These days, some would say that print marketing has taken a backseat to digital marketing. Sure, in some cases that may be a valid statement. I mean, Forrester has research to show online advertising expenditures will reach $77 billion by 2016, comprising 35% of overall ad spending. Don’t be fooled, though. Print marketing is still a very important piece of the overall marketing puzzle.
Print marketing piece crafted by our graphic designers to advertise a comedian’s tour across Canada.
A more accurate way to view print marketing and digital marketing would be to say that they complement one another. Print marketing can improve your digital marketing efforts, and vice versa. So now that we know print marketing is alive and well, let’s look at 5 steps to help you create an effective print marketing campaign.
- Understand your target audience: One of the biggest mistakes you can make in print marketing is to write in a language that doesn’t speak to your audience. For example, you wouldn’t write a sassy, slangy, hip piece to sell urns. This may sound obvious, but I can’t count the number of ads I’ve seen where I think to myself, “What were they thinking?!”
- Creating the right materials: Print marketing comes in all different shapes and sizes. Will you use billboards, magazine ads, signage or direct mail? All of the above, none of the above or a combination of something entirely different? There is no one-size-fits-all approach to print marketing, so do your own research to determine the best marketing materials for your campaign.
- Don’t forget brand continuity: We’ve talked about brand continuity in the past, and how important it is to carry it throughout your entire marketing campaigns. You’ve spent time building a recognizable brand that consumers like and trust—don’t stop now!
- Getting your message out: When creating printable handouts, knowing where to distribute them is key. Think beyond direct mail—think about trade shows, sporting events and other marketing venues.
- Track goals and measure results: It’s simple, how can you measure success if you don’t first define what success looks like? Plus, if you don’t know what’s working and what’s not working, how will you know what to tweak in your next campaign? Using coupons and tracking codes are a great way to measure the success of your print marketing campaign and ultimately maximize your profits.
Do you have any tips for creating an amazing, money-making print campaign? We want to hear from you. Don’t be shy, share your thoughts with us.
About Digital Lion
Digital Lion is a design and marketing agency specializing in print marketing design, graphic design, custom website development, branding/logo design, video animation, and online marketing. Headquartered in Calgary, and with secondary locations in Edmonton and Ottawa, they work with clients across Canada, as well as worldwide, and are focused on being environmentally friendly and giving back to charities that they are passionate about. The company mission is to “Design a Better World®.”
