Why Print Marketing Matters in 2021

Welcome to the Dove Direct Print and Marketing Blog. Today's post, "Why Print Marketing Matters in 2021," explains why both B2B and B2C sectors utilize print marketing in 2021, given its outsize impact on sales. Due to the lockdown in 2020, print providers struggled to regain a positive foothold for print marketing demand. Initially, many marketers believed that print was no longer a viable marketing tool given the number of shutdowns across shopping destinations, entertainment venues, and business offices. For many whose customers were shut-in, the logical step was to go online. As a result, marketers began investing heavily in digital marketing, including marketing CPC (costs per click), social media, email, and video. Recently, however, many digital marketing teams find that their digital marketing efforts are falling short due to the lack of eyeballs viewing the ads. In reality, the digital landscape has been overwhelmed and suffers from infinite scrolling. To overcome this problem, brands learned that print marketing could be the game-changer that improves digital engagement rates and outcomes via variable digital printing technology.

Our Quote of the Day: "Amazing things will happen when you listen to the consumer." —Jonathan Midenhall, CMO, Airbnb



Understanding Print Marketing

By definition, print marketing consists of all marketing that incorporates print media collateral to reach targeted demographics. Print collateral can come in many forms and prove effective in a variety of strategic marketing scenarios. Marketers can use print marketing collateral in variable digital printing for direct mail purposes. Or, brands can utilize print marketing collateral for tabletops at restaurants, specialty magazine inserts, or even flyers and brochures that are either mailed or handed out at events. Posters are also an effective print marketing tool, in that posters and banners can highlight either indoor areas or street advertisements, and the list goes on.

Print technology is becoming more advanced thanks to digital presses that print and encompass the ability to utilize data. In other words, marketers can delineate print collateral by name, location, geography, zip code, and other demographic and psychographic data points.  Because digital presses can have their job requirements saved in a digital format, short runs or repeat runs with or without changes allow for quick turnarounds, saving time and money.

Why Print Marketing Matters in 2021

Let's start here. Consumers buy from whom they trust. That said, print media is the most trusted of all media, particularly when pitted against the throes of online disinformation campaigns. That's not to suggest that digital marketing should take a backseat to print marketing. Quite the contrary, print and digital have proven to complement each other.

On the digital front, when it comes to what consumers trust, one need only look at the rise of ad-blocking software put forth through browsers and computers. Further, Facebook is undergoing increased scrutiny for the vast amount of disinformation allowed to remain on its channel. Simultaneously, consumers are straying away from various online ads, and that mindset applies across the board when they are unfamiliar with the brand, its website, or online marketing. Print ads are more trusted because consumers don't have to worry about detecting and avoiding virus infections, particularly spam and hack attempts that may appear as legitimate organizations.

Time also plays a factor. With so many emails, blog posts, and social media posts, bombarding one's digital space, it can take hours to stream through content to find what appeals to consumers and what makes sense to purchase. Print's direct mail marketing solves that issue. Print allows people to read a direct mail piece in the comfort of their environment without being subjugated to endless scrolling.

And, if that's not enough, print marketing contains QR codes that easily direct consumers to a particular digital destination, thereby saving them time while elevating a higher level of trust when arriving at the specific digital destination.

Print and Digital Go Hand-in-Hand

Again, print and digital combined as a marketing strategy produce the best of both worlds and then some. A typical digital and print marketing campaign can include running a digital campaign while adding print as an introductory mailer or as a re-targeting mailer for those who fail to respond in the initial digital outreach.

You can also think of using the two mediums this way. To ensure that more eyeballs see the brand message, extend the audience beyond the primary digital target focus while attracting secondary or tertiary targets by reaching and engaging a wider audience.

Yes, the digital landscape features cool technology such as flashy videos and ad banners or graphics that provide movement; however, print marketing collateral is similar to placing the object into the consumer's hands. Then there are the tactile factors with more paper selections, various inks, quality die cuts, embossing, and more. Once seen and read, print can fulfill the time-tested retail adage, "Place the product in the customer's hands, and they will most likely purchase because they will not want to let it go because they already have it.

Brand Equity is Everything

Brand recognition is responsible in part for the art of raising brand equity. This is where brand recall enters the picture. A Canadian neuromarketing organization conducted a survey pointing to the fact that consumers' memory of brands increases when they have been the recipient of print marketing.

The respondents were presented with either a digital ad or a printed ad, but not both.  When compared to those who received the digital ads, the respondents that were presented with only the print ad, experienced brand recall at a 70% increase when compared to those who experienced the digital ad. We could go on; however, we contend that you get the idea.

The Net-Net

We've stated in previous posts how print marketing complements digital, and when executed correctly, can contribute significantly to an organization's bottom line. These marketing observations are the tip of the iceberg as to why organizations, both B2B and B2C, should incorporate print marketing into their overall marketing strategies. Print creative can be outstanding and a significant differentiator in the influencer and engagement game. It's a no-brainer why more organizations should inject more print marketing into their marketing strategies and tactics. Thanks for reading "Why Print Marketing Matters in 2021!"


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