Thanks to the advent of the Internet, today’s businesses can draw on multiple complementary advertising methods to reach their target audience. Through social media posts, online ads, and print ads, businesses reach more customers faster and more effectively than ever before.
In fact, according to a USPS study, over 60% of consumers who received direct-mail advertisements were persuaded to visit the advertiser’s website. Similarly, 92% of consumers under the age of 25 reported that direct-mail advertisements influenced their final purchasing decisions.
When you use your digital and print marketing campaigns to complement each other, both you and your target audience members benefit. In our blog below, we’ll tell you more about how printed materials can improve your overall marketing strategy.
4 Ways Print Can Help
When it comes to designing a marketing strategy, print and digital advertisements each play different but crucial roles. In particular, here are four ways printed materials can influence your target audience.
- Print Reaches a Wide Audience
In a recent study, researchers found that 85% of consumers read and sort their mail daily and 40% go to new businesses after receiving direct-mail advertisements. Along those same lines, studies show that print ads generally outperform email ads by 10 to 30 times. If you want to reach the largest possible audience, use both print materials and digital ads to impact more customers.
- Print Guarantees Memorable Products
While people experience an almost constant bombardment of advertisements from the Internet and other digital media sources, they don’t often receive simple, well-crafted print media. When people do get print advertisements, they stand out and make a stronger impression.
In fact, a study by the Advertising Specialty Institute says that 84% of Americans are more likely to remember a company’s name when they receive promotional products with the logo on it.
The ability to see, touch, and feel a piece of marketing creates an experience most people remember. Use printed marketing materials to help your customers or clients remember your business and return after a positive customer experience.
- Print Reinforces Brand Loyalty
As a business owner, you are just as concerned about keeping customers as you are about gaining new customers. Loyal customers help sustain your business and will refer others to your business. Print materials can go a long way towards helping you build a loyal customer base.
Loyalty cards are one way you can use print materials to promote brand loyalty. For example, a milkshake store’s loyalty card might read, “Buy six shakes and get the seventh one free!” Customers are more likely to return when they feel that they can receive a unique benefit that they can’t get anywhere else—and to get that benefit, they’ll take care to carry their loyalty card with them at all times.
Not every business needs loyalty cards, but providing promotions on printed materials is a good way to build loyalty in your customers. Get creative with your printed materials and help your customers feel valued. They’ll reward you with loyalty and increased business.
- Print Generates Sales
Most businesses employ a variety of marketing methods—including television, Internet, and print ads—to help increase business sales. While each advertising method has its unique benefits, print materials still deliver the highest return on investment of all major marketing mediums.
Research done by the Direct Marketing Association found that for every dollar spent on print advertising, a business generates an average of $12.57 in sales. By comparison, online marketing averaged about $11 for every dollar spent. These statistics held true for all industries, which means that no matter what type of business you own, you can benefit from printed marketing materials.
Invest in Printed Marketing Materials
As you consider your annual marketing budget, don’t forget about the power of the printed word. To get an analysis of your business’ printed needs and make a mark with print advertising, contact Flottman Company today.
