An estimated 71% of small businesses handle all marketing efforts on their own. The same source reveals that these companies have a variety of theories on which types of marketing and advertising are most effective. While some (28%) state that word-of-mouth is the most effective, others (20%) believe in the power of search engine optimization (SEO). What many small businesses are missing out on is the combining of multiple strategies for optimal ROI. If you are in charge of marketing for your organization, explore how using both print and digital marketing techniques together is crucial.
Print marketing is still highly successful
Ever since the popularity of social media and digital marketing began to take center stage, it has become a common myth that print marketing is no longer effective. However, experts from flyersasap.com state that print marketing holds key attributes that digital methods do not. Direct mail campaigns, for example, are viewed as much more trustworthy than online ads. MarketingSherpa reports that “82% of U.S. internet users trust print ads when making a purchase decision, more than any other medium.” In addition to this, direct mail has an open rate of between 80-90%. When compared to email campaigns, the current open rate is between 20-30%. Despite the shift to all things digital, customers still place a high value on print marketing.
Digital marketing has also proven extremely effective
When done properly, digital marketing also has the power to be incredibly effective. Because of its known benefits, Omni Core Agency reports that spending on mobile ads is expected to reach $247 billion by 2020. Additionally, many businesses that use various digital marketing methods report that they are satisfied with their results. Some of the top advantages of using digital marketing (as reported by LYFE Marketing) include cost savings, ease in measuring campaign effectiveness, the ability to reach specific audiences, and the ability to change marketing tactics in real-time as needed. The same source also notes that the use of social media advertising, email campaigns and SEO allow businesses across industries to stay competitive.
Why a combination of print and digital is a must
Rather than focusing on one or the other, the most effective marketing campaigns now use a mix of both print and digital advertising. Research has confirmed that print marketing can boost digital marketing efforts. More specifically, Media Space Solutions reported that print advertisements can drive potential customers to perform online searches for products and services. In addition to this, marketers are now intentionally blending print and digital ads through the use of QR codes and augmented reality. To find the best balance of both methods for your business, first begin by assessing your budget. From there, meet your potential customers where they are. If you know that your customer base interacts with digital ads more frequently than print ads, adjust your marketing budget accordingly. Do the same if the opposite is true. Also, be sure to factor in the difference in cost between both mediums. Since digital ads are much less expensive than direct mail campaigns, consider this before setting your official marketing budget.
