Thank goodness that you are today, for, in this guideline, you’ll learn about what print marketing entails as well as some of the topmost best ways to increase your print marketing revenue. If you are a business person who works in design, content, SEO, marketing, or link building, you know that print marketing can be an effective way to outreach a target market.
The issue is that you may be unaware of the most effective ways to increase your print marketing revenue. Discover the most effective methods for taking your print marketing campaigns to the next level. Implementing print materials into an advertising strategy is still incredibly relevant and can serve as an effective way to facilitate business relationships.
Especially, between your potential customers and what your businesses have to offer — may it be services, solutions, toolkits, and most important your store products. For your information, a normal human brain needs fewer cognitive resources (around 21%) to process the information in printed material compared to digital. See, this is a score that matters!
But, wait a moment there… What are the main types of print media? Well, for beginner marketers, there are the two most common print media: Newspapers and Magazines are what we most commonly engage with now and then. But, there are many other print media materials — in different types and forms that we’ll mention later on in this guideline.
What A Strategic Print Marketing Plan Basically Entails
Technically, print marketing is a media strategy in which marketers select their target demographic and place print advertisements in places where they will be seen, heard, or engaged offline. Quite often, the best place to outreach them offline is at home, alongside your social media networks, as well as across your friends! But, there’s more to know first.
By all means, through a great print marketing plan, businesses are able to create a target demographic and then send print marketing materials such as magazines, brochures, booklets, pamphlets, direct mail, or postcards right to their target audience member’s mailboxes. There are also these new features from USPS and direct mail digital integration platforms.
Eventually, with other print media applications, businesses can track their print marketing campaigns right down to the per-piece level. With that in mind, to be more precise, some other most common examples of print media include direct mail, books, transit posters, cards, brochures, coupons, yellow pages, outdoor billboards, postcards, product packs, etc.
Thus, it’s very imperative that you/your business marketers utilize at least some of these mediums to enhance the overall brand presence visibility to the general public. as well as to help you create a great reputation presence awareness to your target audience and potential customers. In short, it’s one of those tools you should never miss in your marketing plan.
Why Print Marketing Is Important For Business + Key Benefits
As we aforementioned, print marketing is essential in developing a successful advertising strategy, from brand recognition to customer loyalty. Pamphlets, flyers, postcards, and newsletters are tangible items that catch people’s attention. They give customers real-life visuals of a product or service and directly place a company’s message in their hands.
In addition, it also assists businesses in differentiating themselves from competitors by providing innovative printing formats such as die-cut brochures and custom packaging. Furthermore, the growing importance of environmental sustainability is being linked to print marketing. Print products can be reused and outlast digital campaigns.
As a matter of fact, there’s even a good behavioral science logic study to support this thesis. Whereby, it explains why print marketing is actually better at reaching customers in comparison to other marketing channels. As such, the study found a correlation between customers’ subconscious responses and the three stages of the buying process.
The 3 main stages include the:
- body’s response and emotional reaction to print.
- speed and accuracy with which the brain recalls a print advertisement.
- action (value and desire) taken after viewing the print advertisement.
What’s more, after their most recent study (in 2019), these researchers discovered a variety of key takeaways worth mentioning. They found out that, on one hand, print marketing materials have a greater impact on consumers’ emotions. They spent more time with physical ads than digital ads — where physical ads evoked more emotional responses.
On the other hand, most participants were able to remember more of what was shown in the physical ad than in digital ads — simply because it left a greater lasting impression. Similarly, the subconscious value and demand for items and services in physical formats were higher among participants. Thus, print marketing is still a great medium to advertise.
Clearly, in addition to the sensory aspects, print media is widely considered more credible than digital media. People who subscribe to magazines and newspapers do so for a reason — they believe the information contained in the publication is accurate, and credible and provides them with some benefit. Such ads increase your public brand’s perception.
Obviously, because they associate your brand’s name with the publication’s name. Specifically, there’s a good reason why a majority of businesspeople want to be in Forbes magazine so much. And, one such reason is that it’s an incredibly prestigious magazine. And, the same things apply to Entrepreneur magazine or even the Wall Street Journal as well.
The key benefits of print marketing to your business:
- Print media is physical, thus, it brings the information closer to it’s target audience
- Print publications are thought to be more accurate, and credible with some factual benefits
- With the oversaturation of the digital branding and advertising space, there’s less competition here
- Particularly, Newspapers and Magazines are amazing options for print advertising since a while back
- As a matter of fact, the print media form of advertisements is something that may stick around for years
In addition, it’s also worth mentioning that, in most cases, digital ads are avoided at all costs, most digital ads are never even looked at. And, as such, when given the option, users close or skip the ad as fast as possible. Alike, with the invention of AdBlockers for AdBlocking, it has taken all the glory away — where users will just install an extension to block all ads.
Equally important, it’s also good to mention that ad view times for digital online web are incredibly low online. However, in print media, advertisements stick around for years. Have you ever taken a look at the dates on some of the magazines found in waiting rooms? You can often find magazines over five years old in the piles of magazines and newspapers.
The Topmost Best Ways To Increase Your Printed Sales Revenue
In today’s digital era, both physically printed and other digital branding materials are often overlooked. In fact, a concerning amount of business owners are dismissing print media as “obsolete” and unnecessary. However, the truth is that print media could be the most powerful branding toolkit that most companies (even yours) are missing!
The fact is that with the oversaturation of the digital branding and advertising space, there’s less competition for printed material. Even though digital marketing is simply easier and less costly to do. Google and Facebook track billions of people’s habits and provide tools to create, target, and run ads in minutes — advertisers have enormous data access.
This makes it completely easy to have extreme flexibility and control over who they target their advertisements to. The ease of use and powerful targeting tools of digital advertising leads literally every single business to compete for the top spots on the juicy keywords, and usually, the ones with the most money win those top spots. But, print marketing is less of that.
That said, below are some of the topmost best ways to increase your business revenue in regard to print marketing that you should try in your next strategic marketing plan. Suffice it to say, if you want to increase your print marketing revenue quickly, then you should consider the following strategies as your best starting point for doing things right.
1. Define your target market, a budget, and a plan
Identifying key demographic data such as age, gender, occupation, and income level will help guide your marketing efforts by allowing you to create targeted campaigns that are tailored to the preferences of each segment. Furthermore, knowing your customers’ needs and desires can help you improve your existing business products or even services.
It can also help you in developing new offerings that better meet their needs. But, there are also various important questions to answer upfront before jumping straight in because they will all have an impact on your budget. For instance, if you’re mailing, do you have your own demographic data list or will you need to gain access to one that fits your needs?
Consider the following other basic questions:
- How many pieces do you need printing and is your budget for printing them enough?
- Are you going to be printing while also mailing some of your content as well?
- What’s your deadline and what paper stock do you want to use for your project?
- Keep in mind, are there current paper and manufacturing shortages that may affect your selection?
- Will your print piece need any extra services like saddle-stitch binding, die-cutting, or shrink-wrapping?
At all costs, pick the right print format that works for your brand’s message. Are you a product-driven company? Think catalog. Are you a service-driven company? Think brochure or booklet.
2. Research what print marketing type will convert more
Understanding customer preferences in print marketing can aid in the development of an effective advertising and promotional campaign. Assessing the impact of different materials such as brochures, flyers, or leaflets can help you determine what type of print marketing they respond to best.
Business owners and marketers should be aware of how their customers interact with printed materials, whether they read them in depth or use them for quick reference. When done correctly, research into the type of print marketing that resonates with customers can pay off in the form of successful campaigns or promotions.
Having just business cards to hand out to people increases the chances of them engaging with your brand or services. We follow most people on social media, right? But, we won’t go looking through our followers after a networking event to find those we just met — we’re likely to remember and engage with someone/brand if we have a business card.
3. Create strong headlines and special offers
Writing a strong headline and offer helps to capture the reader’s attention and provides an immediate preview of what they can expect from your content. When creating, consider what will entice readers to continue reading and acting.
A cleverly worded headline combined with an enticing offer creates an irresistible combination that will draw in curious prospects and convert them into customers. If you have difficulties writing them, seek assistance from Trust My Paper’s writing services professionals.
4. Use images and graphics to stand out
Visuals such as photographs, illustrations, or animations are a fun and engaging way to promote products or services. Whilst, allowing you to highlight unique selling points creatively. Engaging images, video content, infographics, etc.
Eventually, all this will help you leave a lasting impression on your customers’ minds while effectively communicating your core message. So, try to use images and graphics to make your advert stand out. Remember that you would want the consumer to see the need of having the print materials right in front of them.
Whilst, bringing a psychological understanding of “realness” that you would not get with digital media. Handling a physical object has an element of sensory input. It’s something your brain remembers much more vividly than else.
5. Keep your main ad copy short and precise
Short and to-the-point ad copy is the best way to ensure that your message resonates with consumers. By honing in on the crux of what you are trying to communicate, you retain customers’ attention, maintain their interest, and help guide them along their purchase journey.
Keeping ad copy concise will provide the clarity necessary to captivate your audience and drive action. If you have difficulties expressing your ideas as concisely as possible while retaining the main idea, visit the writing services professionals of Best Essays Education for assistance.
6. Make sure the printing firm uses quality paper and ink
Moving on, to create an attractive message, incentive ads, and graphics design, make sure your printing company uses quality paper and ink. Quality paper and ink can be critical to producing effective results with your printing project. To ensure that you are receiving the highest quality services possible, you should select experienced, reputable companies.
A printing agency that guarantees reliable material for all of your prints. Investing in high-quality materials can help you save money in the long run by reducing production time. Not to mention, you can reach out to a trusted referral or friend to handle it all — that’s if a commercial print provider is expensive — to finalize, print, and mail your print campaign.
Always remember, that your commercial print marketing solution services provider should be able to provide you with a quote estimate and quality service. To help your business bring its print vision to life. A commercial print provider will also be able to help answer any questions before, during, and after your print campaign has started — just reach out with specs!
7. Work on your colors and typography
In this case, you should try to use different colors, fonts, and font sizes in your print media materials. Using a variety of colors, fonts, and font sizes in your printed materials is an excellent way to make the information you present more digestible. Whilst, highlighting key points and creating visual connections between them with color differentiation.
Overall, this can greatly help to clarify and improve the reader’s experience. Introducing variety in typefaces can add interest and hold attention while ensuring legibility. When it comes to font sizes, all texts should be comfortably readable, but varying point sizes when creating a hierarchy can make it easier to scan content.
8. Incorporate QR codes in your printed materials
Generally speaking, using a QR Code Generator for custom codes makes it easier than ever to get potential customers to your business’s website. By incorporating these handy codes into printed materials such as leaflets, posters, and product packaging, you are creating a seamless experience for consumers by bridging the online world and the offline world.
Once scanned, the QR code can direct customers either to a website with more information or a landing page with a call-to-action button. Utilizing this technology can enable businesses to reach millions of consumers quickly and efficiently.
9. Try to utilize die-cuts or unique shapes as well
Essentially, in order to make your prints even more creative and memorable, you should also try to utilize die-cuts or unique shapes. One thing is for sure, using unique shapes or die-cuts in your prints is a great way to ensure that your message stands out and resonates with viewers. Die-cutting adds a dynamic, interesting element that will draw attention.
And also, as a result, it will help to elicit emotion in the recipient of your print. It not only looks nice, but it also conveys a sense of quality and prestige, making it ideal for business correspondence or other important documents.
10. Strategically place Call-To-Actions (CTAs) + some custom labels
Be strategic about where you place your Call-To-Action (CTA) in your ad design for print marketing. Incorporating calls-to-action (CTAs) into printed materials can be a great way to increase customer engagement and drive sales. To increase the likelihood of being read, they must be strategically placed with specific elements, like eye-catching colors.
And anything else that can help make the CTA more visible without detracting from the rest of your message. Customized labels help distinguish your product from the crowd. And, if you want to impress them, try themed packaging with clever designs that tie into your overall marketing campaign. Keep in mind, even tiny details can make a big difference.
11. Do some testing and be creative in packaging your printed materials
Before we sum things up, it’s also very important that you test different versions of your adverts before you commit to the one that best beats them all. Successful ads necessitate testing to determine which version resonates best with your target audience. You can continuously refine and improve your ad by re-evaluating and comparing versions of it over time.
At the same token, it’s also very important that you also get creative with the way you’ll be packaging your printouts — that’s, especially, if you are mailing items — like brochures or postcards. So, if you want to make an impression when mailing printed materials to potential customers, why not get creative with the packaging? Coupled with all the other tips?
The act of physically interacting with the paper of a book stimulates the memory section of your brain more than a screen can. This can give you an edge over the competition, even if they have a digital advertising budget much larger than yours. With the right package printing materials for print marketing, you will have an advantage over your competitors.
12. Try to have a mix of print marketing channels
While print media is an amazing tool, it works best when it’s mixed in several advertising and marketing mediums. The best campaigns provide a healthy mix of print media advertising, digital advertising, and even other mediums, such as television ads or even radio ads. For instance, magazines are an amazing option for print advertising.
Even with the advent of digital media, magazines have barely seen any decrease in readership over the past eight years. The fact is that they are often read by a very niche, predictable audience. Meaning, that you’ll get a higher Return On Investment (ROI) from magazine ads than digital ads — that’s if you choose a magazine for the right target audience.
So, whatever your end goal is, try having a mix of different types of print media materials — that’s if cost is not a problem — before you can roll down your business marketing campaigns. And then, thereafter, utilize the best materials in your next marketing plan. You’ll have gathered more data and statics from the previous marketing campaigns to lead the right way.
In Conclusion:
Although there is less sensory experience, the building of credibility, high exposure, less competition, longevity, and the like as the main print marketing pros, there are also a few cons to mention. As an example, we can think of high buy-in prices, they can take a minute (weeks) to appear, are not readily editable, have no fine-tuned audience targeting, etc.
But, overall, print marketing can be a great way to reach your target market. When creating your next print ad, keep the strategies highlighted above in mind to be able to increase your print marketing efforts’ efficiency and boost sales. Remember to focus on your target market, use strong visuals, and make sure your headlines sound attention-grabbing.
Online, everyone does all they can to avoid ads. There are countless adblocker plugins for every web browser that exists. There’s a high chance that you have one installed right now! In 2020, an estimated 42.7% of all internet users had an ad block plugin installed. However, in print media, advertisements are part of the culture — they are an expectation.
About The Author:
Kristen Bray is a professional writer and blogger who mainly covers topics such as business blogging, digital online marketing, and self-education. In her free time, she practices yoga and also travels. That said, in case of any quick touch, you can shoot her an email to have a one-on-one. We hope that you enjoyed reading this blog, thanks for visiting!
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