How Print Advertising Is Still Effective Today

Don’t let digital’s rise fool you. In the era of Facebook and Google, print advertising isn’t just alive; it’s essential to any marketing plan that wants to make a maximum impact on prospects and customers.

While there’s no denying that digital advertising has become a large and valuable tool in any marketer’s toolkit, it’s also become clear that digital and print advertising aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, evidence suggests that the two actually work best when working in tandem.

Let’s take a look at exactly how and why print advertising remains an effective way to reach prospects, engage customers, and get your message into their hands.

Print and Digital: The PB & J of Advertising

The effects of print and digital advertising have been studied extensively, and the results are clear: While both can be effective ways to bring your message to the masses, the truth is that they work best in tandem.

Studies have shown that when a print advertising element, for example, a campaign that includes direct mail printing, is added to a digital marketing play, the combined print and digital campaign performs much better than when the digital campaign is run on its own.

Why Print is More Trustworthy than Digital

While digital has its advantages, direct mail and print remains dominant in one of the most important aspects of marketing and brand-building: trust.

According to a survey by the communications non-profit organization Two Sides, print and paper remain, “preferred and trusted by consumers in today’s digital world.”

The results of the survey show that people are increasingly concerned about privacy and data breaches online, making them less trusting of digital forms of media.

People Tune Out Digital Ads

In addition to concerns about privacy, the survey shows that the majority of people have trained themselves to tune out digital ads altogether:

“The results reveal that 71% of US consumers do not pay attention to online advertisements, and 63% do their best to block or avoid them. 69% of respondents say they find online ads annoying, and 66% say they can’t remember the last time they willingly clicked an online ad.”

People Appreciate Print’s Tactile Nature

While digital marketing is fast and affordable, consumers still appreciate the ability to see, feel and hold something tangible in their hands.

Unlike digital, print advertising doesn’t just share a message; it provides an experience. Savvy direct mailing and printing companies can put together brochures, catalogues, flyers and postcards that prospects and customers then bring into their home and consume in their living rooms or at their kitchen tables.

Not only does this make your brand or product seem more real, but it also creates an intimacy that comes from being brought into the home—neither of which can be said of digital.

Print Delivers Exceptional ROI

While creating a printed piece of marketing material may require more upfront cost than creating a digital ad, the return on investment it delivers can be staggering.

On average, advertisers pay about $170 per person on annual direct mail campaigns, and in return, yield a little over $2,000 in goods sold, resulting in a return on investment of about 1,300%.

While that number may seem high at first blush, it’s supported by data from the industry. The Direct Marketing Association has found that 65% of consumers say they have made a purchase after receiving an offer through a direct mail campaign.

Print Has a Longer Shelf Life

The competition for the digital advertising space is fierce. That means that even if you manage to outbid your competitors and get your ad seen by consumers today, there are no guarantees that the same bid will win out tomorrow—meaning that the consumer who briefly saw your ad today may never see it again.

But print advertising has significantly more staying power. When a piece of direct marketing material is designed well and printed by an experienced and reputable printing company, people are likely to keep it around much longer, potentially looking at it two, three or four times before discarding it.

Print is Still a Powerhouse

Print continues to be a powerhouse in the world of advertising and marketing. Not only is it more trusted by consumers, but it also offers the ability to have your message resonate for a longer period of time and provides an exceptional ROI.

Keep in mind that not all printed material is of equal value. In order to maximize your results, it’s best to use a reputable direct mail printing company that knows the ins and outs of the printing business.

For more information about how direct mail printing can help your business, call Troi Mailing Services in Canada at 1-866-486-9350 or contact us here.