The king is dead, long live the king!
Don’t let the digital hype fool you, print marketing is as important and effective as it ever has been, you just need to know how to take advantage.
In an age where digital marketing and social media is the main focus for so many businesses, print advertising is a fantastic way to stand out from the crowd, connect with a screen weary customer base, and maximise your business growth.
Soapbox Digital Media specialise in both online and offline marketing (no bias here!) and we have been helping local Glasgow businesses to create impactful and highly effective banners, business cards, flyers, leaflets, posters and so much more for well over a decade.
This is our ultimate guide to print marketing in 2024, including advice on how to find the right print products for your needs and how to combine your print campaigns with your digital channels to create the ultimate marketing combo.
What is Print Marketing?
Print marketing is a promotional strategy that involves targeting a chosen demographic by placing print advertisements in carefully chosen offline locations where they have the best chance of being seen, heard, and engaged with.
It is a broad term that refers to a HUGE variety of different advertising tools, from newspaper ads and newsletters to business cards, leaflets, and even the signs on the side of your office or vehicles.
Done properly, print marketing is an incredibly powerful tool for growing a brand, helping to increase awareness, engaging customers, and boost sales.
Over the past few decades, print marketing has fallen in popularity due to the rise of the internet but in the rush to get online, print marketing has become a forgotten goldmine for those businesses savvy enough to start digging.
Does Print Marketing Really Still Matter in 2024?
Absolutely!
With so many of your competitors moving to an online only marketing strategy, investing some of your marketing budget in printed advertising is one of the smartest business moves you can make.
In days gone by, digital marketing may have been a clever way to stand out, but the tables have well and truly turned and print is now the name of the game if you want to differentiate yourself from your competition.
Research shows that over 80% of consumers trust printed marketing materials over digital ads with over 90% finding them easier to read, and yet so many businesses are completely ignoring the potential of an offline marketing campaign.
Benefits of Print Marketing
- Raises brand awareness and recognition.
- Consumers are FAR more likely to engage with and remember printed advertising than digital.
- Easier to read than digital Ads and deliver higher levels of recall.
- Delivers leads directly to your business.
- Helps differentiates you in a digital marketing world.
- Adds a personal touch your customers will appreciate.
- No Ad blockers to hide a poster or leaflet!
What is the best type of print marketing?
Choosing the best types of print marketing materials for your business depends on your objectives, your target audience, and the product or service that you are looking to promote.
However, as Glasgow’s leading design and print experts, we have quite a bit of experience of both print marketing and digital alternatives.
Here is our list of 5 of the most effective print marketing options for a business in 2024:
Business Cards
A staple of the business world for many many years, a great business card remains essential for any modern brand.
Your name, logo, phone number, email address, website, and social media details all smartly displayed on one pocket-sized piece of card, no single type of print marketing delivers better value for money than the humble business card.
Your best friend at any meeting, event, or exhibition, business cards are the first impression that a potential customer or contact gets of you and your business and will continue to network on your behalf long after you have said your goodbyes.
Leaflets and Flyers
If you have a message you need to pass on to your target audience, there is no faster or more effective way to do so than the mass distribution of leaflets or flyers.
Promotional offers, events, announcements or any other key details that you wish to pass on, folded leaflets give you all the space you need to do so, whilst still being extremely lightweight and easy to distribute.
Direct Mail
Direct mail allows you to target specific demographics and audiences in a way that is simply impossible online (no matter what Google or Facebook may tell you about their Ad tracking analytics!).
You can think of a direct mail campaign as a bit like email marketing in real life with leaflets, postcards, flyers, or catalogues delivered directly through a prospects letter box by the postal service. The difference, however, is that it is much harder to ignore a physical piece of card than it is to delete an email which is why Mailchimp report that the response rate for direct mail is over 5% higher than email marketing.
Brochures
Whilst leaflets and flyers are often used for one off events or promotions, brochures are great for providing more in-depth information about your businesses’ products or services.
Product lists and details such as prices and opening hours are often included in brochures, as well as a little bit about your business itself. A quality brochure will leave a lasting impression in the minds of your target audience and will be the first thing they think of the next time the need for your services arises.
Unlike an email that will swiftly be deleted or fade into history behind a wave of incoming mail, brochures can easily be stored in a kitchen drawer or left on a worktop, acting as a constant reminder of your brand.
Banners
Think bigger, think banners!
Large format, reusable, and extremely durable, a single banner can be used to promote your business in the street, at events, an in busy exhibition halls time and time and time again.
Quite literally raise your brand above the crowd with an eye-catching design that is instantly recognition and conveys the key message about what your company is all about.
Lightweight and flexible, banners can easily be stored, transported, and hung from posts, trees or lampposts in your target area.
Combine print and digital marketing campaigns
By far the most effective form of marketing campaigns include a combination of both print marketing AND digital content.
The importance of print marketing campaign should not be underestimated, but back this up with a strong online presence that customers can easily find when they search the details they have found on your business card or leaflet and you suddenly have an incredibly potent overall marketing strategy.
To combine your print media and digital media marketing efforts, why not include a QR code on your printed materials, linking to an exclusive offer, your website, or your social medias.
Design bespoke print marketing materials with Soapbox Digital Media
If you are going to use print to stand out from the crowd, you may as well do it properly.
The two single most important factors in the effectiveness of any form of print marketing are design and quality of materials.
A tattie looking brochure isn’t doing t thing to improve your company image after all and successful print marketing is all about matching the quality of print products to the quality of your business.
Every single print piece we produce here at Soapbox has been carefully designed by one of our expert graphic design team, working closely with you to ensure all the key information has been included and you are delighted with the final appearance.
There are a huge range of different materials, sizes, and finishes available as well from Spot UV to Matt laminate, silk, gloss, and more. From paperweight to pictures, everything about your print campaign is completely bespoke and tailored to leave a lasting impression.
Unlike other commercial print providers, we print our products right here in our Glasgow print shop, offering a more traditional print marketing experience and a personal touch that can be sadly lacking in the digital world. It also means you can pick up the final products at a time that suits you and there is no risk of the damage that can occur when printed products are delivered via direct mail.
Revolutionise your marketing strategies with Soapbox Digital Media
Soapbox Digital Media are a local marketing agency based in Glasgow City Centre and specialise in combining online and offline marketing methods. We not only have a crack team of graphic designers and printing Glasgow experts in our Eglinton Street print studio but also web designers, digital marketing gurus, and social media specialists.
We pride ourselves on being a one-stop shop for any local Glasgow business looking to revolutionise their marketing strategy and achieve the growth they deserve, and know exactly how to combine print ads and digital marketing tools to make the biggest impact possible and deliver an exceptional ROI every single time.
