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11 Jul, 2012

The Magic Combination of Online and Print Marketing?

In a world with iPads and iPhones at our fingertips, are consumers and business people still paying attention to printed advertisements, such as newspapers, magazines or flyers?

Over the past several years, online marketing has certainly developed a strong presence and can be a great asset to companies with limited time and budgets. However, in a world with iPads and iPhones at our fingertips, are consumers and business people still paying attention to printed advertisements, such as newspapers, magazines or flyers?

Many of us have questioned this what the magic combination is before, and the answer is that virtual strategies are greatly leveraged by the use of print media. This is particularly true for smaller businesses, which can in fact expect to deliver meaningful and more effective messages to their consumers with print advertising and marketing. Also, print thankfully allows businesses to use creative techniques to generate interest in their products or services.

For example, let’s suppose there’s a brand new restaurant that wants to attract diners- would it be more effective to market solely through Facebook or Twitter, or to distribute a targeted campaign in a local print publication along with coupons? Social media might be fantastic for initially drawing attention to a company and its brand, but is not always dependable due to its constant state of change. Users on Twitter and Facebook deactivate their accounts, forget to log on for days at a time, or miss updates in their news feeds due to a high volume. Many users check their accounts only briefly to catch up with friends, and disregard other messages.

However, as visual creatures, it’s difficult for the average person to miss out on a similar message portrayed in a print magazine, popular newspaper, or on a billboard they pass regularily. For that matter, it’s equally challenging for a student on their way to class or a busy commuter on their way to work to ignore a freebie offered with a smile as they cross paths with your business.

Online advertising allows businesses to shake hands with clients- but it is truly print marketing (paired of course with customer service) that keep the customers coming back!