You’ve done all the back-breaking work and finally your new business is up and running – so what’s the next step? If you want to make your company a success from the start, you need a solid marketing campaign.
Marketing in 2018 comes in many forms – great for giving us options, but not for making a decision. You might be tempted to put all your eggs in the digital basket, but what about the people who don’t spend all day here? For advice on getting your marketing campaigns off the ground without over-spending, check out how print marketing compares to digital, and how it can help you create a rewarding campaign for your start-up.
Digital and print: the major differences
There are obvious differences between digital and print. How we create, manage and respond to Facebook ad marketing is very different to that of case bound book printing, for example. But what are the other, less obvious, dissimilarities? Although it’s fast and has wide reach, digital is not without its flaws when it comes to advertising. Did you know that 80% of users don’t bother to click on any online banner advert they see? What’s more, print media appears to beat digital when it comes to marketing in magazines: 63% of UK adults still read magazines (according to YouGov) and only 10% regularly read these online, which adds further credibility to the worth of print marketing. It is no wonder that websites such as Printivity are still used to create booklets and other resources for print media, to help with marketing.
How does print perform in the UK today?
Many find it surprising that the print marketing sector is performing well in 2018 – not being swept aside by digital alternatives. Research shows that 30% of all items produced in the printing sector is for products such as brochures, newspapers and magazines; while 34% is for advertising and marketing products, including event programmes and tickets. Since such a sizeable portion of the printing industry is devoted to marketing, it’s a fair assessment to say that many companies are reliant on it to create successful campaigns.
In business, you must always stay a step ahead of your competition if you want to survive and thrive, which means that marketing and promoting your company is key. According to a report by StartUp Britain (a government-supported campaign), there are about 80 new businesses launching in the country every hour. So, you need a marketing campaign that’s unique, promotional and profitable in order to beat the competition.
The power of brochures for new companies
So, which print marketing materials could work for your new brand? There are lots of options, of course, but the brochure is one that seems to work in general for many businesses. An effective and attractive brochure must firstly detail your brand, message and services in short but informative sentences. Next, you want to ensure that you’ve thought about content, look and layout. Make sure you consider:
- Easy to understand layout.
- Obvious USPs.
- Professional overall look.
- Enticing header.
- Correct, concise and engaging content.
- Clear and powerful call to action.
Next, it’s vital that you get the number of brochures you need – over order and you waste cash, under order and you don’t reach the number of people you could have. Essentially, you must think about how many brochures your start-up needs to save yourself throwing away cash, while still maximising on your hard design work.
The power of direct mail for new companies
How about direct mail? Many still think this form of print marketing is synonymous with ‘junk mail’, however, research shows it could significantly boost your new company. According to reports, up to 90% of direct mail is opened by recipients as opposed to just 20-30% of emails. On top of this, more than 2.5 billion direct mail coupons were exchanged in 2015 and 10.7% of the UK’s advertising expenditure was on direct mail in 2009.
While digital has speed and reach, print has the personal and professional touch. Great if you want a meaningful first impression for your start-up. If you’re now considering print marketing to promote your start-up, you could look at designing anything from posters, billboards and pamphlets, to stationery, banners and selfie frames!
Sources
https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/01/direct-mail-marketing-statistics.html
