I started my career working in the marketing department of a large financial institution, and I’ve witnessed the remarkable development from paper-based couriers to digital workflows over broadband. It's amazing how quickly technology has transformed our daily lives and operations — what used to take days now happens in minutes, even seconds!
As technologies have evolved over the years, so has advertising. I experienced this firsthand growing up in an era when print, radio and TV were our main forms of advertising. I watched the rise of direct mail and its targeted messages, hoping for a 2% response rate. Fast-forward to today and the leaps seem exponential, as AI begins ushering us into a new era of marketing and communications.
Despite the big leaps in advertising technology, there are still those unique instances when more traditional mediums, like print, can make all the difference. When I work with clients who focus primarily on digital marketing, I often remind them that traditional, tried-and-true methods of marketing can be necessary and advantageous to their goals.
So let me go down memory lane and reminisce about one of these long-forgotten advertising mediums. But before I do, let me just say that before creating any marketing or fundraising material, you still need to fully understand your mission, what makes your organization unique, and who your target audience is.
Print media is indispensable.
Print media is still an essential avenue for reaching target audiences. Having your organization represented in high-value publications, newsletters and magazines not only gives your brand exposure but positions you as an expert in your field. Incorporating the same look-and-feel your brand carries on its digital platforms to your print media will ensure your brand remains unified, and QR codes in print ads provide readers with an easy way to respond to a call to action.
Direct mail is as important as ever.
Twenty years ago, direct mail was commonplace. Everyone was doing it. And while email marketing has become the norm, the beauty of direct mail is the opportunity it creates for brands to generate leads, build awareness and provide their audience with personalized communication.
The trick to being an effective mailbox-marketer? Make sure your creative stands out from everything else in the mailbox! Be clever when writing your headlines and teasers, just as you would with an email subject line. Every time you send something out, provide your audience with something useful and interesting that solves a problem they might be experiencing. Let them know your communication is always worth opening.
While the advantages of digital marketing are undeniable, supporting those efforts with print is essential. The key is knowing when, where and how to use it to maximize results. If we can put our expertise to work helping you do that, let us know.
