Where does print belong in your marketing strategy?
Most marketers have a very diverse marketing mix including email, social, banner, video, audio, blog, to name a few. Where does print belong in this mix or in your marketing strategy? This is an oft debated discussion and droves of articles have been written regarding if print is alive or dead. Most think it’s evolved into being effective in different formats. Articles regarding print “dying” are often referring to newspapers, which to no surprise, are more popular read on the internet than through a physical printed copy.
So where is print effective for you?
As we think through memorable client projects we’ve worked on, there seem to be similarities in the types of effective marketing content accomplished through print. Below we have highlighted a few types of projects we regularly see and break down why they are effective as part of a marketing strategy.
1. High-end company overview books
This one is for organizations who place a high value on brand and need to convey a sense of quality and authority over other brands. For example, DMB develops state of the art communities that are designed to spur growth and innovation in the housing industry. A common way for organizations like DMB (who has brand authority) to impress existing and new clients is through an overview of the great work they’ve done and an explanation of where they are headed. This is a piece that aligns with the brand standards for DMB and has a particular fit within their marketing mix. It’s designed specifically as a sales tool that establishes their brand authority. By selecting high-end print materials, the book is a statement that, along with their website, draws the attention of viewers who spend time reading these materials. That’s the goal right? Attention tends to convert.
2. Printed event invitations
Casino Del Sol is a winner in this category. Located in beautiful Tucson, AZ, Casino Del Sol pushes the boundaries of creative print marketing. These two event invitations – “Tonight’s the Night” and “One Night With The King” are interactive invitations that provide an experience when you open them. And we think that’s the key to maximize your ROI on printed event invitations. Use creative print techniques to establish the quality of your event. If the invitations are poorly designed and printed, the standard is unfortunately already set for your event. When paired with a well designed and developed landing page, the combination of creative print invitations and digital landing page will set a tone for your event that demands attention and ultimately, registrants.
3. Viewbooks & programs
The education and conference sectors are heavy users of email marketing and rightfully so. People spend so much time on their computers and phones that it makes sense to hit them in their inbox…plus it’s a cheap form of communication. The collegiate branding firm Ologie has it right. When it comes to viewbooks, “reimagine your viewbook as a window into the culture, people, and nuances that make your institution unique.” Allow your institution’s website to cover all the detailed bases that you would normally fill 32 pages worth in your viewbook. Check out Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine & Health Sciences’ viewbook here. Similarly, with event programs, use them to spread information attendees wouldn’t get if they didn’t attend the conference or event. This could be a chance to show off beautiful photography or content that is valuable for your audience and isn’t published anywhere else. The “Found” program for the Colour Conference exemplifies this. Read more about that here.
These types of print projects are crowd favorites because they compliment your marketing strategy and accomplish things that digital mediums cannot. When considering whether a print project fits within your marketing mix, consider if the project accomplishes something that a digital medium cannot or would provide a better experience for the end user. This is likely a good area to pursue a creative print project.