Over the past few years, there has been a dramatic shift world-wide towards doing business digitally, and as this shift accelerates companies are pouring money into digital marketing. This trend has led to overcrowding of the digital marketing space, leaving brands battling it out to stand out from the crowd. Although digital marketing has become a vital part of your marketing mix, cleverly applied print marketing represents a great opportunity to be seen and be differentiated from competitors.

Why print marketing is still relevant?

There is just too much noise in digital marketing, and it is becoming harder and harder to be distinct. Not to mention the fact that, according to Statista, in 2019, approximately 25,8 percent of internet users were using ad blockers on their connected devices. Over the next few years, this number is expected to grow even more. With strategically printed marketing material you can emphasise important, easily digestible messages.

Why print marketing will help you build and differentiate your brand: It appeals to the senses

We’ve become so conditioned to consuming content on our screens which only offers stimulation to one of our five senses. On the other hand, touching, reading and even smelling the ink of a printed document stimulates different and a lot more senses. Cleverly crafted marketing campaigns around the sensory experience can be strategic marketing touchpoints in your customer journey, triggering multiple senses to increase the effectiveness of your marketing campaign. You can even add a fourth sense with printed embedded codes that can be scanned to play a video message or transfer the viewer into the augmented reality (AR) world. You can build a powerful brand incorporating as many senses as possible through ‘Touch, Taste, Smell, Sight, and Sound’. This can be achieved with printed material such as a poster, brochure, flyer or catalog and much more.

It's memorable

We tend to forget the array of messages we are bombarded with, eliminating the constant noise of digital marketing in our minds. An interesting neuromarketing study was conducted by the US Postal Services and Temple University’s Center for Neural Decision Making to see how people respond to physical and digital media. The study had two significant findings: Printed marketing material/ advertisements triggered a stronger emotional response. People are more likely to remember printed marketing material and advertisements even after one week of seeing it.That being said, the human brain can connect much more easily with printed information compared to online info.

 It is the ideal educational tool

Various studies proved that the content of printed materials is still better remembered than reading it on a printed screen and that it’s much easier to grasp the content and retain it. One of these research studies have been conducted by Virginia Clinton, a professor of Education, Health and Behavior at the University of North Dakota. She found what she called a “small but significant” difference in reading text from screen versus paper. Her examination found that reading from paper generally led to better understanding and improved a person’s performance on tests connected to the reading material. And she found no major differences in reading speed between the two. Thus, if people read printed material, they will learn about a topic much easier. Marketing teams can incorporate various printed collateral as part of education tools in the marketing mix, such as colourful professionally designed brochures for more in-depth information, or posters to create awareness etc.

It is easier to reach your local and immediate audience

Printed marketing material is an effective marketing tool to reach your local audience, especially in your immediate vicinity. It can be especially effective for small to medium business. Outdoor print posters and flyers distributed on the street and through direct mailing are all effective printed marketing tools to promote your local business. Product catalogs and product promotional sales flyers are still extremely powerful tools in the retail industry.

In Conclusion

Marketers need to implement an all-encompassing omnichannel strategy that strategically combines digital and print to engage with their audience across all touchpoints, stimulating as many senses as possible to ensure your brand voice is heard and stands out from the rest.

With the right mix you can create a memorable brand, build trust and reach a wider audience more effectively.

Contact InsideData +27 (0)11 611 5000 to print your marketing material or visit https://www.insidedata.co.za/summer-promotion/  to sign up for your Sweet Summer discounts.