If you’re looking to implement a reliable content marketing strategy within your business, then you cannot underestimate the power of deliverability. After all, how can your audience respond to a message they have never seen? So, that begs the question: How should you distribute your content to maximize the likelihood that your viewers will see and engage with your content? This is where the advantage of combining print and digital really shines.
Maximize Your Deliverability With Print.
Far from being a dead medium, print marketing still provides one of the most reliable and personal channels for marketing. In fact, 73% of U.S. consumers report that they prefer to receive marketing materials through the mail, and 59% say they enjoy getting mail from brands about new products. That’s why it’s important to note the following unique advantages of print distribution within a marketing campaign.
Reliable
Print has long been considered one of the best channels for marketing in terms of deliverability rates. In fact, up to 90% of direct mail gets opened — compared to about 20%–30% of emails. This is perfect for marketers who want to guarantee they are getting their message out to as many of their customers as possible. The average lifespan of a piece of mail is also 17 days, giving it unique longevity that other mediums do not possess.
Motivates Action
Even today, print marketing still maintains a strong influence over the purchasing decisions of consumers. A whopping 76% of consumers trust print ads and catalogs when it comes to making purchasing decisions, and 39% of consumers will try a business for the first time as a result of direct mail. In fact, direct mail response rates are 5–9 times higher than any other marketing channel, making it a uniquely persuasive method for content distribution.
Unique
In the digital era, print marketing has become less common. It’s estimated that for every 36 emails a consumer receives, they only receive 1 piece of print mail. That means, in terms of standing out from the competition, print gives business owners a serious advantage.
Maximize Your Efficiency With Digital.
By comparison, digital marketing efforts come with a unique set of advantages and drawbacks that direct mail doesn’t have. For example, while email marketing might not have the same astounding deliverability rates as print distribution, it’s one of the cheapest and most convenient ways to market to your audience. That’s why 93% of B2B marketers rely on email as part of their distribution strategy. Here are the advantages:
Inexpensive
Email marketing is by far one of the best ways to stretch your marketing budget. In fact, data from 2019 suggests that for every $1 spent on email marketing, businesses see on average an ROI of $42. The inexpensive nature of email marketing gives it an advantage over print that can’t be underestimated and makes it perfect for sending out frequent messages to your base.
Fast
When you send out an email, you are delivering your message straight to your customers within a matter of seconds. That gives you the freedom to notify your audience about pop-up sales, events, and other spur-of-the-moment business ventures they might be interested in. With 21% of emails being opened within the first hour of delivery, this channel’s bandwidth and speed can be important tools for engaging your audience.
Convenient
Email marketing is relatively easy to set up, and most email clients provide tools for building templates, managing your list, and automating your campaigns — making email one of the most convenient methods for marketing. That may be the reason 29% of marketers rate email as their most effective marketing channel.
Maximize Your Results By Using Both Print And Digital.
While both print and digital marketing provide unique advantages, businesses that combine both have seen tremendous results. Combining digital and print marketing has helped businesses see a 39% increase in store traffic, a 53% increase in leads, a 60% increase in ROI, and much more.
Why? Well, it’s simple. When you combine print and digital marketing, you’re committing to a strategy that maximizes the strengths of both mediums, resulting in a content distribution strategy with high deliverability and lots of touchpoints. These combined benefits increase brand awareness and keep your business top of mind. That’s pretty powerful.
