The average person sees more ads in one day than ever before. From pop-ups to sidebars to videos, the modern consume is subjected to a constant barrage of brand imagery. How, then, can your business be the one to stand out – to catch their attention and bring them back again and again?
Repeat business is becoming both increasingly important and increasingly difficult to obtain. With so many options available, customers’ attention spans are shorter and they are more likely to move on after a single subpar experience. But, with repeat customers accounting for 75% of the average business’s sales, it is impossible for your endeavour to survive without them.
That’s why it’s time to change the battlefield!
You can’t always compete with the rapid-fire pace and constant pressure of online marketing – so don’t. Instead, using the four strategies listed below, turn to print marketing to create real, lasting relationships with genuinely satisfied repeat customers.
Say “Thank You”
Politeness never goes out of style. Customers will be inclined to come back if they genuinely feel their business is valuable to you. Send welcome gifts and physical thank-you cards after their first purchase. Print loyalty cards which earn rewards after spending certain amounts. Discounts and prizes are the best way to motivate continued purchasing.
You can also use print marketing to make your customers feel like “part of the family”. A pop-up ad won’t make a person feel wanted, but printed media can provide that little “homey” touch so many people feel is missing.
Send holiday cards. Keep track of customers’ birthdays and gift them coupons. Send “snail-mail” company catalogues and newsletters so they feel informed about your business’s progress. Don’t forget surveys and questionnaires – nothing makes a customer feel more wanted than being asked for individual feedback!
Incentivise Action
Online, with so many ads scrolling past demanding “ACT NOW,” it’s impossible to genuinely feel called to action. However, such incentives form the backbone of what makes print marketing so effective. Customers are able to come away with the feeling that they are profiting– making tangible, beneficial progress – through sticking with your business.
Take out newspaper ads which provide discounts if the physical ad is used – “coupon clipping” is still a popular hobby for many people. Flyers, brochures, catalogues and even business cards can also serve as perfect vehicles for discounts and promotions. Offer coupons frequently, but keep them time-limited so that customers have to come back multiple times to use them all.
If your business has a physical location, make these action incentives based on visiting it rather than shopping online – and use signs in front of the store to reinforce this message. This provides additional opportunities to greet your customers face to face and establish that personal connection, making them even more likely to return!
Become a Discussion Topic
Another advantage of print marketing is the ability to position yourself in locations where discussions naturally begin. Nobody is going to talk about the latest pre-video YouTube commercial, but a colourful flyer posted at the local café or an ad in a small-town newspaper can easily become dinner table conversation. It’ll be especially memorable if you or your employees are there handing out cards or coupons in person!
Billboards are perhaps the number one way to catch the eye of a “captive audience”. They’re large, bright, and, on long road trips, often the only interesting thing for miles around. Advertise your physical store as the ideal resting point midway along a travel route. You’ll quickly end up with not just repeat, but lifetime customers!
Make Your Brand Work For You
Lastly, don’t forget about one of the long-time cornerstones of print marketing: “swag”. This refers to items marked with your business’s logo, branding and contact information. Common examples include pens, key chains, T-shirts, and toys such as Frisbees.
“Swag” is the number one way to keep people thinking about your business when they are not actively shopping. It can be handed out at trade shows, included in mailings or even distributed in public places. You can even combine print marketing methods by handing out “swag” and coupons together.
The most effective branded items are those which occupy an active role in the customer’s daily life. For example, calendars or day planners will be frequently consulted, while pens and key chains may be kept directly on their person and pulled out throughout the day. This will naturally lead into thinking and talking about your business. When they find themselves in need of your product or service, your company’s name will be the first thing which comes to mind.
Print marketing’s unique personal touch is severely lacking in many modern advertising strategies. Actively strive to create this missing human connection by becoming part of your customers’ daily lives. Soon, you will begin to see customers choosing your brand not just once, but over and over again.