Last Updated on March 3, 2023
With all the buzz around online marketing and SEO, you might assume that printing presses have fallen silent in the midst of the Internet revolution. But one look in your mailbox will show you that print marketing isn’t dead… at least not at the moment.
Back in the 1950s, people in film and radio thought their jobs would die in the wake of TV, but both media are alive and well. The same is true for print media. Yes, online marketing might be cheaper and faster, but there’s still a place for brochures, flyers and catalogs. Here are just a few of the places and times where they still have an impact.
Networking Events
If you attend conferences or seminars empty-handed, you’re missing a great opportunity to drum up more business. Postcards or tri-fold brochures are an affordable, easy-to-carry piece to hand out to your colleagues at your next professional event. Bring a stack of introductory postcards to a community luncheon, or a handful of brochures to a conference. If you want to know how well these pieces work, add a unique code to each stack you print and measure the response rate.
Direct mail
If you’ve opened up a new business that offers web design, it might take some time to build an online following, even if your website has been up for a while. Print some flyers in the meantime and mail them to local businesses. One way to make sure it doesn’t get tossed aside with the junk mail – I mean, marketing materials – is to offer a new customer discount in big, bold letters, as well as an expiration date on the offer.
Local Retailers
New York City is known for lots of things, including flyers plastered on every telephone pole and bulletin board. If you’re friendly with local business owners, ask them if you can pin a poster on their walls. Make it big enough so it stands out from the photocopied flyers from other local businesses. If a business office has an end or coffee table in their lobby, ask if you can leave behind some brochures instead.
Your Own Office
It might seem repetitive to place printed pieces in your own office, but not everyone who walks in is familiar with your business. A brochure on the table is a great takeaway for these passersby. Printed pieces are also great for announcing new products and exciting company news. For instance, existing clients might not know about that new gift set you’re selling, but a postcard with a detailed description is a convenient way to let them know.
Don’t put all your marketing dollars into the web just yet. There are still plenty of effective uses for print media, so set aside a small budget for materials that put you in touch with more customers and better sales.
