If you're looking to increase your sales, then print marketing materials can help.
Marketing and sales materials are the perfect tools for making good first impressions, strengthening customer relationships, and delivering a message that your audience will actually engage with, which all translates into higher revenue.
Many marketers have turned to digital marketing only, but this is a huge mistake as savvy marketers are seeing an increase in their sales when adding printed marketing materials to their strategy. Read further to find out the best types of marketing materials you can take advantage of so you can start increasing your sales as well!
What Are Marketing Materials?
Marketing materials are any branded items that are used for communicating your message to customers and prospects. This includes anything from business cards, signage, catalogs, direct mail materials, digital assets, wall signs, and so on.
The most popular and effective marketing materials are printed materials, and the goal of print marketing materials is to deliver a specific message that gets your audience to respond. For example, if a retail store were looking to promote a sale, they could send out a postcard to their audience to inform them of the sale and to increase the number of individuals who take them up on their offer.
Which Print Marketing & Sales Materials Should You Use?
Quality printed marketing and sales materials are tightly integrated with the success of your marketing efforts. Rather than bombarding a prospect with all your information at one time, you want to make your message easy to digest and remember. You can accomplish this by giving or sending your audience multiple marketing materials that help move prospects and customers smoothly through the various stages of the buying process.
To accomplish this, you need to develop a sales funnel or marketing funnel that provides the necessary information for each consumer as they get closer to purchasing or taking action. For example, if you meet a prospect at a tradeshow, you may provide them with a business card and brochure to make a great first impression, then send them a catalog to share more details and to get them interested, and then you may send them a postcard with a discount code to persuade them to take action.
Here are the 10 best marketing materials you should use so you can start increasing your sales.
Top 10 Best Print Marketing Materials to Boost Sales
1. Catalogs
There are many statistics that prove catalogs help you increase sales. For example, did you know when companies add catalogs to their marketing efforts, they can expect to see a 15% lift in sales or that 77% of catalog recipients visit the brand’s retail store or website? It’s true!
Catalogs are powerhouse marketing materials for business that give you the chance to highlight your most profitable items. Catalogs also have a higher retention rate than a website does as customers tend to keep them for a long period of time which gives your brand more exposure and increases the chance the reader will make a purchase.
2. Business Cards
Business cards are extremely powerful business marketing materials that help present your brand professionally and make your brand more trustworthy.
Providing your team with quality business cards can even increase your sales by 2.5%. This is because business cards ensure potential and returning customers have your information when they need it and they help build strong brand awareness and customer relationships.
The worst answer to “Do you have a business card” is “I don’t have one on me” so it’s a good idea to regularly print your business cards to ensure your team always has some on hand.
Business cards are one of the most important print marketing materials because when you hand someone a business card, it not only tells them that you’re always prepared, but it also gives them a clue as to how organized and high-quality your brand is.
3. Postcards
Did you know 73% of consumers say they prefer being contacted by brands via direct mail and direct mail recipients spend 28% more money than people who don’t receive that same direct mail piece? It’s true, and postcards are one of the most successful and cost-effective printed marketing materials you can use to take advantage of direct mail.
Postcards are extremely versatile print marketing materials, and they are the perfect materials for direct mail campaigns. Plus, using direct mail marketing services like EDDM, Proximity Mailing, or custom mailing lists, can help you send your postcards to the right audience for your company so you can guarantee the best ROI possible.
Make sure to keep your postcard message short and intriguing to really grab the attention of your recipients.
4. Letterhead & Envelopes
Branded stationery like custom letterhead, notecards, and envelopes create a sense of legitimacy to your print marketing collateral. Using quality paper for your letterhead and printing a full-color logo on your letterhead as well as envelope shows your customers and prospects that you care about the details in all aspects of your business.
Having a custom letterhead that reflects your brand accurately is an extremely powerful tool in persuading somebody to go with your product or service over your competitor’s product or service. Aside from the added benefit of having a well-branded letterhead or envelope, simply having branded stationery can serve to impress customers in a way that makes your brand stand out.
5. Promotional Products
Promotional products, or promotional merchandise, like branded mugs, pens, apparel, eco-friendly tote bags, phone cases, and more are typically held on to for extended periods of time, making them a great marketing material to skyrocket sales.
People enjoy receiving free stuff and when you give your audience a branded promotional product, your audience and anyone they are in contact with will gain exposure to your brand. Try handing out freebies at tradeshows, events, or to customers who spend a certain amount to build strong connections and to keep your brand top of mind.
6. Presentation Folders
Presenting your customers or prospects with a stack of papers is a good way to have your marketing efforts thrown away quickly. Including pricing information, case studies, data sheets, flyers, and contracts inside a custom presentation folder or pocket folder will ensure that documents stay organized, together, are not damaged, and are easy for your customer to safely hold onto.
Custom presentation folders’ benefits don’t stop there either. Beyond holding your sales and marketing materials, when you include your logo and other brand elements within your pocket folder design, you have a better chance at building strong brand awareness. Plus, customers can use these folders to hold other materials in the future, ensuring your brand has longevity in its messaging with your customers.
Presentation folders can be brought to conferences, face-to-face client meetings and they can be used within your organization for training materials or as office supplies to be used within your office space. Branded pocket folders as office supplies can serve to boost morale since your customers and employees feel your brand is more established and universal which can help motivate them to generate more sales.
7. Birthday Cards
Wishing your audience a happy birthday is the ultimate way to increase your sales as it builds better brand awareness, builds strong customer loyalty, and helps your brand stand out amongst the rest.
You can even automate your birthday mailings so that each month birthday cards are automatically sent to individuals who have birthdays that month. You can even add personalization like including your recipients' names to increase your response rates by 135%.
When taking advantage of these print marketing materials, don’t forget to add a gift like a discount code or free offer. This will make your audience feel even more special and give them even more of a reason to make a purchase.
8. Advertising Signs
Advertising signs like banners, wall decals, window clings, yard signs, and more are the perfect marketing materials for business growth. This is because advertising signs draw attention to your message and brand while delivering valuable information to anyone who passes by.
Because there are many different types of advertising signs you can increase your sales even more by using multiple signs. For example, if your retail store is looking to promote a sale, try using a sign like a feather flag near the road, window clings on your storefront windows, and posters and ceiling danglers throughout the interior of your store. This will ensure your message has enough exposure to really drive people to take action.
9. Company Brochures
Every business needs a brochure to inform their audience about the goods and services they provide.
Brochures are a great print marketing material that provides consumers with more detailed information about your company. Even if you're at a trade show and only have a few seconds to communicate with business owners or potential partners, a brochure allows you to have a much more in-depth conversation with them through print.
Brochures are also very effective as location-specific print marketing materials. Whether you use them as park maps, guides to specific events or informational pamphlets, brochures provide an extremely convenient and highly efficient means of communicating the contextual information needed to allow your clients to feel informed and confident at each stage of their purchasing journey.
10. Thank You Cards
Always send a thank you note to show your customers you value them. Letting customers know that you appreciate their business lets them know that you care about them and doing so in tangible print is the ultimate gesture and helps build strong relationships.
Thank you cards can also serve a number of business purposes other than simple post-meeting mailers to customers. They can be sent after a customer makes their first purchase to encourage repeat business, or they could serve multiple other functions like thank you notes for donors, holiday greeting cards, or more.
Showing gratitude to your prospects for attending a demo or for considering your product or service in their search is a kind gesture that can go a long way. But it takes more than just being polite. Making sure your greeting card stands out from the rest is essential to making sure your prospect retains the card for it to have maximum impact.
Increase Sales & ROI With the Right Print Marketing Materials
Print marketing is the most effective way to generate leads, make and increase sales, build strong customer relationships, and exceed other sales and marketing goals. Plus, printed marketing materials work across a wide range of industries so every business can take advantage of print marketing.
Using a trusted print company can help you improve your ROI even more by driving down costs, providing high-quality materials that get results, improving consistency, and providing experienced assistance so you can always meet your goals and budget.
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