In today’s ever-expanding digital marketing landscape, there is a common assumption that print marketing is dead. However, this could not be further from the truth. Print marketing is alive and well, and many companies still rely heavily on magazine printing as well as leaflets, booklets, promotional flyers, newspaper adverts, business cards and much more. In fact, print marketing is experiencing something of a resurgence as consumers become increasingly disillusioned with some forms of digital marketing, such as social media advertising.
What are the Benefits of Print Marketing?
While digital marketing has fundamentally changed how businesses interact with their audiences, many businesses should not forget the many benefits of print marketing.
Brand Image Management
A key benefit of print marketing is its ability to increase brand awareness. In today’s digital world, brands have less control over their image. Google, social media platforms, and review websites wield massive power over how consumers view your brand. However, printed marketing materials allow businesses to manage how consumers perceive the brand. With each magazine, leaflet, booklet or poster, you are reinforcing your brand’s core messaging and image.
Portability
The portability of printed marketing materials makes them a vital asset to your business. As long as you have permission, you can leave booklets, magazines and leaflets in areas with high footfall, meaning your business is discovered by more people. If someone spots your leaflet on a leaflet stand in a shopping centre or a supermarket, they can take it home with them to refer back to whenever they need it. Then, should they decide that they don’t need to make use of your services, but they know someone who might, the leaflet can be easily passed on. Plus, if you’ve created high-quality materials, they should last several months before needing to be thrown away.
Trust
Steve Jobs famously said, “A brand is simply trust”. With that in mind, you need to advertise your brand using methods that consumers deem trustworthy. Did you know that consumers trust printed media more than digital media? For example, one study found that 82 per cent of consumers trust printed ads the most out of all media when making a purchase decision. Over the last few years, consumers have been experiencing growing distrust of digital media. For example, high-profile digital mishaps such as the Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal have eroded consumer trust in social media platforms. A study by Kantar found that 70 per cent of Britons do not trust social platforms. So if you’re trying to decide between running a printed campaign or a social media advertising push, keep these statistics in mind!
Tangibility
Print marketing materials are tangible, and that matters more than you might think! Magazines, booklets and leaflets appeal to our senses in a way that viewing digital media does not. In addition, many find it much easier to digest information if it is written in front of them on paper.
Digital Fatigue
Print marketing is experiencing a resurgence as many consumers are experiencing digital fatigue. Many of us spend a large proportion of our time on digital devices, and, as a result, we’re looking for ways to switch off. Printed marketing materials offer a solution—consumers can browse for the products and services they need without staring at a bright screen for hours on end.
Magazines and Brand Awareness
Magazines are a highly-effective way to increase brand awareness. A growing number of businesses are creating their own printed magazines to grab the attention of their target audience. The benefits of creating a magazine specific to your niche are various: they reinforce your brand’s identity, provide another medium to advertise your products and services and increase audience engagement with your brand. But how do you go about creating a magazine?
How to Create a Printed Magazine
Printing a magazine isn’t as complicated as it used to be. Today, a myriad of printing companies offer online magazine printing services. Once you’ve selected a suitable printing company, you’ll need to fill out a quote form to determine how much your order is going to cost. After you’ve chosen the number of copies you need, you need to choose the size. There are several sizes to choose from, including A4, A5, A6 and various square sizes. If needed, you can print your magazine in a custom size.
Next, you choose whether you would like your magazine printed in colour or greyscale and the orientation. Then, you select the paper type for the interior pages. Most magazine printing services will offer silk, gloss, uncoated, recycled or natural paper. Next, you select the paper weight of your interior pages and how you would like your magazine to be bound. Finally, you need to choose the paper type, weight, colour and finish of the magazine cover.
