content continues to provide value to businesses and customers alike. In fact, you might even consider it one of the biggest missed opportunities in marketing.
Less Competition
While blog posts, video, and social media are dominating the content marketing landscape, print media is only used by about one out of three businesses. Or, to put it another way, it’s not as commonly used so it offers those who do invest in it a better chance for visibility.
Trustworthy
Consumers still trust print as an honest, dependable source, especially when compared to digital media. The term ‘fake news’ is more than just a political buzzword, and the majority of users question whether they can trust online sources for accurate information.
While just about anyone can post a blog or news piece, print provides a higher barrier to entry, and only the most reputable tend to clear it.
Longer Lasting
As if this weren’t reason enough to invest in print marketing, the shelf life and retention of print tends to last longer than its digital counterparts.
People tend to hang on to printed pieces longer, giving you a chance to extract its value for days, weeks, or even years.
Better Retention
Also, studies show that people tend to comprehend what they read in print better than what they see on a computer screen, giving you a better chance of readers receiving your message the way you intended.
So, what does a winning print marketing strategy look like in action? Use these ideas for inspiration to jumpstart your print venture:
Know Your Target Audience
Results alone aren’t indicative of a successful campaign because you may have sabotaged them before you started. If you don’t know who you’re marketing to with each print campaign, there’s no way to tell if you’ve hit the mark or missed it completely.
Instead, take time to understand who you want to target with each type of print marketing. Keep in mind your target audience may change, depending on the type of campaign you’re doing. For example, you might use postcards to market to current customers, while brochure or catalogs might be better for getting new ones.
Your current customer base provides an excellent place to start. Look at their buying behaviors, preferences, geographic locations, and other elements to gain insight into who is buying from you. This will give you a more educated guess on where to take your next steps.
Build Deeper Connections With Your Customers
We’ve long been told we’re exposed to hundreds of advertisements every day. Even if yours were to somehow end up in the mix, how would it do anything to build loyalty and connections, or even get noticed?
It’s not easy to stand out in the sea of daily advertisements these days. But with so many marketers focusing on digital channels, there’s never been a better time to rev up your print marketing strategy.
Some print options, like direct mail, are easy to personalize to the recipient and can help you build deeper connections with your audience. Tailor it to their interests and needs so that it gives a made-for-you vibe rather than a "mass effect."
Write Clearly and Concisely
Our attention spans are at an all-time low. Most people spend about a second looking at advertisements, so it’s important to make your message clear and to the point. Nobody wants to spend time trying to translate your offer, look for hidden catches, or figure out what you’re trying to sell them.
Rather, less is more. Short messages can be more impactful and effective than longer ones, especially since they have a better chance of being read.
Choose the Best Locations for Your Message
Print gives you tons of options, and it can be hard to narrow the field. Billboards, magazines, newspapers, brochures, and direct mail can all play a role in your content strategy.
But which ones really belong?
The answer is as unique as your business. Not everyone will see the same results from each type of print marketing strategy. Things like billboards and newspapers make it harder to target your efforts because they’re seen by the masses, not just your specific audience.
The easiest ways to target your efforts are by focusing on things like direct mail and niche-specific opportunities (e.g. posters at a trade show) so that you know your message is likely to be seen by the right people.
Timing Is Everything
You might have an attractive offer and creative message, but the timing of them can have a lot to do with your success. Think about when your audience will be seeing your promotion. Are you tying it into a holiday or season? Is your product in higher demand during a certain time of the year?
This is why you see lots of advertisements for home services at the beginning of the year (aka tax season) or major sales at the end of the year (aka the holiday season). Companies time their promotions for when people are most likely to respond, and you should, too!
Learn From Past Mistakes
You may not get it right on your first try, and that’s okay as long as you learn from your mistakes and know how you can improve your results next time. Every print campaign requires some trial and error, so document your progress and use your findings for a better outcome.
Asset Print is one of the few printing companies in Cape Town you trust and can rely on. Reach out to their team of friendly and professional printing experts today!
Article source: https://printingcapetown.wordpress.com/2019/09/29/whats-in-your-print-marketing-strategy/
