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Print is not dead!

WE have all been hearing in the news that print is dead.

WE have all been hearing in the news that print is dead. We have been told that online marketing and digital technology is the future, but I’m pleased to tell you that print really is not dead!

There are many reasons that print will always remain an effective marketing tool for delivering your message.

Developments in personalised printing at lower costs enables you to create unique personalised mailers through changing certain elements within each piece; whether it be personalised coupons with individual numbers on them enabling you to track which customers use them, to creating a ‘pack of cards’ of business cards, with different messages or images on each one. Receiving a personalised piece of print makes a bigger impression on the recipient, as they know it takes more effort to customise print than it does digital media.

The introduction of QR codes and NFC (near-field communication) being used in the retail environment is a classic example of using both digital and print together to direct your target audience to a specific landing page on your website or play a video on their devices.

Social media marketing has quickly developed as the must-have marketing strategy for entrepreneurs and corporate businesses alike to reach their audience. However, face-to-face networking has is still going strong, as people will always buy from people.

Business cards remain a social medium, and when you hand a potential client a business card you are making a social connection with that person. Social media marketing is normally integrated with any print marketing campaign; the majority of business cards now have Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn addresses on them as well.

The development of testimonials and customer reviews on social media platforms are fantastic endorsements for businesses.

However, remember to build these into your design and use them to your advantage across your printed marketing materials as well.

Printed materials now also give you the point of difference from your competitors. Everyone is online competing for traffic to their website, trying to climb the rankings on Google, Bing and the likes, making it difficult to stand out from the crowd. Use print to your advantage. People still check their post, so create something different with a unique design and die cut that will make you stand out. Generally, people are fed up with looking at their emails all day and welcome the break of looking at something more interactive that is delivered through the post.

So is print dead? No! Used tactically, print is still highly effective. Marketing is all about providing the right message at the right time through the right medium. It’s important to remain focused on the fact that each potential customer is an individual; therefore, the way they respond to each medium is individual too. There is no ‘one size fits all’ for your marketing messages which is why print is not dead… it is here to stay!

Jigsaw Communications operates as your outsourced marketing department. To find out how they can help your business, contact Laura Varey of Jigsaw Communications on 07884 434263.

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