With more ways to market your business constantly being added to the mix, you’d be forgiven for thinking you should focus on either print or online methods. It can be confusing figuring out how to make the two work together, but a combination of both can sometimes have the most impact. And when done right, linking your digital and print marketing can help you to effectively share your message with a wider audience.
Here are some of the best practices for connecting your digital and print marketing.
Consistency is key across all your print and digital marketing activity. Your printed material should have the same look and feel as your online content, from the logo, fonts and colours to the language you use.
This consistency will help you to present a connected brand across your digital and print communications to ensure that potential customers recognise and remember you. This helps you to become their first choice when they require your goods or services.
It also tells people that you are a business to rely on. When they always know what to expect of your business they will have more trust in the reliability of the service or products you provide.
Always include your contact details on every piece of marketing you create to help people quickly make the next step in their journey to get in touch with you.
Make sure your website address and social media account details are clearly listed on all of your printed marketing materials, and your store address is visible on your website and social media channels. Potential customers should always be able to seamlessly move from one part of your business to another, whether that’s online or offline.
Providing an incentive can increase the chance a potential customer will take that next action. To encourage online Facebook fans to become offline customers you could offer money off deals in store, or to encourage offline customers to interact with you online you can shout about an exclusive deal on your website.
By encouraging customers to give you their details, you can send them marketing on a number of different channels to help keep your business in their minds. For example, you could collect customer addresses online and then send them print marketing, or share a unique discount code on social media that’s only to be used in-store.
To get customers to sign up, think about what incentive you could give to them in return for sharing their details – a 10% off code, or maybe a free consultation. Make sure you give customers the option to opt-out of your marketing (so you don’t break any advertising laws) and if you’re going to send them printed materials, email customers to tell them when your print marketing will arrive so they don’t throw it in the bin accidentally.
There are many more ways you can combine your print and digital marketing activity. Take some time to think about which channels will work for your customers and the simplest ways you can get them to seamlessly move between offline and online channels.
We have more articles that can help you to create great print and digital marketing campaigns. Read these for more ideas:
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