With the current popularity of digital marketing, it’s easy to underestimate the power of print advertising. However, written ads are still an effective method of winning customers and making sales — 40% of consumers have made a purchase in the last three months because of direct mail they received, PRWeb reports. In fact, print ads should still be an integral part of your marketing campaign and can actually work together with digital platforms for even greater impact.

The benefits of print advertising

A recent study by Temple University consumer neuroscience researchers looks at how people’s brains process both digital or physical ads. Neuromarketing methods, including eye tracking and biometric measurements, were used to measure participants reactions. Although participants absorbed roughly the same amount of information from both types of media, print ads engaged them for more time. One week later, participants showed greater emotional response and memory for physical media ads. Physical ads also sparked greater activity in parts of the brain associated with value and desire. Moreover, print ads are designed for easy readability and give consumers a more focused way of reading, in comparison to the distracting environment of the internet. Even simply holding a print ad is a tactile exercise that encourages the brain to make connections which strengthen memory. 

Combining print and digital advertising 

Combining both print and digital advertising can give you the best of both worlds and engage a greater number of customers. Make sure you include an opt-in form on your website, which allows your customers to enter their addresses and sign up to receive print materials. You can then send out direct mail like catalogs and newsletters, as well as exclusive offers. You can then also further combine the two marketing strategies by including marketing campaign hashtags on your print material. Also include a call-to-action encouraging customers to share on social media to boost brand awareness. Of course, business owners will be concerned about the expense of print marketing and particularly the postage costs involved. Buying stamps online is convenient and can be cost effective, according to OnlineStamp.net. You may even be able to receive discounts which will save you a lot of money over time. 

Introduce offline customers to your online community

There’s no reason to keep positive digital feedback from your customers confined to the digital realm. It can be useful to include social media reviews in your print advertising. Letting your offline customers see your online reviews will give them a positive introduction to your online presence and community. It also provides your customers with social proof, strengthening the reputation and trustworthiness of your business. You can also include QR codes on printed marketing material to drive traffic to your site — customers just need to scan the codes with their smartphones to visit your site. 

Although digital and print advertising are different methods with different aims, it’s possible for the two strategies to be successfully used alongside each other. Collectively, print and digital campaigns can be used to direct attention to one another and ultimately boost customer engagement.