Digital marketing has its benefits, however most companies shouldn’t solely rely on it. There are still many customers to be made through traditional print marketing. In fact, with so many people focusing on building a digital presence, it has become easier to stand out in the less crowded print media market. There is a huge array of different print marketing methods to explore. This post lists 20 different types of print marketing to consider trying.
Business cards
Business cards are small and easy to carry on you at all times. If you meet someone who could be a promising lead, handing out a business card could be a simple way of giving them your details. Business cards can also be pinned to notice boards or left strategically in places where your target audience may find them. There are many sites online that allow you to design and print your own cards.
Flyers
Flyers are usually made from A4 glossy paper. They provide more information than business cards and often contain attention-grabbing images. You can hand out flyers to passers by, post them through people’s mailboxes or pin them to noticeboards. This makes them a very flexible form of print marketing that is cheap to produce.
Leaflets
Leaflets are similar to flyers, but tend to be folded – usually in half or in three in a concertina style. You’ll often find leaflets for local attractions in hotel lobbies and tourist information centers. They are able to provide more information than a flyer, while still being small enough to fit in a pocket or bag.
Booklets
Booklets (also known as pamphlets) are books with several pages, often made from several sheets of A4 or A5 paper stapled together. They can offer even more detailed information than a leaflet and are more often used as a guide to existing customers – however they can also be used for promotional purposes and print marketing. Booklets are often handed out or left somewhere for consumers to pick up.
Catalogs
If you sell a lot of different products, a catalog could be a great way to showcase these products. These are typically A4-sized books that are posted through people’s mailboxes or kept in your store for people to pick up. Catalogs are quite expensive to produce and have been largely replaced by websites. However, there is still an appeal in browsing through a catalog – you just need to target the right people.
Menus
Menus are similar to catalogs, but are primarily used to list foods or drinks in restaurants and bars. Some other establishments like spas may similarly use them to list their services. Menus are print marketing and often designed to be kept at the premises and not taken away. They can come in many forms including single sheets, booklets or posters displayed near the entrance.
Newsletters
Newsletters are typically subscribed to and sent via the mail. They are used to provide news and updates on your business. While some people still like to receive newsletters, they can be costly to produce and mail. Email mailing lists and social media have become a cheaper and more efficient way to provide updates. That said, newsletters can be made more personal and could be great alerting consumers of special one-off events or competitions.
Posters
Pinning or sticking a poster to a wall can be a great way to advertise upcoming events or new products. Posters can be displayed around your own premises or stuck to public notice boards. A successful poster should be visually striking, while also providing essential information.
Banners
Banners are like larger posters and are typically made from thicker and more durable materials such as PVC. The likes of pull up banners are typically used at events like trade shows or conferences, however they can also be used in stores to advertise select products. Suspended banners and flag banners are other options. Such banners are typically designed to be visually striking with only the most essential information printed on them.
Billboards
Billboards are the largest form of print marketing. Their size makes them harder to ignore and they are often situated in locations where there are a lot of drivers or pedestrians passing by. A successful billboard is usually visually heavy with only a small amount of text. The cost of renting out a billboard can vary.
Newspaper/magazine ads
Newspapers and magazines dedicate a lot of space to advertising. By contacting publications, you can pay to have an advert of your company displayed in them. Local newspapers are typically great for advertising local businesses, like magazines are great for advertising niche products and services. Online ads can be more economical, however ads in newspapers and magazines can still be as effective.
Company newspapers/magazines
Some larger companies produce a monthly or quarterly newspaper or magazine, which is distributed to all their premises. This can provide employees and customers with all the latest news and information. Such publications aren’t worth producing if you own a small business, but can be worth considering for larger corporations.
Printed uniforms
Company uniforms such as t-shirts or overalls can have logos and contact details printed on them. While more commonly used as a way to make workers identifiable, such uniforms can also serve as a form of print marketing – helping to build brand awareness.
Vehicle wraps
You can also print your logo and company information onto the side of your company vehicle. A vinyl wrap is the most common way to do this – this involves wrapping the vehicle in vinyl which has already been printed on. A benefit of vehicle wraps is that they are easily removable if you ever want to sell the vehicle or update information.
Bags
When selling products to customers, don’t overlook the bag that you serve this product in. Bags can have logos and information printed on the side, helping to promote your business. These could be paper bags or plastic bags.
Packaging
It’s worth mentioning packaging as a form of print marketing. Snazzy packaging is often key to helping a product stand out on a shelf. There are hundreds of different forms of packaging from cartons to bottles. When designing packaging that stands out, pay careful attention to color and text placement.
Promotional products
All kinds of products can have logos and contact details printed on them ranging from pens to water bottles. Such promotional products are often handed out at events like trade shows to provide a reminder of your brand. By getting creative with promotional products, you can help your brand to stand out.
Thank you notes
Thank you notes are sometimes slipped into product packaging or delivery boxes in order to show appreciation to customers. This simple gesture may help to boost return business and could be worth trying if you own an online store.
Vouchers
Vouchers are also sometimes given to customers alongside products as a way of winning them back. These vouchers usually provide discounts for a limited time period. Vouchers can be used in store, or may contain a code that can be entered online.
Loyalty stamp cards
The ability to collect loyalty points and earn discounts is another popular way to encourage return customers. One of the most traditional and simple methods of doing this is a loyalty stamp card in which a customer earns a stamp with every purchase. After a certain amount of stamps, customers are then entitled to a product for free. This is most commonly used by coffee bars when doing print marketing.
