5 Print Marketing Myths Debunked
Do you think print marketing died with the advent of digital marketing? If so, it might be time to think again. Print marketing has been around for well over a decade. And while various methods of marketing have challenged print throughout the decades, it has remained a highly effective way to promote any business, organization or service.
- It’s Impossible to Personalize Print Marketing Messages
For years, there’s been a misconception that you can only run a single design through each printing press section. If that’s the case, it would be very difficult to send out print campaigns that are personalized for each market segment or individual.
However, there is no truth to this myth. It’s very possible, and even quite simple, to personalize your print marketing campaigns.
In today’s market, there’s a technology called variable data printing that allows marketers to change elements of each individual printout, such as recipient name, for each piece that’s printed.
You can also use it to personalize messages to single individuals or market segments.
- Print Is Too Expensive
Believe it or not, direct mail campaigns are one of the least expensive marketing campaigns to get set up and running.
The most accurate way to look at this is by studying the cost of acquiring a single customer. In terms of its competition, direct mail is proven to be highly cost-effective. In fact, the cost per individual acquisition is only $19.
When compared to digital marketing strategies like social media at $16-18 per customer acquisition, paid search campaigns at $21-30 and display ads at $41-50, the myth that print marketing is too expensive is completely busted.
- Print Just Doesn’t Work Like It Used To
Digital marketing is by far the toast of the hour in the world of marketing. This has caused a lot of so-called experts to write off print marketing as an ineffective dinosaur.
But the facts tell us otherwise.
According to the research done by Nielsen, more than half of the shoppers in the US leverage print a minimum of once per week to look for sales and product info.
A full 56% of buyers rely on direct mail when making purchase decisions. This doesn’t sound like an outdated method of marketing.
- Print Is Bad for the Environment
When people think about print, they often think of destroying trees and forests. However, the opposite is actually true.
Producing paper does not actually work to deplete our natural resources. Rather, paper production encourages sustainable long-term management of major forests.
According to the highly respected Two Sides North America (a world-wide initiative that works to promote responsible forest practices), printing and paper production is one of a very few products that are completely sustainable.
Let’s also not forget about recycling. Paper is recyclable up to seven times before fibers eventually begin to break down. The vast majority of printers have fully adopted the use of recycled paper and other practices that are friendly for the environment.
- Print Marketing Makes My Business Look Out of Touch
A lot of people in 2020 are experiencing digital burnout. It’s a very real thing, as more people put their smartphones down or spend days “off the grid.”
Print marketing has a certain cache of times past that a lot of people dealing with digital burnout really like. In fact, catalogs are starting to make a big comeback.
After being inundated with digital marketing messages all day, it’s refreshing for consumers to read material that they can hold in their hands and study. Retro is cool and effective. Instead of looking like you’re out of touch, you actually appear to be socially savvy.
It’s Time to Get Back into Print
With these five big print marketing myths totally debunked, it’s time to take a new look at an old way of marketing. You’ll find it much more effective than once suspected.
