Over the last few years, the marketing world has been primarily focused on digital tools and strategies and what they can bring to a business, with print being almost completely overlooked. Now there are signs that the status quo is changing, and that print is returning to the thoughts of savvy marketeers everywhere.
One of the more high-profile examples of this recent shift occurred in the United States, with world famous department store JC Penny’s recent decision to re-launch its print catalogue < http://www.marketwatch.com/story/jc-penney-is-resurrecting-its-catalog-2015-01-19-144852655>. At one time this brochure, known colloquially as ‘the big book’, was right at the centre of JC Penny’s marketing efforts and is something that the company is returning to after the results of market testing suggested customers would engage with the move.
While seeing a major worldwide name re-embracing print marketing and brochure printing is definitely very positive for the industry, the move should not have been seen as a surprise or in any way left field. This is because direct mail marketing is as effective as it has ever been, and remains the most valuable tool available to a marketer.
The trend continues: Over the pond here in London and the rest of the UK we are starting to see more of the marketing budget spent on personalised bespoke print products as marketeers have realised the excellent  return on investment that is available from print. Couple Print with the Digital platforms i.e. websites and social media etc… and the effectiveness of any advertising campaign is dramatically improved, hence the newly coined term cross-media marketing or multi-channel marketing. We have all realised that there is a distinct place for each type of marketing and that different audiences interact with advertising in different ways.
But why such a BIG jump in the use of direct mail?
Reason number one: People open it
The endless sales-related emails that we all receive are easily dismissed without being opened; just see it and press the button. Direct mail marketing material, however, is opened, and more importantly is given the time to get its message across. People still enjoy receiving mail and always give it due care and attention.
Reason number two: It has the personal touch
Nothing engages a potential customer better than the personal approach. The thought that you have taken time as a company to create something personalised to them and their tastes makes them feel special, and the gap between feeling special and purchasing can be remarkably small.
There is no strand of marketing that can match the effectiveness of a well thought out direct mail campaign, particularly alongside your digital offering. A direct mail campaign can even help get people online with your business through the use of things like QR codes or social media links that move people from your printed materials directly onto a webpage of your choosing. Don’t overlook what it can do for your business – get in touch today to find out what we can do for you.
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