Why Print Marketing is the Key to Your Multi-Channel Marketing Strategy

Have you ever wondered what it takes for brands to truly capture consumer attention amid today’s endless stream of marketing messages? With endless digital channels and information at their fingertips, modern consumers have more control than ever before in deciding when and who to purchase anything from. This makes it critical to implement an integrated marketing strategy that cuts through the noise. Your marketing needs to meet your target audiences wherever they already are across multiple channels to earn their eyes and attention on your products. 

One  key solution to scale this mountain? Print media.

With this tool in your arsenal, the question becomes - how can you best combine traditional print and digital marketing to boost your multi-channel campaigns? And what place does print have alongside digital marketing strategies?

In this article, we will discuss multi-channel marketing, its benefits, and why print is so crucial alongside digital channels.

What is a multi-channel marketing strategy?

In simple terms, multi-channel marketing is a strategic approach that meets modern customers wherever they are spending time, both online and offline.

The idea is to combine offline and online channels thoughtfully to maximise exposure among your target audiences. You engage potential or existing consumers on the platforms they use daily, in the content they trust most, and the channels where they feel most comfortable.

But you can also introduce your brand into entirely new environments beyond their digital sphere – think print ads in a magazine they love yet, having never seen your digital ads being run on a platform they don’t use .

This significantly expands your reach and positions your business as an approachable yet ever-present industry leader in more of the right customers’ eyes.

What are the benefits of a multi-channel marketing strategy?

Implementing a coordinated approach across several marketing channels (print, digital, in-store, etc.) powered by an integrated strategy provides several advantages over focusing on just one channel alone. This includes:

1. Expanded Reach: Different channels reach different audiences. In speaking to more than one channel, you’re accessing the audience of each of those channels. While there may be some overlap, you’ll certainly reach more people where they spend their time.

2. Increased Engagement: Some people are about Instagram or Facebook, while others prefer getting emails. By being everywhere, you're enabling people to engage with you on their terms.

3. Improved Resilience:  If one channel isn't yielding the desired results in lead generation, you still have other channels effectively bringing in potential leads.So, you're not putting all your eggs in one digital basket that might not have the impact you expect.

4. Enhanced Brand Visibility: Utilising multiple channels ensures that your brand is consistently visible across various platforms, reinforcing brand recognition and fostering trust among consumers.

5. Versatile Communication: Different channels offer unique opportunities for communication. Whether it's through visual content on social media, personalised emails, or informative leaflets, a multi-channel approach allows you to tailor your message for different preferences and communication styles.

6. Maximised Return on Investment (ROI): By measuring the ROI of each channel, you can identify which ones are delivering the highest returns and adjust your strategy accordingly in real-time. This data-driven approach ensures that your marketing efforts are optimised to generate the best possible results from your investment.

Examples of multi-channel marketing strategies

1.  Take a speciality bakery wanting to promote their freshly baked, seasonal doughnut flavours. They could run fun TV ads highlighting the delicious options, and then drive customers to order online for delivery through their website.

Simultaneously, the bakery could print promotional flyers with an exclusive discount code to distribute around town, potentially attracting more local customers to visit their shop to redeem it. As a result, their multi-channel presence could boost both online and brick-and-mortar sales.

2. An author promoting their latest book release can orchestrate a diverse advertising campaign across channels. This could include ads on public radio, targeted social media ads to engaged readers, featured placements in online and print bookseller catalogues, leaflets sent to book clubs and loyal patrons, a virtual book tour, or an appearance on a popular podcast.

This multi-channel marketing campaign will help boost book sales through using a variety of channels preferred by different types of new readers.

3.  Similarly, a fashion boutique can showcase its new clothing line through a dynamic multi-channel approach. It can produce an online virtual runway showcase and complement it with print ads in various regional magazines, showcasing their timeless styles from different design eras. 

Additionally, promotional leaflets can be mailed out to regular customers to inform them of the new collection. The boutique can effectively convert interest into local store purchases by appealing across multiple print materials, online venues and in-store placements.

What is print marketing?

Well, it's pretty much what it sounds like - marketing your product through good old-fashioned printed materials. That is physical stuff you can hold in your hands, like brochures, posters, flyers, billboards, newspaper and magazine ads or direct mail.

It may seem old school, but it's often more eye-catching and memorable than ads and content saturating the digital space. Print builds trust and relationships with customers - that's why it still works!

What are the benefits of a print-marketing strategy?

While digital marketing has boomed, with SEO, PPC, email, and social media often taking the spotlight, print still grabs attention in places digital can't always touch.

However, many underestimate the enduring impact that print ads and physical marketing materials (eg leaflets/flyers) can have when it comes to engaging readers.

Print offers several distinct benefits:

1. More Tangible Information: Print materials provide a physical touchpoint that digital mediums lack, allowing consumers to interact with and retain information more effectively.

2. Credibility and Trust: Print ads are often perceived as more trustworthy and credible than digital ads, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates.

3. More Targeted Reach: With print advertisement, businesses can specifically target local communities or niche demographics that may be harder to reach through digital channels alone.

4. Longer Lifespan: Print materials such as magazines, brochures, and leaflets have a longer shelf life than digital content, allowing for prolonged exposure and increased brand recall over time.

5. Enhanced Brand Recall: Physical marketing materials leave a lasting impression on readers, leading to improved brand recall and recognition compared to fleeting digital advertisements.

6. Measurable & Optimisable ROI: Print enables detailed campaign measurement when paired with tracked promo codes, URLs, etc. This quantifiable ROI facilitates data-driven optimisation for maximised return on investment.

Why print marketing is the key to a multi-channel marketing strategy?

Print stands out from noisy online spaces, and integrating print marketing into a multi-channel strategy can be vital to achieving comprehensive reach and engagement from your target audience.

Take leaflets for example - JICMAIL studies show leaflets actually grab 2x more consumer attention at a lower cost versus digital ads, which people can easily ignore or delete. Plus, the proportion of leaflets driving visitors to websites grows over 50% year-over-year.

While digital marketing allows for precise targeting based on online behaviours and demographics, print materials more  effectively targets local communities, niche markets, and demographics less engaged with digital platforms.

By diversifying the channels you use in your marketing efforts, you can ensure you’re reaching a wider audience and maximising your chances of connecting with potential customers.

Leafletdrop - The Leaflet Advertising Experts

When it comes to getting the word out to target households, leaflets are like the OG of marketing methods. As mentioned above, they're super effective at grabbing attention right on people's doorsteps. So, if you're thinking about beefing up your multi-channel marketing strategy, adding leaflets is a solid move.

At Leafletdrop, we are all about targeted advertising that delivers. You can book your targeted leaflet campaign online in minutes and then leave everything else to us!

Leafletdrop uses reliable door-to-door leaflet distribution by Royal Mail to ensure your campaign reaches the right audience, on time and on budget.

Whether you are looking for more information, or are ready to launch your first leaflet advertising campaign today, simply reach out to us and we can help you get started on your leaflet advertising journey.