No, It’s Not Dead

In the age of digital, where does print marketing fit? Is there even a place for it? We’ve all heard someone say, “Print is dead.” Before we hold print’s funeral and bury it six feet deep, we should slow down a bit. Here are a few things to consider prior to picking out print’s casket…

Print Works WITH Your Digital Marketing

Let’s start here. To be clear from the beginning, we’re not saying that you should drop all your digital marketing projects and shift everything to print. We LOVE digital marketing. Instead, the goal should be to use print and digital marketing in tandem to strengthen one another, increasing your overall brand awareness and audience interaction with your messages.

Consider this. You have some friends who are deeply engaged in their favorite social platforms, and some who use no social media. You have some friends who prefer email communication and some who prefer talking on the phone. You have some friends who read eBooks, and some who like traditional books. Some are techy, and some are not. By leveraging print marketing in combination with your digital efforts, you’re making sure to engage all of your audience instead of putting all your eggs in one basket.

Print is Tactile

We’ve all had the experience of picking up a well-done printed piece, on a quality paper stock, and thinking, “Wow, that feels nice.” If you haven’t had this experience, reach out, and we will send you an example. The tactile feeling of print is something digital marketing will never be able to deliver. You’ll never have someone tell you that they loved how your email felt in their hands.

Today, more than ever, digital printing capabilities are exploding. You no longer have to print 30,000 of something to get competitive pricing, and the ability to add texture and gloss elements inline has advanced quickly. Combine a talented designer with a skilled printer, and the possibilities are endless. As well, paper stocks are more available today than ever, and printers can now create custom shapes and folding patterns at lower cost.

Print Stands Out in a Competitive Digital Environment

The shift to all-digital marketing strategies has done two things. First, consumers are overwhelmed with all of the digital marketing noise they’re being bombarded with. Their inboxes are full of unread emails, and they are being blitzed on social media with ads and distractions. Even when they are online looking for information, the sites they are using are full of ads. As I’m writing this, I have Thesaurus.com open to help me. There are four animated ads in front of me in this space alone. The visual noise is deafening, and in the midst of that, consumer attention spans are declining.

Second, the shift to digital has eliminated much of the competition in the print marketing space. As businesses have abandoned print in their marketing mix, the opportunity to wow a client or prospect with a beautifully-designed print piece has expanded. Today more than ever, print is a powerful tool for helping your brand stand out in a crowded marketplace.

Message Matters

As we shared earlier, your marketing strategy should include a mix of print and digital tools. Regardless of which medium you’re using, from your website to a direct mail piece, your email marketing to a brand brochure, your brand message is the foundational element that will drive success.

If you’ve spent any time around us at OrangeBall, you’ve heard us preach that brand messaging is the key to great marketing. If your message is not simple to understand and engaging to your audience, your marketing efforts will be a waste of money. That’s why we created our Brand Bounce Bootcamp, which many of you have already used, either facilitated by us or on your own, to help create your own compelling brand messages. If you can get your message dialed in, your marketing will thrive.

Call-to-Action

Today, we have two things for you to focus on. First, reconsider print in your marketing mix. You won’t be disappointed. Second, for all of your marketing efforts, focus first on making sure your brand messages are clear, easy to understand, and connecting to your customer needs. If you need help in either area, we’re here!