Combining digital and print media for a successful marketing mix

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The best marketing campaigns are multi-media, using both traditional print and digital marketing techniques to execute their message. These campaigns have been proven to work more effectively, with greater reach and memorability than just using one medium. You’ll be able to grow your business faster than ever before if you master the proper marketing mix, (especially if your materials are professionally designed). In this post, we’ll take you through the benefits of digital and print marketing, then teach you a bit about how to use them in conjunction with one another.

Digital marketing 

From websites and emails to social media, digital marketing has taken over. People now spend more time than ever in front of screens and there’s no signs of this slowing down. If you’re not using it already, now’s the time to start and here’s why. Also, be sure to check out this infographic for a quick snapshot on some of the benefits of digital marketing!

Accessibility

One of the best parts about digital marketing is its accessibility compared to traditional methods. Any small business can reach their audience online and compete with bigger companies. This ability to compete is essential for a small business looking to grow.

Cost effective

Digital marketing is typically cheaper per impression than traditional marketing. Ads are more easily targeted at the people who will actually be interested in your products and services. Plus, costs are generally only incurred when people click on the ads, so little money is wasted on anyone indifferent to your offerings. On top of all this, digital ads are easily editable and retractable, something that can’t be done with traditional advertisements.

Easy to measure

Digital marketing is way easier to measure than traditional marketing. Instead of running a magazine ad where you can only measure the reach and increased sales thereafter, digital marketing can come with thousands of options to measure campaigns. You can see where and when people saw your ad, whether or not they clicked on it, how long they spend on your website, whether or not they made a purchase after seeing your ad and more. We’re entering the data age and now is the time to start tracking and measuring engagement.

Digital consumers

Consumers have shifted into the digital space. People are more engaged with their computers, tablets, and smartphones and shopping is shifting online. Fading are the days of seeing products on TV and going to a brick and mortar store to buy them. The new window shopping is online browsing and you need to make sure people see your products and services while they’re perusing the web.

How we can help

At 411.ca, we can help you with your digital marketing. We specialize in connecting small businesses with local people and we’ll get you seen online. Just add your business to 411.ca (it’s FREE) to start attracting your target audience.

If you’re already online but need more help creating content or managing your social channels, check out Arnold Street Media, who we’ve partnered with for our Entrepreneurs Club. They’re a one-stop shop to help you craft a memorable digital experience, help establish your brand and increase your overall web presence. They have a talented team of photographers, graphic designers, videographers and more at your disposal.

Despite the incredible benefits of digital marketing, you can’t stop there. Any effective marketing mix needs a more personal element and something tangible to hand out to potential clients. This is where print materials come in.

Print marketing 

When we’re speaking of print, we’re talking about marketing materials including flyers, brochures, and business cards rather than advertising in newspapers and magazines. Although print marketing materials have been passed by digital ones in global annual spending, these items will always have a place in the business world.

Print marketing can leave long-lasting impressions on anyone. As people spend more time online staring at screens, there is still a strong sense of value from printed marketing materials. Here are some of the benefits of keeping print in your marketing mix:

Tangibility

One of the biggest benefits of print marketing is being able to give people physical items to hang onto and remember. Despite digital marketing’s effectiveness, having a physical reminder can help trigger recall and aid the brain in remembering what they saw. For example, a contact’s unique business card may remind you to give them a call when you would have otherwise forgotten.

Focus on the items

The Internet is cluttered. With print, people are generally more narrow-focused on what they are reading. The people who see and read your flyers will do so in greater detail and will tend to absorb more information about your business.

Direct mail still works

This one may catch you by surprise. Direct mail is 66 per cent better at recruiting customers than email. This stat alone shows print marketing can still be a highly effective tool if done right. However, you need to make sure that all your marketing materials look great, otherwise they’ll go ignored.

How we can help

At 411.ca, our Business Advisors and graphic designers can help you out. If you’re an Entrepreneurs Club member, our team will work with you to create your brand, and connect the online and offline worlds through digital and print marketing.

If you’re looking to create some of your own print marketing materials, be sure to check out Vistaprint for all your print marketing needs. You can customize tons of items with your name, logo and more. If you’re a member of our Entrepreneurs Club, you get 50 per cent off your first order of business cards and save up to 25 per cent on thousands of their other products.

Seven steps to get started on Vistaprint: 

1. Head over to vistaprint.ca.
2. Choose from Vistaprint’s thousands of products and customize them however you like.
3. After you’re satisfied with the design, instead of proceeding with your order, look to the edit menu in the top right corner and hit “save.”
   
4. You’ll be asked to either sign in to your account or register. Once you do, your design will be saved to your Vistaprint account.
5. From there, if you want to access your design, find the “My Account” menu in the top right of the page and select “My Projects”, where you can see the list of your created products.
   
   
6. When you see your list of products, one of the columns will be headed “Details”. Click the share button in the appropriate row for the product you’re looking to have made.
   
   
7. On the next screen, you’ll see a long link on the left-hand side. Send us an email with this link so you Business Advisor can work out your discounted price, make any adjustments and follow up with you before placing your order.
   
   

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