The rise of the internet age led many of us to assume that print media was going away.
Well, it’s not – in fact, it’s far from obsolete. Millions of people rely heavily on printed content in their everyday life, from newspapers to coupons to cheques and everything in between.
That means it’s very important for anyone working on a marketing campaign to include printed material.
Digital marketing and print? You bet. It’s important for you to understand how to combine both worlds. When done right, it can make a marketing campaign much better and here’s how:
Get in the Mail
At any given moment, there are billions of people using the internet. That’s right, billions. Estimates suggest that on average three billion people are using the internet now.
With all the information that those internet users are sharing, you’d think there’s no longer a place for good old-fashioned mail. However, that’s not the case. Plenty of people around the world still consider mail an important part of their marketing campaigns, and rightly so.
Anything can be sent in the mail, from magazines to brochures to coupons. By sending these, it’ll increase your marketing options while gaining trust among your potential clients. And you’ll be able to connect it to your digital marketing.
So, if mailing isn’t part of your marketing package yet, consider including it. Then you can think of what you might send your customer.
Show Social Media Presence with Print Media
One of the most important platforms for any digital marketing campaign today is social media.
Nearly two billion people use Facebook. That’s a whole lot of potential customers, but what does that have to do with print media?
Print media can be used to draw in more potential customers to your different accounts, from Instagram to Facebook to Snapchat.
There are many ways for you to attract clients to your social media accounts. For instance, one way is to simply include the link to one of your accounts at the bottom of the printed page. Another way is to write directly about one of your accounts in the content of your printed page.
There might be a particular deal that is being promoted through your Facebook account. It would be perfectly acceptable to explicitly draw attention to it in your document.
What’s important for you to remember is to think of social media and print media as connected entities.
You can use print to bring more eyes to the digital side of things. Sometimes you’ll need to be a bit more direct.
Employ a Call to Action
Many customers feel more comfortable reading content they can hold in their hands than information they find online.
You can use that trust to send a message more effectively than through other mechanisms.
A call to action is a soft command for the reader. It alerts them to an action they should take that will be to your benefit.
If you have a sale that is only online, tell your reader to head to the correct URL in your text.
Maybe you’ve renovated your site, and you want your clients to see it. Include that in your print media marketing.
Try adding a call to action to your print media, whether it’s in a magazine, brochure, or postcard.
QR Codes are the Real Deal
QR codes have been hyped up a lot in the marketing world. Some believe they haven’t lived up to it.
But it’s getting easier to use them. Recently, Facebook started making life easier on companies employing QR-code marketing tactics.
They’re sort of a barcode for marketing purposes. You send out a print media package to potential clients, and part of it is a barcode.
If a user scans that barcode with their smartphone, a new browser window will pop open.
That window can contain whatever you want. It could be a new video you’ve added to your YouTube page or a promotion you’re running on social media.
Exactly what opens is totally up to you.
All in all, it’s the most direct connection between digital marketing and print media. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t check to see if it’s working.
Seek Feedback
The marriage of digital marketing with print media is great because it brings your customer closer to you.
It’s not about overwhelming the client, but presenting yourself in a more favourable light.
However, close contact isn’t the only goal. You need them to like what you’re sending them! Print media presents a golden opportunity to get the feedback you need to improve your tactics.
With the customer holding your information literally in their hands, why not ask them a question?
The most obvious way to communicate this question is to slip in a call to action to a survey.
A survey could accompany any other information you present to the customer.
It’s a quick way of asking your client what they like about your marketing, in a way that allows you to adjust your methods.
These online surveys are just one way of asking for feedback.
You can also use your printed material to tell your customers to communicate with you through a certain number or email to give feedback.
Get Printing
Your digital marketing and print media should go hand in hand.
Both can increase the visibility of the other. They each do different, but complementary, things.
With a better understanding of how they work hand in hand, your marketing for your commercial painting company will be more effective than ever.
A quick visit to a trusted print shop can make all the difference in your next round of publicity and promotions.
For more information about print marketing, continue reading the blog. Good luck!
