Why Print Should Factor in Your Marketing Strategy

Today, marketing is all digital, right? Not so fast. Print has been dead and buried so many times and yet … it’s still here. 

While digital strategy is extremely important to today’s marketing planning, print can – and often, should, play a role. Let’s look at some print marketing strategies that still work today, and talk about how you can create a better brand experience by combining print marketing and digital marketing. 

Which print marketing tactics should you consider? 

When planning your marketing strategy, you can choose from a variety of print tactics:

• Annual reports
• Brochures and sell sheets 
• Direct mail 
• Catalogs 
• Packaging 
• Stationery
• Newsletters
• Fleet graphics 
• Point-of-purchase displays 
• Trade show materials 
• Onboarding materials 

What is unique to print marketing materials?

Print is tangible. Think about holding a beautifully printed brochure, catalog or direct mail piece. Can you smell the fresh ink or feel the weight of the paper? 

Just like many people enjoy the feel of a book in their hand rather than a digital reading device, there is an attachment to printed materials. People tend to hold on to things that are printed because they feel their value. And studies show consumers trust print.

How do print and digital work together? 

While no one can deny the importance of digital marketing in today’s world, print is working in a different space entirely. Studies show that integrated campaigns that use both print and digital are very successful.

You can use print marketing materials to drive customers to your website via QR codes or calls to action (CTAs) that lead them to online spaces. Once in this digital space, you have the ability to track for ROI. 

Consider adding illustration for impact. 

Print media can benefit from visuals that help “show” the story, in addition to “telling” it. Illustrations such as infographics, technical drawings, logos and more instantly encourage engagement with your print materials. 

Print is still an important part of marketing. 

Print and digital are not in competition – they are complementary tactics. Print can help you connect and stand out in the crowded space that is today’s marketing landscape. Print is a thriving marketing tool for marketers who understand how to use it strategically.

At WRL, we understand print and illustration, and our team has the skill to blend print seamlessly into your marketing plans in exactly the right places. Want to talk about print and digital strategies? Talk to us today.