Print collateral is the lifeblood of marketing. If you aren’t a marketing guru and are wondering what print collateral means, in simple words, it refers to the printed material a company uses to promote its services. Business cards, brochures, pamphlets, posters – you get the gist.
But is print collateral all that important in a world where most marketing has gone digital? Absolutely, yes! To put that into perspective, ask yourself which of these feel closer to home – the texture and premium-ness of a business card in your hand or a slick, professional website. Nine times out of ten, it’s the former!
Now that you understand the power of print collateral, it’s all a matter of how effectively you harness it. Here are some tips to get you atop your game.
Table of Contents
Target the right audience
You can use leaflets, flyers, posters, booklets, catalogs, and whatnot, but you won’t get any leads if you don’t target your audience. The first rule of marketing is to narrow down your target audience, and only you can do that. Once you have that figured out, you can now tailor the marketing collateral to your audience.
Apart from that, you must use an appropriate print medium. For example, if you’re hosting an event in the community, you can send out postcards. Contrarily, you can print flyers if you just want to get the word out there.
Choose the right message
Identifying your audience isn’t enough; you need to send a message that resonates with your audience. For example, if you’re targeting small business owners, print collateral that promotes your services as affordable and easy-to-use works. If you target consumers, print collateral that advertises a sale or special promotion will be more effective.
That’s not all. If your print material seems unprofessional, people will assume your business is too. Conversely, if your print collateral looks too slick and professional, it might give off an air of elitism or untrustworthiness. Find a good middle ground where your print collateral looks professional, trustworthy, and relatable to your target audience.
Cut through the noise
People are bombarded with digital marketing messages all day, so your print collateral will be the last thing on anybody’s mind. Therefore, your print collateral should rise above the noise and make a lasting impression. To achieve this, you need print material that’s crisp, clean, and visually appealing.
The visual appeal of print materials depends mainly on print quality, so make sure that you print your print collateral from a reliable and experienced printer. They’ll be able to give you suggestions on what kind of paper stock and finishes will suit your print material best.
In my experience, the best print collateral is always the simplest. When presented with too much information, people tune out and pull away. Therefore, it’s crucial to keep your message simple yet engaging. Consider hiring a designer or using online tools like this nifty flyer maker to craft appealing customized flyers.
Sprinkle in some aesthetics
Since print collateral is a brand’s extension, it must exude all aspects of your brand. When designing print collateral, use the same fonts, colors, and overall design scheme to create a unified look across all of your print material. It will help people recognize your branding and associate it with quality.
Images are essential for it of any kind. They help break up text and make print materials more visually appealing, but they also help connect with readers on an emotional level. Whenever possible, include images of real people in your print collateral – especially if you’re targeting consumers.
Wrap it up with coupons and discounts
Nothing can get people more excited than a good discount or coupon. If you’re offering discounts, promote it well. In addition to promoting it through your website and social media channels, print the promos directly on your print material using gift certificate templates! That will make it exciting for your audience.
Also, ensure that it includes unique discounts or coupons is reserved for people who have already interacted with your brand. For example, it distributed at an event (like a trade show) is ideal. It will make the print material valuable and only accessible to the right people, not just anyone off the street!
Final thoughts
Using print collateral is a powerful marketing tool, but how to use it can significantly vary from business to business. The first rule is to think about your target audience and what will appeal to it the most. After that, it’s all about keeping the message simple, using high-quality print materials, and sprinkling in some incentive for the consumer. It’s also good to run a pilot test and print collateral in small amounts to test the waters before going all out.
