Feel the power of print
Posted on 14th January 2021
We love the feel and smell of our freshly printed magazines, and we’re not the only ones to enjoy the print experience.
Printed material delivered through the door still appeals to a lot of people as our social media channels and inboxes fill up with marketing content. Digital fatigue is recognised as a growing challenge as we all increase our use of video meetings, emails, and online shopping during the pandemic.
Stand out from the digital crowd
There’s evidence that even digitally focussed millennials enjoy receiving printed content directly through their doors to take a break from their intense online world.
According to the Data & Marketing Association 8.7% of all advertising mail during the third quarter of 2020 (including direct mail, door drops and business mail) prompted people to visit the brand’s website; an increase of 33% on the same period in 2019.
Your options
You aren’t faced with an ‘either/or’ choice. You can make all your marketing tools work together very effectively.
You can use direct mail and door drops to raise awareness of your website, to promote landing pages where people will find exclusive online offers, or to highlight your social media pages. You will be surprised at the response rates you can achieve.
Stand out from your competitors
There’s no doubt that well-designed printed material delivered to the door will attract people’s attention.
You can use all kinds of textured papers and coatings, colours, images, folds, and even smells to appeal to all the senses and deliver interest and intrigue.
Understand your audience
If your marketing email is sent directly to the deleted folder or Junk Mail you might feel it is simply part of the process. You might be more concerned that discarded printed marketing material is a waste of paper – but remember it can be recycled. More importantly, research shows that people are more likely to engage with printed material and remember its content.
When you send the right messages to the right people you will know how many have responded, but you can also be confident that more will remember your message.
Make it personal
You can use what you know about your customers to make sure your printed content is relevant and appealing to them.
You can also test printed images, words, and colours to see what impact they have on your response.
You can use what you know about your existing customers to improve your chances of finding other people with similar interests and needs, using demographics. This can help you find new customers and create better messages and offers.
Measurable results
The Royal Mail found that almost nine out of 10 people pay as much or more attention to flyers landing on their doormats than before lockdown.
People like to look at the content when and where they want, so it’s important to give them material that is relevant and interesting. When they consume this content in their home environment, they are likely to feel more confident about its value and trustworthiness and will be more likely to respond.
Technology for the future
It’s predicted that direct marketing will be an important tool for ecommerce businesses to engage with their loyal customers. Augmented reality that provides customers with a 3D view of products in their own home using a smart phone or tablet is likely to be popular with retailers. This high-tech experience can be delivered via printed QR codes, directly through customers’ doors.
Get ready for 2021
You can take advantage of these print-friendly trends by advertising in Pulse magazine in Milton Keynes or Northampton or by taking advantage of our tailored leaflet distribution service.
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