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Learn how to use print as a cross media marketing tool. Link the real and digital worlds for profit…

Understanding how brand awareness works in the digital age necessitates a hard look at the force of printed media. Consumers today are more likely today to learn about new brands. Services and products from print media rather than just relying on digital ads or social media alone. Cross media marketing strategies using print and digital together are vital to effectively reaching your target audience. We will show to you 6 Easy Ways to Plug into Printing and Drive Digital Traffic with Cross Media Marketing.

Studies show that very active smartphone users (those doing 6 or more activities per day on mobile phones) are reading more print materials than any of the other groups (smartphone or regular phone owners).  Print advertising has proven to drive consumers to shop online. A study by the Direct Marketing Association reveals that 78% of them react to direct mail immediately. With 44% visiting the brand’s website and 34% searching online for additional product information.

Why Print Works!

The vitality of printed media as a staple in the modern marketing mix. Even as online and mobile use continues its inevitable growth creates a situation where “old becomes new again”. As a market so digitally flooded revitalized with print. Indeed, one of our earliest forms of communication has gained steam and evolved so that today. Printed media is an integral means of reaching and enticing consumers to get online and pursue other platforms that brands have to offer. The printing industry has shown no decline in the area of modern technology. Effectively employing innovative technologies such as PURLs, QR Codes and augmented reality. As a way to connect the real and digital realms together and allow businesses to thrive as a result.

Global managing consultant firm K. Salmon showed that print catalogs directly boost online sales by increasing “purchasing intent.” 58% of online consumers surveyed said that browsing catalogs for ideas.  31% keep a retailer’s printed catalog handy when they go to make purchases online. Thus increasing the average order size (as compared to internet-only customer shopping) by 12.5%. 

Yet another study, this one by Exact Target. Discovered that 65% of consumers surveyed have been directly influenced. They purchased an item or service thanks to a direct mail piece. Creating a connection to customers using print as it has been studied. Almost 90% of business executives prefers visiting online sources of information that is tied to print publications. A survey of 3,500 consumers discovered that when examining print and digital magazine platforms. Printed ads were more likely than digital ads to inspire a purchase. Either from a brick and mortar store or online. It might not be a shock that digital channels are likely to trigger online searches for information about products and services. It turns out that an impressive 57% of respondents say that the printed media led them to visit online.

6 Ways to Use Print to Create Online Buzz and Increase Website Traffic Using Cross Media Marketing

1. Use print to tease consumers with sneak peaks of products and services: Expertly designed and customized printed collateral produced by the highest quality production team that the business services industry has to offer can be used to entice consumers to visit you online for a bigger picture of products and services.  Using the interactivity of the web with videos and product demonstrations. With the proven success of printed media to get them there. Customers have a fully-rounded experience with your brand when you get them involved with it.  This kind of early engagement bonds potential clients with brands and leads to the budding of business relationships because the more involved you can get folks to be. The more likely they are to make a purchase or use services. 
2. Make them want to respond by giving them a strong offer: Using a postcard, a flyer or even a business card with a valuable offer like a seminar, white paper, coupons, samples or a free trial is more than just a run-of-the-mill request to visit your website. Give them something they want. Not just something you want them to see and they will storm your way online to find it.  Remember that direct mail leads 76% of online consumers to buy a service or a product online. It remains the one medium of many that connects your brand to nearly everyone in your target market. With reliable access and results measured and adjusted.  
3. Short, easy URLs and PURLs for the win: The shorter and easier to spell, the more traffic it will likely generate to your page.  Creating a separate domain exclusively for a promotion allows the URL to be much shorter. And if you want the landing page on your site. Redirect from the unique URL to your page.  Personalized URLs or PURLs have the power of using an individual’s name to get attention. It can be combined with personalized teasers, subheads and copy to encourage engagement. The proper balance of personalization in all printed collateral must be considered during a design consultation with professionals to have just the right balance to be effective. PURLs should be easy to type and they will provide a tight integration of the direct mail piece and the landing page for easy tracking.
4. Build a unique landing page: It may be too easy to get lost on a homepage with all of its choices, so creating a perfect landing page and driving prospects to the specific message intended for them as crafted during a consultation with a marketing specialist. Helps ensure they will be properly engaged as well.
5. Have a call to action that creates urgency! People are more likely to respond when they are given specific instructions with a deadline for that sense of urgency.  A flyer or mailer that is imprinted with a website might also have a 20% off coupon code. Whatever is being offered should have a deadline date clearly stated near the call to action.
6. Printing Industry Growth = Options.  Test and use them! Yes, one can find success using postcards to drive web traffic. Additionally there is a whole world of printed collateral to review and all of them can have a monumental effect of driving valuable traffic online for further interaction and future sales. There are no complaints when branded promotional items are distributed and there is every reason to include a web address on every one. Partner with a marketing specialist within the business service industry and test the numerous formats that begin at self-mailers, flyers and envelope packages. Testing must be considered part of the journey of developing and maintaining a marketing strategy. Using a variety of printed items as part of the campaign is a wise and proven way to push traffic online, engage with new clients and build trust with your customer base.

Cross Media Marketing Recap: Remember to Integrate Your Marketing on EVERYTHING!

Research that investigates the influence of offline channels on online search revealed that nearly 70% of the online search population is driven online by offline channels and of them, 30% come directly from printed methods of advertisement.  What is even more significant is the fact that print marketing led the list of offline media sources that led to an actual purchase, with about 30% of Internet users searching and purchasing online as a result of a print medium. 

Ultimately, business owners need to acknowledge that they are welcoming a wasteful decline in sales as well as web traffic if they are not using print media to its full effect. Web traffic is fed by print and so is future business. Successful marketing campaigns integrate the highest quality printed items and take full advantage of the ways that online channels representing their brands can be featured.

Contact Minuteman Press Burnaby and let us help you with your marketing strategy. 

Direct mail it Isn’t Dead! It is a marketing strategy that involves sending a physical letter, package, mailer, brochure, postcard, etc. to your prospects and/or current customers. It’s used in both B2C and B2B selling. Some of the most common forms of direct mail are: 

• Brochures
• Letters
• Flyers
• Newsletters
• Catalogs
• Postcards
• Coupon Envelopes
• Packages

In a digital world direct mail seems old and boring but direct mail is still a great way to reach your audience. Grab their attention and connect with them on a personal level.

The data & marketing association reported that the direct mail customer response rate increased by 43%. Even better, the prospect response rate increased by 190% compared to 2015. 

Many specialists cannot believe it, but the data collected is undeniable. Direct mail is effective, and using it is a game-changer for a serious company. We will share some reasons why:

• Direct mail has a high ROI

Would you be surprised if I said that direct mail gives you more visibility for your business than paid search and online display ads?

Well, it does. As you can see in the graphic above. Direct mail has a media ROI of 29%, putting the ROI in third behind email and social media marketing in terms of ROI. Perhaps you do not find this result very high, but when you consider that paid search has a ROI of 23% and online display at 16%, that number looks much more attractive. 

• Direct mail works great with a digital marketing strategy

The best marketing strategies make use of more than one communication channel. Smart marketers won’t just launch a Facebook campaign and call it a day. They will consider paid search ads, search engine optimization and also printing marketing materials to increase their sales and traffic. 

Combining direct mail with savvy digital-marketing techniques increases the personability of the message you’re sending. When you give people something to do with your direct mail, such as watching a video, taking a selfie, or spending $20, few people resist the urge to participate.

• Direct mail is easier to target than you might think

Targeting your audience on online ads is really easy. What about sending the right message through direct mail? Is it possible to target your ideal client there? The answer is yes, you can. 

Using Canada Post services you can choose to send your mail to different customers in different areas. Start by entering your city and state or zip code then you can select zip codes near your location. 

The toll will show you the number of residents, number of businesses, age range, average household size, and average household income of that zone. As long as you already know who your target audience is, the direct mail campaign can be highly specific. 

• Minuteman Press Burnaby can help you!

We can help you to target your audience: age, sex, location, income, etc.  Maximize your exposure,create your marketing plan and design it for you! 

Conclusion:

Direct Mail it Isn’t Dead! The expansion of digital marketing has only enhanced the return on investment for direct mail campaigns. Direct mail is becoming less common, there is less noise. You can capture the undivided attention of your customers with its romantic appeal.

Unlike digital campaigns, direct mail has a larger appeal to every age group. Since direct mail is a physical product, it allows room for creativity. Thus it can appeal to more senses, leaving a lasting and memorable impact on your customer. In the end, direct mail is powerful because it’s different from the digital way of doing things.

The best direct mail ideas are always those that are most relevant to your business. Consider your overall strategy and goals, and if the benefits appeal to you, give it a try. 

3 Reasons Why: The Printing Industry is as Powerful and Effective. As Ever in Marketing Your Business and Establishing Brand Awareness

The idea that print is dead or dying has been floating around for years. And yet here we are today with the modern printing industry alive and thriving. In today’s marketing landscape, digital fatigue has set in, with one in five people surveyed needing “digital detox” and 70% of people admitting they are reducing their consumption of digital media.

Meanwhile, 70% of people are more likely to remember a brand that they see in print vs. online advertising. Customers trust printing more than online platforms, with social media lagging behind.

Here are three reasons why the modern printing industry remains strong. And how you can use print to market your business and establish brand awareness.

1. Direct Mail connects your brand with recipients in a way that sparks action. According to the latest DMA Direct Mail Response Rate Report, the average response rate for direct mail is 9% for house lists and 5% for prospect lists. Compare that with email hovering around 0.12% and you can see why direct mail is a popular marketing channel for businesses who are looking to grow their brands.

DID YOU KNOW? 70% of people surveyed say that receiving mail is more personal than the Internet. And 73% of consumers say they prefer direct mail for brand communication because they can read it at their convenience.

2. The Modern Printing Industryincorporates cost-effective full-color digital printing and large format printing that strengthens brand awareness and trust. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 89% of B2B Marketers say brand awareness is their most important goal. Printing helps achieve that goal because it is a tangible product that people can touch, feel, and trust. In fact, Marketingsherpa reports that 82% of Internet users say they trust print ads when making purchasing decisions, making print media the most trusted form of advertising.

Digital printing and wide format printing innovations make it easier than ever for businesses to use print to their advantage. Color is also a huge factor in promoting your brand and making a lasting impression on customers. Color Matters indicates that a signature color or design boosts brand recognition by 80%.  So it is important for brands to show their true colors across all channels and touchpoints.

DID YOU KNOW? Over 60% of online searches are conducted because of print marketing campaigns.

3. Today’s printing industry goes beyond traditional print and incorporates custom branded apparel and promotional products that are useful, functional, and highly influential. The printing industry is not dying and is far from dead because of print’s versatility and flexibility as a marketing tool. Custom branded apparel is a popular form of print marketing. It enables customers to wear your brand and gives them a tangible way to show brand loyalty. Promotional apparel such as T-shirts and outerwear are top brand influencers that help your brand travel further.

Promotional products as a whole allow your brand to be displayed in people’s homes, cars, and offices. In a meaningful way and have tremendous staying power. Pens, calendars, mobile phone power banks, mugs, and thousands more promotional items are able to be imprinted with your logo and branding. Adding promotional products to your marketing program will help you connect your brand to your clients. In a way that is fondly remembered when they need your products and services.

DID YOU KNOW? It takes 5 to 7 brand impressions for consumers to remember your company logo and branding.

The next time someone asks, “Is Print Dead or Dying?”.  You can confidently answer with an emphatic “No!”. The truth is that the printing industry is alive and well. Which is a huge benefit to both emerging and top brands that are looking to strengthen and reinforce brand awareness and gain influence with consumers.

For more information on using the power of print to market your brand, find us at: minutemanburnaby.com/contact/