Small business owners understand the importance of ensuring that every dollar is well spent. When it comes to your marketing dollars, that’s especially true. No one wants to spend money on a marketing campaign that doesn’t produce a good ROI. That’s why it’s critical to plan your advertising campaign wisely and ensure that your marketing budget is allocated so that you can effectively promote your small business.
It may be tempting to focus on digital marketing, but doing so could cause you to miss out on a big piece of the pie, particularly among millennials. In a 2018 study conducted by the U.S. Postal Service, 62% of millennials indicated they had visited a store in the past month after receiving information in the mail.
The fact is, in the oversaturated and noisy digital world, many of us – and millennials, in particular – need a break from the screen and appreciate the tactile quality of printed materials. In addition, it has become easier to gain the attention of your audience with print than digital marketing. Consumers have learned to tune out (or actively block) digital ads and many of us never open promotional emails.
That means, when you’re considering how to allocate limited marketing resources, you shouldn’t overlook the power of print.
Branding
One of the most important aspects of small business marketing is establishing a consistent branding strategy, and print is one of the most effective ways to do that. When you hand out a business card, send a direct mail postcard, or hang a poster in your store window, you help to reinforce your brand. That can be particularly important for people who may not be engaging with you online. Remember that, in addition to your business name, logo, and colors, consistent messaging is essential for building a recognizable brand and building a loyal customer following.
Put Your Digital Data to Work
If you’ve been mainly focused on a digital marketing strategy, it’s likely you’ve collected some valuable data that you can leverage for personalizing a direct mail campaign. Variable data printing makes it possible to include your customer’s name and other personalized information, which can significantly improve the success of your campaign, and it may be more affordable than you think.
The Power of a Card
For centuries, business cards have been a staple of doing business. They are no less important today, and in an age when so much is done online, some might say business cards are more valuable than ever. When you hand someone a business card, you make a personal connection that can’t be replicated in an email or online chat. To ensure that your business card makes a good first impression, choose a design that reflects the image you want to convey, and remember that quality counts. If your card is not professionally designed and printed, it may not reflect well on your business.
Brochures
Almost as valuable as business cards are brochures where you can include more details on the products and services your business offers, as well as customer testimonials, store hours, and a bit of your company’s story. A good way to think about brochures is to consider them a mini version of your website. Include a QR code to make it easy for customers to visit your website to find more information.
One of the biggest challenges for a small business is to capture the customer’s attention. People can’t do business with you if they don’t know you exist, and in the increasingly crowded digital space, it’s becoming difficult to get noticed. Put print to work for your business to stand out from the crowd and get the attention your business needs.