How can you use print marketing to complement your digital marketing efforts?

1 The benefits of print marketing

Print marketing can offer several advantages over digital marketing that can help you stand out from the competition and build trust with your audience. For instance, print materials create a tangible and memorable impression, as people are more likely to remember and engage with something they can touch and feel. Moreover, print marketing can enhance your brand identity and credibility by showcasing your logo, colors, fonts, and images in a consistent and professional way. Additionally, it can reach a wider and more diverse audience than digital marketing, including those who are not online, prefer reading print materials, or are in specific locations or niches.

2 The types of print marketing

Print marketing can be a great complement to digital marketing, depending on your goals, budget, and target market. Business cards are essential for networking and making a lasting impression on potential clients. Brochures and flyers are great for showcasing products, services, or offers in an attractive way. Magazines and newsletters are ideal for building relationships and loyalty with existing customers or subscribers. You can include your website, social media, or QR code on business cards; add a call to action or coupon code to flyers; and share valuable content with magazines and newsletters that relate to your brand and audience's needs. All of these tools can help drive traffic online by including links or QR codes to direct them to your website or landing page.

3 The best practices of print marketing

In order to maximize the impact of your print marketing, you must adhere to certain best practices that will ensure your materials are pertinent, effective, and in line with your digital marketing. To begin with, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of your target market, including their preferences, pain points, and behavior. This will enable you to design print materials that are tailored to their needs and expectations. Additionally, it is important to be judicious about what you print and how much you print. You should also utilize high-quality materials such as paper, ink, and design that accurately represent your brand and value proposition. Finally, tracking and measuring your results is key; there are various tools like QR codes, coupon codes, landing pages, surveys, analytics, etc. that can help you measure the effectiveness of your print marketing.

4 The examples of print marketing

To inspire you, here are some examples of how print marketing can complement digital marketing: IKEA uses its famous catalog to showcase its products in a creative and engaging way, which includes QR codes that link to its website, app, or online videos, and augmented reality features. Spotify uses billboards and posters to display witty and personalized messages based on user data and listening habits. Meanwhile, Airbnb utilizes magazines and newsletters to provide valuable and inspiring content for its hosts and guests, including links and QR codes that direct customers to its website, blog, or social media.

5 The challenges of print marketing

Print marketing can be a challenge, and it's important to be aware of the potential pitfalls. Cost and ROI are key considerations, as print marketing can be expensive and you need to calculate the return on your investment. The environmental impact is also a factor, as print marketing can have a negative effect if you use non-recyclable materials or print more than needed. Additionally, integrating and coordinating print marketing with digital marketing can be difficult. You must ensure that your message, tone, style, and design are consistent across channels.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?