How To Combine Print With Electronic Marketing

If your business is struggling with a decision between using print or electronic marketing, why not double your impact by teaming them together and using both?

The question is usually how can I affordably combine the reach and flexibility of the Internet with the targetability of direct mail to increase sales?

Both of these mediums, with new technology, actually combine and work very well together. The following are some tricks and tips you can use to increase the effectiveness of your advertising and save money in the process.

First of all, how much money would you say you are wasting on advertising now? What would it mean if you could increase your effectiveness by 25% – 40%? Probably would mean a lot more customers and sales.

When I say electronic marketing I mean Internet, email and social media.  When you send out an email blast and follow up with a targeted direct mail piece you will dramatically increase traffic to your website and traffic to your business. Both pieces have to be coordinated and directing traffic to a landing page. The landing page is designed as such to give them enough information but leave them with enough questions so they have to call you. The idea is that it all culminates with a live conversation with the prospect.

Postcards are a proven effective way to communicate quickly, focusing on one central message. The benefit of postcards is in two seconds the recipient knows instantly what it is and why they want it. Combine a postcard with the QR Code Technology and people with smart phones can instantly go to your landing page. In the next 3 years it is estimated that 90% of the traffic on the Internet will be via smart phones. Postcards + QR codes and smart phones have the potential to drive business directly to your doorstep.

For best results keep your message on the postcard very concise and to the point with heavy emphasis on buy-now incentives. This is where a landing page becomes a tool you can use to go into more detail and if you are smart you will have a mechanism in place on the landing page to gather people’s contact information. Requiring this information to receive a coupon or a free download also has the effect of eliminating people who are not serious buyers. You should always follow up every lead from the Internet with a piece of hard mail like a thank you note, a full color brochure or a prospect information kit.

The follow up mailer should provide your contact information, a link to your website for more information, an opportunity to sign up for your monthly newsletter, etc. Chances are good that a visitor who is interested enough to visit your landing page will take a moment to read your printed materials. You also need to put something in their hands that they can touch and hold onto. When making a buying decision people still want the mass of something solid to hold onto, call it “kicking the tires” syndrome. When you send a piece of hard mail as a follow up, you are bypassing all the competition on the Internet and establishing a direct line with the customer or prospect.

Often your best prospects are the most difficult to get to. A note card is another tool you can use to reach them. The benefit to note cards is when personalized they tend to get past gatekeepers and get opened. Combined with a “buck slip” you can get very good results. We have developed a bulk mail note card product that is hand written for the personal touch and is very effective.

If you’d like more ideas for print and electronic marketing combinations to maximize your marketing efforts, give us a call today! We’ll help you create a marketing strategy that is sure to get noticed.

I hope you found this information useful. If you have any questions please give me a call 727-536-4173.

Mark Hale

CEO