Too Much Noise
A print ad shouldn’t resemble a book. While it can be tempting to try and cram as much information on a page as possible, you had to pay for that space after all, customers don’t want to read an ad that requires too much work. The goal should be to do more with less. One ad can’t appeal to every possible demographic that might use your business.
A flyer or brochure, quite simply, can’t be everything to all people. So, don’t fill up every square inch of space in a futile attempt to be everything at once. It’s impossible for a single piece of print marketing to accurately reflect every aspect of your business. Instead, focus on being concise and targeted with what you include. Pick one key target and build your print marketing material geared towards that one objective.
Your print marketing materials should be more than just words. Select graphics, bullet points, and a first-class design that will illustrate your corporate identity as much, or more so, than a page full of words could describe. Highlight the most important details to avoid creating too much clutter.
Pricey Print Procurement
Paper doesn’t last forever, and neither does what we print on it. The sad reality is that most printed materials will head almost directly into the trash, or at least maybe the recycle bin. But, even if they are tossed, studies have shown that printed marketing materials are still incredibly impactful. Perhaps it has something to do with tactile holding onto the paper.
Every successful business uses some type of printing, they must know that printed marketing items leave a longer-lasting impression than a digital ad. Keep in mind that spending a pretty penny on a leaflet won’t automatically improve conversion rates. Buying print can be a complicated exercise, especially if your staff doesn’t have the right knowledge experience.
And if your print is wrong it can obliterate your marketing results. The key is to find a balance, you don’t want to part with your profits on costly printing without a solid marketing plan. At Safeguard Premier Branding Solutions we understand that each business has unique needs. That’s why we look around to get the best rates on printed marketing materials and then we pass the savings on to you. We offer these solutions to companies nationwide.
Lack of Consistency
Many small businesses try to handle their marketing on the go, and they forget to pay attention to branding guidelines or consistency with their marketing materials. Part of the problem may stem from a misconception of the differences between branding and marketing. Your brand consists of the perception customers have about your business and how it makes them feel.
While a marketing campaign employs tactics designed to reinforce your brand promise. That means that marketing should enhance what your brand means, never distract from it. The goal is to communicate the value of your brand in ways that build a growing sense of trust and comfort among current and prospective customers.
While a sleek, minimalistic design may sound or look great in theory, if your brand is a traditional finance firm the design will likely only confuse your customers. Don’t violate the sanctity of your logo, tagline or brand colors. Focus on your brand identity and make sure that all design choices stay true to who you are. Keeping the same logo and color palette is a simple but effective way to build brand image and awareness.
Your audience will be more likely to recognize the origin of the printed material when things are consistent, even if they only glance at the paper for a few second. It’s important for brands to test logos and designs across various channels and formats. What is effective on Facebook may not necessarily translate to print.
Forgetting to Segment
Remember that brochure that was trying to be everything to everyone? Similarly to avoiding too much noise in printed materials is forgetting to segment. Those flyers and brochures needed to be targeted from a design standpoint in order to make them accessible to customers. But the reason the brochures could be targeted is if there was a plan to segment.
It is a mistake to believe printed materials have the ability to transcend marketing silos. Brands should create a variety of designs meant to match each buying persona. Businesses should experiment with a variety of offers and incentives, but always remembering to ensure they maintain the same aesthetic across the board.
Trust Safeguard
Safeguard Premier Branding Solutions can help you create consistent brand messaging with printed pieces. If you can imagine it, we can create and print it! We offer all the graphic, layout, and print services found at ad agencies, but all at more reasonable prices. Call us today to see what we can do for you.