Post-pandemic - use print to make the light at the end of the tunnel shine on your company.
When the marketplace begins to buzz again, small- to medium-sized businesses will need to stand out from the hive. As companies compete to reach new customers and strengthen previous relationships, print marketing is an effective way to cut through the noise.
Fly high.
Flyering is back -- in a big way. People are out again exploring their environments, and you’ll want to have your brand everywhere they are. Whether your business offers a service like personal training, a retail environment such as a clothing store, or food and beverage, flyering can be a sophisticated and eye-catching way to reach people of all ages and demographics. Keep in mind the basics when creating a flyer:
Focus messaging on a call to action such as a sale or a special offer. Give people a reason to come in. Don’t dilute the flyer with too much information.
Reinforce your brand. Use your colors, logo, and typeface. Create a relationship through familiarity. Using a professional printer ensures consistency and brand standards.
Remove your flyers when the content expires, so your brand does not become clutter. Better yet, don’t put an expiration date on a flyer with a coupon. Instead, encourage people to bring it in anytime, then honor it.
For more on effective and flattering flyers, check out Canva’s ultimate guide to flyer design.
Promote your purpose.
Today’s consumers want to know who you are, how they can connect with you, and what your values are. When they see what you believe in, they can believe in you. There are so many ways to use print materials to communicate your values. When your target audience sees your brand, they will associate it with a higher purpose.
Create a direct mail or integrated campaign that brings exposure to an important issue, organization or charitable event. Make your cause logical to the brand like Lyft did with The Ride to Vote campaign.
Create window and in-store signage that reflects your values. “All are welcome here” signs with your logo on them or positive affirmations in your brand colors at points of sale give your space a sense of community and purpose.
Stickers are the king of DIY cachet when it comes to communication. High-quality, professionally printed, heavy-duty stickers can live for years on water bottles, vehicles, bike helmets, travel mugs, and other belongings. Combine your brand with a succinct but meaningful message, and watch it live in perpetuity. The fiercely loyal Dutch Bros. brand owes an homage to the staying power of stickers.
Mail a mini.
Studies show that when a catalog turns up at a house, almost everyone who lives there reads it eventually, and more than once. Even better, catalogs work synergistically with online retail sites, and customers tend to spend more online if they have received a catalog first. But there is no need to mail a whopper like Costco Connection or the fabled Sears Christmas catalog. A mini booklet on quality paper showcasing a few essential items or services is enough to breed familiarity with your brand and prompt customers to engage. Here’s the skinny on getting the most from your mini:
Don’t make your catalog a catch-all. A mini-catalog is a highly targeted piece that runs from 8 to 12, maybe 16 pages. Keep it focused on a specific line or season, and mail it to current customers who are already invested.
Be brand-focused. Make your brand very obvious through color consistency, logo, and typeface. Play up your brand’s personality in the copy.
Tell your story. Use your mini to show your values or tell the story of your business. If the copy and photos are compelling, people will absolutely sit down and read it.
Don’t hesitate to integrate.
Print and digital work synergistically. Use your print campaigns to nudge consumers to your online brand. In the last year, QR (Quick Response) codes have made a robust comeback. Most of today’s smartphones have a QR reader -- including iPhones, which were a late adopter of the technology -- and businesses have a more comprehensive array of valuable online content to connect with. QR codes can also be branded with your company’s logo, colors, and messaging to increase their impact on your flyers, brochures, signage, business cards, direct mail, and more. Check out these creative ways to direct QR codes for powerful consumer response.
Call or click to create a buzz with EMCO, the best in design, print, and mail.
Comments