Learn Types of Print Collateral and ROI #printisalive!

23 Sep Learn Types of Print Collateral and ROI #printisalive!

New to business and hoping to get the word out to potential clients in a variety of ways? Been in the industry for a while now and rebranding to make a fresh impression, advertise updated services, or reach a targeted market? If you have answered yes to these questions or have considered print materials, we think that is a fabulous way to reach customers. We believe, PRINT IS NOT DEAD. Printed collateral is very much alive and is one of our favorite reminders to clients, with reason, as we continually love to do research to share stats on printed materials, direct mail, and business card usage among our own clients. For example, in 2018, 59% of US and 65% of Canadian surveyed respondents agreed that they enjoy receiving direct mail about new products! Keep on reading to learn more!

What Do You Mean by Print Collateral?
In marketing and advertising realms, the term collateral may not be what you initially think of, as it is not used to in the traditional definition of collateral. The first definition for collateral is found in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as: property (such as securities) pledged by a borrower to protect the interests of the lender. If you continue to read the definition listings, you arrive at the fourth definition, which states that collateral is: informational materials (such as brochures and fact sheets) used in selling a product or service to a prospective customer or buyer. Boom! That’s the definition we are referring to when discussing collateral printed marketing materials. 

Three Popular Types of Print Marketing Collateral, and One to Consider
When considering print materials for your company’s marketing and advertising needs, there are several that continually bring the most return and are often the most essential. We are going to suggest reasons on why these materials are so vital for your brand, plus suggest one idea you may not have considered.

1. Business cards – Having a business card is an essential networking tool.  Instead of asking for a phone number or email, a potential client or business partner will ask, “May I have your card?” Your entire business identity can be summed up on your business card, as these are often the first impression clients receive. Having a strong design, sturdy cardstock, and vibrantly printed colors on your card will say volumes, without you even having to say a word.
2. Brochures – Tri-fold brochures and rack cards give you the opportunity to let your company shine by including details on the services and products you offer. When gathering images and desired text to send to the printer, be sure to consider the layout for the brochure, which is dependent upon how your brochure will be folded. It’s true! There is more than one way to fold a tri-fold brochure, and the process for starting tri-fold brochure needs to begin with how you want your content to be displayed to customers, by choosing the appropriate fold. When considering rack cards, they are typically 3.5” x 8.5” or 4” x 9” in size and are cost-effective cards which can be displayed in specifically designed racks for quick attention grabbing. Rack cards are not just great for tourist destinations either, they offer a superb way to print bold colors and work great in waiting areas, on desks, and for tradeshows. A lot of content can be put onto a rack card without overwhelming a client.
3. Postcards – How many times have you gone to your mailbox only to get a pile of bills and junk mail? Writing letters to family members is not something we do much anymore, so taking the time to plan a postcard for direct mail may also seem foreign. Consider when creating a postcard that the design can yield about 20% of your design piece’s success, while your call to action yields 40%, and the remaining 40% lies upon the work you put into identifying and targeting the appropriate market. When your message is well-crafted, your design is engaging, and your audience is specific, the return of a postcard can be greater than you ever considered. Especially if all your consumers are used to getting are bills in the mail. A bold, full color postcard is going to look amazing and standout in customer mailboxes.
4. Thank You cards –Before you think about how branded thank you cards might be considered unnecessary, think about the last time you received a hand-written thank you card and how it touched you. Plus, consider the opportunity to extend gratitude with a branded thank you card! As we mentioned earlier, receiving mail is a great opportunity to reach clients and let them know how you appreciate their business. Companies that work in nonprofit, healthcare, and animal care industries stand out by using personalized messages of a thank you card when extending their gratitude for donorship or their continued care for a patient or beloved pet. 

Industries That Prefer Print Marketing
There are certain industries that prefer to do their advertising and marketing with printed materials. Many automobile salespeople, restaurants, and local businesses use traditional methods of advertising wanting to keep their contact with people more tangible. They continually utilize direct mail fliers, full page ads, and postcards to get into the hands of potential clients. These businesses have reported time and again positive results.

ROI on Print Marketing Materials
Calculating the Return on Investment (ROI) of anything that your business does is a wise way to check if your investment is truly worth the cost. We wrote about ROI awhile back and included a formula for you to use to test out profit versus cost on printed collateral for your business. Some numbers reported for direct mail in the past year include that the direct mail industry boasts $44.2 million, with a return that gets in the area of 1,300% on investment. The response rate to direct mail has been said to even be higher than mobile and email reaches! Even more fascinating is that Millennials prefer receiving direct mail to email marketing! It was reported that Millennials love checking their mailboxes, while only 26% liked the email marketing campaigns in their inbox.

Acme Printing Company in East Tennessee

When you consider communicating your brand through a printed piece of collateral, the process can be made easy and communicate your brand effectively. At Acme Printing, we work with you from the design to print to create items that best serve you. We offer thousands of printed collateral for you to choose from and are ready to help you start a printed campaign for your business, nonprofit, or healthcare practice, visit our website or contact us online today!

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