PrintPlace.com Blog

In this era of economic slow down, effective marketing technique determines the success of your business. With the recent internet boom there is a constant doubt about how useful would it be to promote your business using traditional methods of advertising using print media like newspapers , flyers , brochures , direct mails and other promotions. The recent survey from Okidata reveals that 91% of the small businesses still depend on the print media for all their promotional and marketing needs.

In this world of cut throat competition you have to make your mark by grabbing the attention of the public by making them aware of what sets you apart from the crowd. To make audiences aware of your unique selling proposition, you need to market aggressively using low cost printed material. About 72% of small business owners make use of their own computers and printers for creating printed material for advertising which include sending business proposals & promotional letters, flyers, brochures, marketing booklet, direct mails, advertisements in news papers and also presentations. Another important printed media used for business networking is exchanging of business cards. So let’s see how we can effectively use printed materials for promoting our products and services even during bear market:-

1.  Get a Custom Logo & Business Cards

The first step to promote your business is coming up with a logo that instantly catches person’s eye and becomes synonym with your business. Be it Ronnie of McDonalds or “just do it!”  The tag line of Nike has helped them in promoting their business. Search for a local artist or a design firm online; explain them about your business and what you had been looking for. To get a better deal you can ask the same graphic firm to come up with the design for your letter heads and business cards which will help you in getting a great discount along with the relevant stationary to promote your business.

Business card are a reflection of who you are, what you sell and when and where you can be contacted. Research reveals that more then 33% of the business alliances are established by the exchange of business cards. All the more reasons for getting your business cards printed quickly!

2.  Direct Mail 

Ever thought how useful a cheap expensive postcard can be in marketing your business? A witty saying, colorful graphics and an overview of your business with your phone number and business address should form the basic content of your postcard marketing strategy. Everyone loves receiving mails and the mail becomes more special if it has something great to offer. To promote business you can even provide small gifts to all those customers who visit your store with your promotional postcards which will surely make the customers look around and purchase other merchandise. Use bright colors and avoid using very small fonts to create good marketing postcards which will surely help in moving up your sales.

3.  Get Published in Trade Journals & Organize Road Shows

So you want your company’s name to be in limelight and in people’s mind, contribute white papers and successful case studies to the leading trade journals subscribed by customers and other organizations. This is the best way to send the signal of your success across the masses.

Also come out with your newsletters and send them to your potential clients informing them about the new updates and new events that had been organized by your firm.You can further promote your business by sending your top officials as key speakers to some of the top conferences and trade fairs. Therefore by using some simple technique you can still end up increasing your revenue by using some efficient yet inexpensive promotional methods. You can even organize road shows and design attractive presentations to inform the clients about your business and success stories. Also try to rope in few of their past satisfied clients which will assist you further in getting more clients.

4.  Brochures & Flyers

An excellent way to promote your business to the largest target audience, who are not even computer savvy, is by making use of flyers and brochures. Apply “Keep It Simple” rule while designing your brochures. A clean layout with product listing including some images and key features of each product and service which you have to offer should be placed in your brochure.Understand who would be your target audience and come up with the brochures material keeping customer in mind.

You have a very short time span from about 30 seconds to a maximum of three minutes to capture customer]s attention, so power pack your brochure with only relevant information. With the onset of digital printing it is all the more reason to get your flyers and brochures printed at a lesser cost per unit even if you want to get only a small quantity of brochures to be printed at first. So try marketing your services using inexpensive brochures in this time of economic slow down.

5.  Marketing Booklets

So you had sent letters, followed up with brochures and attracted a customer finally to your store, the next marketing strategy would be to prepare a 6-8 page marketing booklet for increasing business to business and also business to consumer marketing. This booklet should include details of your product along with the relevant images and graphics, FAQ’s, case study and yes the last page of the booklet should contain testimonials from the successful customers which help in establishing your credibility. Vibrant, colorful and with useful information a marketing booklet helps in reaching out and winning more customers.

Print media is an effective way to promote your business when the world is experiencing the down swing in economy. Keep the AIDCA (Attract, Interest, Desire, Conviction & Action) philosophy in mind while designing your brochures, marketing booklets, newsletters and advertisements which will help you in generating sales even when the going gets tough.