Those declaring the end of print marketing aren’t in tune with where things are headed.
According to Alliance Business Services, 79% of households say they read or scan direct mail ads. Additionally, for every $167 spent on direct mail, U.S. marketers sell $2,095 in goods. Print marketing is incredibly effective and can perfectly complement all other tactics you’re using to talk to your customers.
The question is not whether print marketing matters. The question is whether you will make it a part of your marketing strategy, and if so, how.
So, let’s explore what this strategy does and how to use it.
What Is Print Marketing?
When marketers mention print marketing, they’re generally referring to printed mail or direct mail.
Direct response ads, magazines, and even books sometimes fall under this category.
In a broader sense, even business cards, posters, pamphlets, and other similar materials could be considered a form of print marketing.
The goal is generally to: a) inform the prospect or customer and b) get them to take action, whether it’s making a phone call, sending an email, going to a personalized landing page, register for a webinar or otherwise.
How Do You Use Print Marketing?
As with any other style of marketing, you can get creative.
Here are several ways in which you might consider making it a part of your strategy:
To Generate Leads
This is essentially cold calling. But let’s say you’re an independent piano teacher looking to pick up a few students for the fall season. You could send direct response ads out to your target community and get them to call you to set up a time for a lesson.
To Nurture Leads
You can use print marketing as part of your marketing funnel to engage your leads. For instance, after they sign up for your email list, let’s say they get another email prompting them to read your most viewed articles or posts. Then, they get a piece of mail asking them to go to a landing page to download an eBook.
The same thing could have been accomplished through email but sending personalized mail can surprise and delight your prospects.
To Get Past Customers to Reactivate
The best source of business is generally existing customers. But some will unsubscribe, leave or find other solutions. Using print marketing to urge them to come back could help you generate more revenue from a source that has been tapped but isn’t tapped out.
To Generate Sales
As you’ve already learned, this strategy can be used at any stage of your marketing funnel. A well-placed print piece could help you convert your leads into customers. A coupon or a limited-time offer could be particularly effective at this stage.
Determine How You’re Going to Incorporate Print
There are so many other ways you could use print marketing to build your business. But it is always a good idea to determine precisely at what stage you’re going to use it to engage your prospects. That will allow you to ensure your print materials connect with your prospects or customers. After all, your goal as a marketer should be to reach the right person with the right message at the right time.
Final Thoughts
There are many ways to reach your leads and customers, whether it’s with social media, email, content or otherwise. Augmenting these tactics with print can give you more options and increase the overall effectiveness of your marketing. This should translate into more revenue for your business, which is one of the most critical aspects of marketing, to begin with.
Are you taking advantage of print marketing? How are you using it to grow your business?
Let us know in the comments below.