We’re glued to our mobiles, scrolling away throughout the day. This might make it seem like digital channels have completely usurped more traditional, old-school marketing methods, and it’s true that social media and online materials dominate the marketing landscape. But writing off printed materials would be a foolhardy move for any markerte, even if 2024 is full of interactive content, viral videos, emerging social media platforms and all that. But the fact is that printed media still has a vital role to play in any marketing campaign — it adds a physical presence to a product or brand, something that can’t be scrolled past in a split second.
And many existing and potential customers of certain demographics can relate more to printed materials than to content on their computers or mobile devices — somehow holding an object, be it a brochure, flyer, or business card, has a more tangible effect and can lend an air of personalisation to any marketing campaign strategy.
Something tactile
Another reason print isn’t going away anytime soon is the fact that clients and customers respond to objects more than pixels, even as we reach the mid 2020s. Sometimes simply a well designed or creative business card can serve as a powerful marketing tool. Leaflets, flyers and postcards should be printed professionally with high quality materials after all — remember, the quality of your physical marketing says a lot about your brand.
It’s also easy to carry material around to you, meaning you can spread your brand’s message wherever you are, be it a business meeting or trade conference, or even something less formal, and potential customers will remember you.
Appeal of printed materials
Printed materials are still appealing, and can be especially so to more senior members of your demographic. Older people often trust something tactile, with copy to read, rather than ‘click here’ messages or other CTAs on their phones. Items through the post can have greater impact in the era of email and social media - when was the last time you got anything other than an electricity bill in the mail?
Studies show that millennials still read messages on printed materials, often more than on their phones, and the power of clear, succinct and engaging copy is one that will never go away, regardless of marketing delivery channels..
The power of words
Copy matters. We mentioned that many people will read all the copy on an item through the mail - this makes your choice of words vitally important to your campaign. Whether you’ve chosen to create a postcard with a short message or produce a flyer outlining in greater detail your product or service, review the words carefully - this is you selling your brand, after all.
Put yourself in your customer's shoes - what do they want? What do they need? Why are you the best choice to solve their problems? Crisp, informative copy does a lot of the work for you and is shown to produce a high conversion rate.
Customer engagement
The average viewing time for a piece of digital content is in the seconds. We are bombarded with so many videos, images, gifs, text messages and soundbites every minute we are using the internet that the impact of them has considerably lessened. Much digital marketing is more of an annoyance than anything else, even more targeted and personalised content can mean heavy repetition of ads across social media channels.
A brochure, flyer, or postcard is more likely to be placed in a pocket or bag than a trash can (or recycling bin, preferably), and read later.
Control Placement
Printed media allows you to place your marketing materials exactly where you want them - which means where you will find the most engagement. Materials can also be placed directly into the hands of potential customers at trade shows. If you’re using billboard advertising it can be positioned just as you want it, for maximum visibility. You’ll also have peace of mind that you have applied your own standards of quality control.
So even in the futuristic days of digital marketing dominating the world, there is still a place for traditional print marketing in 2024. Not just a place, but used in conjunction with your digital channels, print can make up an important part of your overall campaign and strategy.
