Technology is cool. It opens up a whole new world of marketing opportunities-email blasts, pURLs, RSS feeds, tweets. But what happens to your message when the BlackBerry battery is drained, or your format isn’t compatible with your prospect’s device? What makes electronic media so captivating is that it presents real-time marketing. Print materials add a dimension to this experience that is warm, inviting and readers can’t ignore it because they are literally holding your message in their hands. Overlooking the role of print can prove fatal to a marketing campaign. If your objective is to inform, teach, persuade or entertain, print marketing is a must.
Digital marketing techniques work best when you introduce them in coordination with print. You could post a banner ad and hope those who find it among the 100 million other Web sites click through to yours. But how much more powerful it would be to use direct mail to drive targeted prospects to a personalized Web site, after which they receive a follow-up “thank you” card with a special offer. Combining print and digital, you produce an educational, engaging experience that speaks more directly and pertinently to your target audience.
Printed materials remain relevant in the integrated marketing communications mix for many reasons. Despite the endurance of the Internet, many people just don’t go online. Certain demographics simply prefer print collateral over digital options. Consumers use a variety of sources to gather information about a product or service; but research shows that they seek print when it’s time to buy. Having words and images in a touchable format provides reassurance that bit-and-byte media can’t match. Web technologies provide quick answers, but the responses are often contradictory. Print shows that you found your message to be important enough to commit it to paper and you stand behind what you’re saying. If you’ve abandoned print in favor of e-media, you’re missing out on new customers or patients.
Companies that utilize the full spectrum of marketing channels realize exponential increases in brand identity, prospects, new patients, sales and ROI, but this requires an upfront investment in sound strategic planning. You might replace one static message with many targeted variations delivered through multiple channels, all of which have to be consistent. Those who successfully bridge the digital and print marketing environments deliver a result that is greater than the sum of the individual marketing elements.
To learn more about how you can incorporate printed material along with your digital marketing
Joshua Miller, the Principal and Creative Director at JM Design Studio, is an accomplished, experienced designer providing a spectrum of marketing services with professionalism, enthusiasm and dedication.
skedsocial
realnetworks
digitec
tinderpressroom
elderscrollsonline
beaumont
ccstock
toho-u
kuaimi
neuschwanstein
softwaredentalink
gov
thinkexist
inet
sdrv
lanrenzhijia
hr4you
wholesomeyum
idcloudhost
videohelp
icmr
bookofra-play
aldoshoes
initiatived21
equibase
mobirize
bedandbreakfast
dailyuw
city
phpbb-style-design
katasztrofavedelem
hrbeu
minenergo
isfnmac
hjbfq9
discas
diariodenavarra
alternatives-economiques
t5617
visitlasvegas
aacounty
passion
ao
creditsafe
sonyericsson
hologic
chinagwy
billpay
toyoko-inn
