collaborative post // A lot of business owners see print marketing as a thing of the past. Digital marketing is cheaper, faster and more convenient in many cases. However, this doesn’t mean that print has no benefits. Flyers, brochures, direct mail, business cards and billboards all still have their place in 2022. Here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t abandon print marketing.
Print creates a much more lasting impression
Studies suggest that we’re more likely to remember something we’ve read in print than something we’ve read on a screen. This could be because print offers sensorimotor cues that we don’t get from digital texts – the feel of the paper and the action of turning the page help to engage more of the brain, making the experience more memorable.
Print is more trustworthy
One study found that people are generally more trusting of print advertising than other forms of marketing. The amount of fake news, unsolicited spam and clickbait online has led many people to question the legitimacy of adverts we see online.
Print adverts are typically more honest and less intrusive – they don’t interrupt you the same way that a website pop-up or unskippable Youtube advert does, allowing you to engage with them willingly.
Print isn’t as much of a crowded market
Digital advertising is a much more crowded market space than print advertising. We tend to be exposed to much more digital advertising than print advertising each day. In fact, the average person receives over 100 emails every day – many of which are promotional.
The average person may meanwhile only get 1 or 2 physical letters per day on average. Consequently, it’s much easier to cut through the noise with direct mail advertising as opposed to email marketing. The same applies for billboards and posters vs digital display ads.
Print has better response rates
Studies show that customers also tend to respond more frequently to print marketing as opposed to digital marketing. The response rate for email is around 0.6%, while the response rate for print marketing is 5.1%.
While you often have to pay more for a print marketing campaign, you could find that you get more leads. This makes it worth the added expense.
Print can be cheap
The cost of print marketing can put many business owners off, but actually print marketing can be very cheap – especially if you do all your own printing.
There are many sites where you can get great deals on ink for printers. You don’t even have to spend much money on paper. In some cases, you could even spend less on a flyer campaign than an online advertising campaign.
Print can be integrated with digital marketing
Print marketing can still be integrated with your digital marketing to help you generate leads. If customers pay for products or services through your website, or you typically require customers to email you to get started, you can encourage customers to make the next move by printing your website address or email address.
Alternatively, you can print a QR code that leads directly to your website – this can prevent people from having to manually type out your website address. QR codes can be printed on all forms of printed media ranging from business cards to billboards. You can learn more about how to use QR codes in print marketing online.
