After the internet was born, the need for strategic integration between digital and traditional channels quickly became apparent.
Independently operated marketing efforts were expensive, as overlapping or redundant costs were incurred for each campaign. Worse, disjointed campaigns failed to reinforce branding and key messaging, leaving audiences confused and unconvinced to purchase.
Thus, the concept of integrated marketing was born.
Today, integrated marketing is more important than ever. However, some marketing strategies still rely entirely on digital channels.
While digital channels–like social media and email marketing–are a critical component of any marketing strategy, marketers are increasingly pairing digital with print.
Pairing the tangibility and inherent trustworthiness of print with digital marketing is one of the most effective ways to build brand awareness and generate new business.
Ready to unleash the power of print in your integrated marketing strategy? Here’s what you need to know:
- Why adding print to your integrated marketing strategy is more important than ever.
- What makes modern print marketing so effective?
- Examples of integrated marketing strategies with print.
Why Adding Print to Your Integrated Marketing Strategy is More Important Than Ever
The internet is overflowing with ads, and people understandably have lost trust and become immune to the deluge of email blitzes, click-bait links and ad-infested websites that disrupt their online experience.
- 70% of consumers believe printed materials are more personal than intrusive online interactions.
- 56% of customers find print marketing to be the most trustworthy type of marketing.
- Nearly half of all internet users have ad-blockers installed.
Print cuts through the digital clutter and gets your brand noticed. In addition to being the only tangible marketing channel, print triggers a separate part of the brain than digital marketing. A study by the Inspector General’s Office found that print involves more emotional processing, which is important for memory and brand associations.
What Makes Modern Print Marketing So Effective?
While print is still categorized as a traditional marketing channel, it’s anything but traditional. Modern digital printing is fast and personalized. Supplementing digital tactics with a personalized print strategy will amplify marketing efforts across the board. In fact, 93% of businesses increased revenue when they focused on an advanced personalization strategy.
But wait – how do you personalize print marketing?
It’s easy, thanks to state-of-the-art technology called variable data printing (VDP). Using the data from your CRM to dynamically insert content into a design file, nearly every part of a printed piece can be personalized to address the unique needs and preferences of target audiences or even individuals. Hundreds of thousands of flyers, brochures, direct mailers and more can be tailored with content specific to each recipient without delaying the printing process.
Variables that can be personalized include:
- Names and images.
- Colors and logos.
- QR codes and URLs.
- Locations and contact information.
- Special offers.
- Taglines.
See the difference variable data printing makes?
With print, every piece can have different content.
While the images above reference a B2C campaign, personalized print marketing is ideal for the B2B sector as well, since the decision-makers involved in purchasing often have completely different pain points and needs.
By tailoring print marketing materials to address each decision maker’s needs, a sales rep can send follow-up letters and marketing assets after the introductory sales meeting that speak directly to the individual pain points of these people.
Whether launching a large-scale campaign or tailoring content for an individual prospect, personalized print marketing makes it easy to hyper-target and convert more customers. And when print is paired with digital marketing channels, conversion rates are amplified across the board.
Here’s how modern marketers use print in their integrated marketing strategy.
Examples of Integrated Marketing Strategies with Print
Social Media + Print
Businesses that offer product samples, promotional items, or product info kits via their website or paid ads generate up to seven times more conversions. Rather than using a CTA that says “Contact Us” in social campaigns or PPC ads, use CTAs that offer a free sample or product information kit. Doing so allows you to collect valuable customer data, and people are more likely to share their personal information in exchange for something, even if it’s free. Marketing teams can–and should–use this first-party data to personalize the customer journey–including the print marketing collateral included in the shipment.
Email + Print + Direct Mail
When a current customer opens and clicks on an email about a new service or product offering, send them a product information kit with a personalized letter that references their purchase history, thanks them for their business and includes hyper-targeted product information that speaks to their specific pain points. Sending an email after a direct mail campaign works extremely well, too. Marketers that send a follow-up email one week after a direct mail campaign can increase response rates by 63%.
Web + Print
In the B2B world, getting marketing collateral into the hands of prospects before the competition can be the difference between winning or losing a deal. Rather than constantly dealing with one-off requests for custom marketing materials, a marketing portal centralizes all of your print marketing materials and branded assets in an easy-to-use, online platform. Approved users can order, personalize and send the materials they need with minimal oversight from marketing. Sales reps can personalize pre-approved and on-brand templates with information specific to their prospects, and multi-location businesses, franchises, dealers or other partners can access the portal to create personalized marketing assets that convert.
Integrated Marketing Solutions with Jet Mail
Jet Mail has continuously innovated since our beginnings as a direct mail and lettershop service provider back in 1993. Since then, we’ve evolved and expanded our core competencies to meet the competitive demands of the digital age. Today, businesses across the country rely on Jet Mail as their all-in-one marketing fulfillment partner.
Jet Mail’s in-house marketing fulfillment services go far beyond print.
Our in-house mail, fulfillment and distribution capabilities mean that we can take care of your entire marketing supply chain, including:
- Printing, assembling and shipping all of your marketing collateral and branded assets.
- Inventory management and storage of print collateral, promo items, samples, trade show booth items and more.
- Receiving and processing orders for same-day fulfillment.
- Kitting and packing marketing materials as specified.
- Shipping orders promptly from our in-house USPS facility or global distribution network.
Contact our team of experts today to learn how print can amplify your integrated marketing goals.
Editor’s Note: This blog was originally published in July of 2020 and has been updated to reflect current information.
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