Print design is far from dead. In fact, it’s the lifeblood of any successful marketing campaign for one reason: print is still alive in the eyes of your customers. They respond to printed materials, which means the only way to grow your business is to market it in print.
We’ve rounded up five phenomenal print marketing materials that have the power to help you expand your business. And since you’re our favorite reader, we’ve included some helpful tips on how to use them and why they work in the first place.
Post cards
Post cards are a highly effective marketing tool because of their size: they’re compact and don’t waste space, yet they’re big enough to gain attention. They offer plenty of design canvas as well, since you can include elements on both sides of the card.
The front side of the card is made to shock and awe. It should include an amazing visual that captures the viewer’s imagination from the moment they see it. The back should offer useful details about a product, promotion, or other relevant item. This two-part strategy lets you maximize the design space, keep costs down, and deliver information your clients need.
Binders
While a post card’s major selling point is its small size, binders are the opposite. They’re a great marketing tool because their larger size offers a huge amount of storage space. Since their rings come in sizes ranging from ½” to 4″ at most printers, you can customize your binder’s size to meet your needs.
That’s another advantage to binders—customizability. Company Folders, an online printing company, offers more than 70 varieties of binders that range from durable poly and vinyl plastic options to handcrafted turned edge designs made of special litho wrap paper. When you select a material, you’ll gain access to a wealth of unique imprint options that help you create the perfect design to appeal to your target audience.
Brochures
Brochures are the perfect companion piece. They pair well with other printed materials or even your products to provide additional information. You can use them to explain how a product or service works, showcase loyalty programs, or profile your brand’s history and future goals.
Because they’re typically folded into thirds, brochures are great organizational tools. They let you sort information into six segments (four segments if you choose a bi-fold brochure). That means you can guide customers through information in a logical order that encourages them to respond positively to your call to action.
Coupons
A common complaint is that direct mail lacks a purpose—so why not create something clients will actually use? Promo offers are great tools to win new customers or increase existing customers’ loyalty. They work well as part of a sample packet, or you can incorporate them as part of a rewards program.
The best part is, you can still use a printed promo offer even if you have a web-based business; it’s actually a great way to drive online traffic via tangible marketing. You can connect your coupon to your web presence by including a promo code or even a QR code that people can scan to visit your website on their mobile device.
Merchandise & Promo Items
There are many reasons consumers respond to branded promo items—like the fact that they create a tangible reminder of you and that people love free stuff. That said, they don’t love just any free stuff; they want something they can use.
Branded merchandise is helpful because clients are more likely to order products if they can test them first. Since that isn’t practical for expensive merchandise or some services, consider offering clients a chance to win an item they want through a raffle or another event. You can also provide a printed promo item like a coffee mug or t-shirt that reminds clients of your brand any time they use it.
Conclusion
When choosing the best printed materials to market your brand, remember not to limit yourself. You may find that a combination of these materials is more effective than just one item by itself. Most importantly, be sure your print marketing stays to true to your brand identity. If you do that, everything else will follow naturally.
Cover photo credit: Behance
