Hello and Happy New Year a little late. One of my 2011 resolutions is to do more blog posts. It’s a nice release and a great way to share my thoughts with friends, clients and prospective clients, collegues and those of you that found your way to the information by way of a search engine.
I wonder if and when we’ll see a return from electronic media and online marketing, back to traditional/paper-based approaches? Will people eventually tire of staring at computers, smart phones and televisions? Some still say that “printing” is the foundation of our information infrastructure. After all, it records progress, chronicles history, delivers information and news, supports learning and provides entertainment. It also can be personal — it can be delivered to your door or mailbox and becomes part of your landscape. It seems nothing creates a deep connection like print. I love print design, but as time has passed, and out of necessity, I’ve honed my skills and learned to embrace the design and strategies of “paperless” communications. There is no question that online marketing and communication has changed the way the world interacts, stays informed, researches products and services, and ultimately makes a decision/purchase.
Print still works. Statistics show that 80% read or skim direct mail; 82% of consumers polled like getting catalogs in the mail from the stores they patronize; consumers that receive a printed catalog are twice as likely to buy online than those who do not receive a printed catalog; and, 67% of online actions are driven by offline messaging. And now, with social media being the “be-all end-all” to many people and businesses, the goal is to meld the two — print and online — into a perfect match. Experience has proven that choosing either print OR online tactics does not work. At least not as well as an integrated strategy. A coordinated campaign of print and online initiatives does indeed increase marketing results.
There are many print and web-based tools that are business necessities. These tools must be addressed well before any true marketing initiatives are even talked about. These tools include: a professional logo; business card; website; and probably a brochure that is printed and also provided in digital form. My company, MDzyn Solutions, specializes in these types of products and provides incredible customer service. I would love to help you define, design and promote your company with print and online tools and marketing promotions.