According to some rumours, print is dead… but do you believe it? Given our digital age, it’s true that attitudes have changed slightly, and many start-up companies are opting for more digital focused strategies. Here’s our guide exploring all the benefits of the traditional method of print marketing. Let’s not be hasty and get carried away with the digital craze just yet?
Because digital platforms have so many active users, companies believe their business has the best chance of getting their message across to their audience on social and digital platforms – however, 80% of online users do not click on any online banner adverts, meaning just 20% do! Is it worth paying the competitive price for the digital space for just 20% – to which not all of those users will convert into sales? If you also consider that magazines are still very much a part of our lives, with 63% of UK adults still reading magazines, according to YouGov – whereas only one in ten UK adults regularly read online magazines – maybe digital isn’t so perfect after all.
Print marketing, however, is tried and tested, and it works – it still exists for a reason, and that is because it is successful, when done properly. 34% of all printing is for advertising and marketing products, such as event programmes, tickets etc, and 30% is attributed to newspapers, magazine and brochures etc. The print industry is heavily reliant on marketing and advertising.
Here, UK event signage providers, Where The Trade Buys, outline why, and how, entrepreneurs can utilise print marketing, as opposed to digital marketing, to take their start-ups down the road of success – without breaking the bank.
Direct mail is sometimes referred to as ‘junk mail’, however, figures suggest that the term junk mail couldn’t be further from reality. In 2015, more than 2.5 billion direct mail coupons were redeemed and 54% of consumers that were surveyed revealed that they want to receive direct mail from brands that they are interested in. With 80-90% of direct mail getting opened, and just 20-30% of emails getting opened, there is a clear winner for start-up companies looking to get their message across to potential new consumers.
A big concern for many entrepreneurs is their marketing budget – but for those start-ups which don’t have money to burn when it comes to their marketing campaigns, it doesn’t mean your campaign won’t succeed. There are several print marketing techniques that can make your campaign a success whilst on a budget.
According to findings from StartUp Britain (a national campaign supported by the government), there are around 80 new businesses launching in the UK every hour, so it’s clear that entrepreneurial competition is fierce. Direct mail and brochures are a good place to start – neither need to break the bank either, but it is a big business. In 2009, direct mail accounted for 10.7% of the UK’s whole advertising expenditure.
Creating a brochure or leaflet on a budget doesn’t mean you have to compromise on quality. Simplicity works. Your main priority when designing your brochure is to ensure your branding is clear, your message stands out and your style is eye catching. Remember you are on a budget so you don’t have pages and pages to play with; stick to 8-12 pages. You want to encourage consumers to act after all, not take up an hour of their time reading your brochure. There are several must-haves, which even when designing on a budget, you must consider:
- Attention grabbing headline.
- Unique selling point(s).
- Call to action.
- Clear design.
- Concise content – keep this limited to ‘need-to-know’ information as you don’t want to throw too much information at consumers, and this will also save you money in printing costs.
- Keep everything accurate – don’t allow mistakes to slip through the net.
When your brochure or leaflet is ready for print, where budget is concerned, it is important to print the right amount of copies. Whilst the more copies you order, the less you pay per copy, ordering 500 brochures if you are only going to use 250 is simply a waste. Your spent money is likely to sit on a coffee table or in a cupboard gathering dust on unused brochures too. Therefore, make sure you utilise your budget wisely.
Overall, print marketing, although a traditional marketing method, is tried, tested and trusted. If the figures aren’t enough to convince you, then the affordability of it could sway you. Whilst digital platforms are useful to have to engage with customers on a familiar and mobile platform, print marketing has been proven to drive results. For start-ups, print marketing is definitely something that should be addressed.
