Print management tips: evolving traditional paper marketing materials for the digital world
Your company’s printed marketing materials shouldn’t be left in the past simply because digital marketing is taking off. Paper marketing deserves more than merely its place in the 21st century – it can actively enhance your digital presence and drive sales to your business. Clever print management can help you to make the most of your business cards, brochures and catalogues to increase traffic to your website or social media channels. There are a number of aspects of design and print that you might want to consider before you order another print run of that same old business card design…
#1: The basics: If you don’t have a website address on your physical marketing materials, you’re stuck in the last century. If your company doesn’t have a website, instead use the URL for your Twitter account or Facebook page. You can also use URL shorteners if you haven’t managed to secure a snappy URL.
#2: Social media prompts: As well as including a link to your website, it’s also practically essential for your printed marketing materials to at least contain an acknowledgement of your social media presence. Include Facebook or Twitter symbols, or invite the reader to follow your company on your various social media channels. Entice the reader to check out your Facebook page by briefly stating the type of content you share, whether it’s giveaways, voucher codes or other competitions. Twitter is about giving real-time, up-to-date information to your customers, so perhaps note this in your brochures and leaflets. Show your clients why it’s worth their time to check out your social media feeds.
#3: QR codes: In a world increasingly dominated by smartphone wielders, including QR codes on your marketing materials seems like a no-brainer. While you might not want to include QR codes if they spoil your design, it’s important to recognise that it’s far easier for a potential customer to scan the code instead of typing in the URL that you’ve provided. It’s up to you which area of your website the QR code leads to, but perhaps consider directing readers to a promotional video, or at least a good-looking, up to date page on your website.
#4: Common errors: It’s important to link your physical marketing to your digital presence only if you actually have an impressive digital presence. Potential customers may be put off by an out-of-date website, or a Twitter feed that contains various spelling or grammar errors. Furthermore, you ought to be careful which pages you link to on your site – don’t link to pages that might be moved or renamed in the near future. There’s nothing worse than a dead link. Finally, don’t forget to reassure your customers that you have a physical presence, too – whether it’s a company address or a phone number, this will give your customers a second option if they wish to contact you in a more traditional way.
Clever print management lets you create well-designed print marketing materials on a budget, taking into account everything from paper thickness and print finishing to the design considerations we’ve mentioned above. If you’d like a hand from our design studio to update your marketing materials, contact us now for further information.
