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The Top 7 Reasons It Makes Sense to Invest in Print Marketing

November 17, 2021 admin

How can print marketing help you break through the communication gap between you and your prospects?

In today’s digital era, it’s simple for your target market to become overwhelmed with online adverts and email marketing, especially given that Facebook now has over 2 billion monthly users, Instagram 1 billion, and Twitter 300 million.

In an age where it’s simple to create a Facebook page or an Instagram account and begin marketing your business for free, it’s tempting to believe that print marketing is extinct. But the wise business owner and marketer hasn’t given up on print marketing. Print is still a potent marketing medium with an outstanding result when paired with digital and social media marketing.

Here are the top 7 reasons why print media releases should remain an essential element of any marketing strategy.

Print advertising has a long lifespan.

Your company’s adverts in printed media may help you reach your target market if they are designed and placed correctly. Using demographic data, you can strategically deploy your brand in the right place at the right time, in front of the right audience. When someone leaves a magazine on their counter or office table, your advertisement will remain until the magazine is recycled—or handed on to someone else. It’s a physical product that stays in a person’s house or office for a long time, leaves countless imprints, and has an audience reach that lasts weeks, months, and even years.

Print ads are easier to remember than digital ads.

The Internet may be perplexing at times. On any given page, there might be hundreds of hyperlinks, adverts, and options vying for your attention. In a magazine or newspaper, there are still interruptions. However, they are usually fewer, and you physically move past advertisements while you interact with the information. While the digital text is scanned, reading on paper is slower and more deliberate. Reading improves comprehension and retention rates, which could mean that conventional print media advertisements done by Kansas City advertising companies are more likely to leave a lasting memory for businesses.

According to neuroscientists, that might explain why people are more likely to remember your brand after seeing it in a paper ad than in a digital ad. This is because viewing them exudes deep emotions, which is necessary for memory and brand connections.

Print marketing helps to strengthen a company’s brand.

Print marketing by Kansas City advertising companies may help you stand out and attract attention. After all, so much of today’s online material goes unnoticed. Consider how many marketing emails you do not open and how many advertisements you do not click. We are bombarded with too much digital information, to the point that we have become numb to it. And it could be harder for businesses and brands to stand out and be recognized. But, you may avoid these digital blind spots by using print marketing.

Print marketing can assist your brand by making people notice it in a more meaningful and intimate manner. It can cut through all internet noise into the calm area of a person’s life and capture their attention. Marketers realize the value of having a well-known brand. Printed publications and other branded items are excellent ways to achieve this. It allows you to combine the visual elements of color, image, and script that help in brand recognition.

Some folks are still without internet access.

Your target audience could not even be online, depending on their demography. Don’t forget about individuals who don’t have access to the Internet or are hesitant to conduct business online. Print marketing is the most effective approach to contact them. Consumers still respond to direct mail, generating sales via coupons, postcards, and special offers.

A clever direct mail campaign delivers a greater return on investment than e-mail marketing or digital advertisements. In reality, direct mail is a terrific approach to connect with people from all walks of life, especially since it is the most reliable type of Kansas City advertising.

Print marketing has higher credibility than internet marketing.

When you see iconic magazines like Time and People or your favorite newspaper on the rack, it exudes an aura of credibility and prestige. It’s also convenient; you can lay aside the printed material and return to it at any time to continue reading. Print media needs “real estate,” which marketers understand. A published article left on the corner of a desk will remain there until it is picked up and checked the following day.

Many people are concerned about the growth of cybercrime these days—phishing and virus frauds and more ambitious and sophisticated illegal online schemes. And a recent American poll found that people trust print ads more than any other sort of advertisement. Because they are more expensive, scammers are less likely to use print tactics. Picking up a leaflet or brochure does not pose an immediate risk because there are no potentially sketchy links to click or personal documents to upload. Furthermore, high-quality print indicates that the brand is a legitimate company.

Print is Tangible.

Physical objects include publications, brochures, posters, and other sorts of printed goods. These things might remain in workplaces or homes for months or even years after being bought or delivered. While many non-physical marketing products serve a particular goal, the advantages of print media go far beyond what most people realize.

Print marketing appeals to people of all ages, not just Millennials. This is because print marketing, unlike email marketing, is tangible: you can touch and smell it. According to the study, this physical feature engages the brain, boosting the customer’s probability of remembering your ad’s content.

Benefits of local newspaper advertising

November 21, 2019 admin Leave a comment

With the rise of digital media, many of us are now asking the question, “why start using print media to advertise your business in 2019?”

Advertising has been around forever. Whether it’s to increase product recognition, sales, or to maintain repeat customers, small businesses need to advertise to survive.

The most common advertising methods include radio, the internet, TV, magazines and of course newspapers.

Let’s face it…

People nowadays are obsessed with technology. In fact, many people aren’t even comfortable without some sort of digital device at their fingertips. And since most of the world has moved online, many in the advertising industry would have you believe that the idea of using print media to advertise your business is old and outdated.

“Print no longer works” they say.

However, this simply isn’t the case.

Print is here to stay, and we’re going to explain why. As a matter of fact, if you incorporate print advertising into your marketing, you’ll likely see an increase in your response rate! To illustrate this, here are 6 key benefits of using print media to advertise your business.

The Halo Effect

Publishers who reliably provide quality print content to readers will be seen as more credible. Furthermore, according to an MRI survey of American consumers, 51% of influencers or “influentials” were influenced by print ads in magazines. The number increased to 53% for newspaper ads.

This is what’s known as the halo effect. It has been shown that brands that place ads in popular magazines enjoy the benefits of its readers viewing their ad in a similarly positive light.

This is another way of building trust with readers, which is essential to maximizing sales and leads.

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Local Newspaper Advertising is More Relevant to Consumers

Another kind of halo effect is that of the newspaper medium itself. When people read newspapers, they only have positive expectations, whereas, with online media, people expect to see annoying pop-ups and advertisements that are often jarring and irrelevant to the content on the page.

This is in stark contrast to newspaper ads, which are often placed in relevant sections. An example would be a shoe ad in the fashion section of the newspaper. Since this type of ad isn’t as intrusive, it’s less likely to elicit a negative consumer reaction.

Digital advertising has overstayed its welcome

This ties back to what we said earlier about people not being to live without digital stuff. These days people are multitasking to the tune of texting, instant messaging, surfing the web, and watching television all at the same time. In short, we’re no longer as receptive to digital advertising as we were at the inception of the internet.

When it comes to print readers, on the other hand, they don’t typically multitask as much when reading a magazine or newspaper, which makes them more receptive to print ads.

The Need to Unplug

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With the rise of digitalization, an equal and opposite reaction has also occurred. This is called “unplugging,” and it’s when we realize that we’ve had enough internet or social media for the day.

While not everyone has embraced unplugging, those who don’t are considered by most to be engaging in unhealthy behavior.

Many people have realized the value of unplugging. When unplugging occurs it often means turning to print media for entertainment or education…

Laser-Focused Targeting Options

We hear a lot about the vast options for targeting in online media, but print also has incredible targeting options.

With print you can:

Select the section of the newspaper your target audience is most likely to read
Run ads in specific papers or only in certain geographical areas
Choose to run ads only on certain days of the week (i.e. Wednesday or Sunday’s paper)

Speaking of choices, you can also implement last-minute changes to your ads rather painlessly. A local newspaper advertising department should be able to accomplish this pretty quickly.

There are Plenty of Options

Beyond that, using print media to advertise your business will also give you more options for budgeting. You can choose from

a quarter page, half page or full-page ads.
small 1-inch square classifieds
column ads in different sizes

For the cherry on top, you’ll be able to work with an actual human in getting your ad placed instead of a nameless algorithm.

And since you’re dealing with another human, there’s also extra room for negotiation.

If you want additional services at no extra cost, then that’s an option. Color printing, a human touch on your design, and possibly even a slightly larger ad are all on the negotiating table. You might also even be able to get your ad featured in the publisher’s other products as well!

Newspaper readers are more likely to take action

According to the Nielson Global Trust report, 65% of print readers take some form of action after reading a newspaper print ad.

Unlike on the internet, newspaper readers are more likely to seek out advertisements instead of blocking them. Newspaper readers like to search for coupons and deals. Of course it’s no guarantee that readers will notice your ad in the newspaper.

However, if people are actively searching for deals, then it helps improve your chances. They will also be more likely to take the time to read your ad and act on your offer.

And finally, when you learn how to synergize print and digital media, the results can be amazing. Here’s just one example: QR codes. These printed codes have helped to bridge the gap between the print and digital divide in a way that’s unique and engaging.

Another example is social media and download links in print media – these help readers to engage with brands online, which eventually helps to drive back traffic to the business and generate awareness.

Conclusion

Print ads, especially in newspapers, are a trifecta of potency. When you start using print media to advertise your business, you’ll reap the benefits of reaching a wider swathe of your target audience while also driving higher engagement and communicating your brand’s message effectively.

By using print media to advertise your business, you’ll have a good chance of cutting through all of the noise that exists in today’s digital world.

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Is it Worth it to Advertise Your Small Business in Your Local Newspaper?

August 15, 2019 admin Leave a comment

Deciding how to spend your small business’s advertising budget can be one of the hardest things to figure out. Ad sellers offer hosts of reasons on why their venues are right for you, but where is your money going? How can you ensure that you are going to get the returns that you need to succeed?

Is it worth it to advertise in your local newspaper?

The answer is: It depends on what you are selling and how you define your “local” newspaper.

It used to be that on Sunday morning, newspapers would head to subscribers’ homes filled with coupons and ads showing potential consumers all the deals for the upcoming week or month.

Changing Consumer Trends

A small business could easily advertise alongside the big box store and get exposure to those consumers who would clip the coupons and look for deals. They would often clip coupons for deals that they may not specifically have been in the market for, but that caught their eye while they were looking at coupons from other businesses. This was a successful partnership that was used by companies for years.

However, now, readership is in a downward trend for print media, and ad sales are declining even more sharply. A decline like this has been attributed to shifts in reader habits — a daily overload of information that is causing many consumers to bypass ads altogether.

Readers have been known to throw local advertisements into the recycling bin without even a glance. This leaves the small business that is trying to gain notice with little to no value in using large market newspapers to advertise in.

Where Does That Leave Your Business?

With the large newspaper market dwindling, small businesses, especially those catering to consumers, have compensated by shifting their ad spend to alternatives.

These alternatives include using

daily deal coupons
location-aware services like Foursquare
hyperlocal newspapers, like Coffee News
local news websites

Many have also taken to finding advertising space in online sites where the ads can be cheap and where they have access to a much larger market. However, using an online ad platform like this can make it even harder to determine the effectiveness of your ad money spent.

Positive Returns with Newspaper Advertising

For small businesses, positive returns are found when advertising with hyperlocal newspapers because these papers publish specific news about their community and the local events in that community.

By association, your small business ad can find its way into the hands of the very consumer you need to reach.

Hyperlocal newspapers market and distribute their papers in a different way, which enables them to reach the audience you most need to connect with. As an added plus, the ad rates in those hyperlocal papers run on the cheaper side.

Small community newspapers are growing, while their larger counterparts are struggling to maintain readership.

Another thing to consider is if the hyperlocal paper has a local website, then that may also offer you a viable spot for some online advertising.

Is it worth it?

For many small businesses that sell to consumers, the answer is – Yes. It is as long as you think of your local newspaper as being a local community or suburban newspaper and not a major-metro newspaper.

In your local community paper, the ad rates are lower, and the staff is motivated to place your marketing message with more of a thought to where it would be of most benefit rather than just where they had space to fill.

Taking this into account, your small business advertising dollars can go a long way to helping your business succeed if you use not just the right ad, but if you place that ad in a local community paper where it has the best chance of getting into the hands of the specific consumer you are most wanting to reach.

What Is Print Media Advertising?

July 19, 2019 admin Leave a comment

Print Media is one of the oldest forms of communication. In a nutshell, print media advertising in Kansas City is any media that appears in print form as opposed to voice/broadcast, video, or other digital means. This form of media includes weeklies, posters, newspapers, magazines, banners, billboards, and anything that is printed on paper or another surface. When people talk about print media, they are typically talking about magazines or newspapers.

The reason most people think about magazines or newspaper when considering print media advertising in Kansas City is that magazines and newspapers dominate traditional print media are the go-to places for small businesses to advertise. Newspaper and magazines are also top of mind for advertising because they make a longer impact on the minds of the reader. Typically, they are more trusted than digital advertising because the content in a newspaper or magazine tends to have more in-depth reporting and accurate analysis.

History of Print Media

Print media has contributed to the information and transfer of knowledge of humanity over the years. Even after the popularity and rise of digital media, print media is not dead.

IN the past, people used to write printed material by hand. This was a time-consuming process, so the flow of information was limited to the manpower a publisher could hire. In 131 BCE, the Romans would produce a daily ‘paper’ to inform citizens of the crucial issues. Once publishers started having access to the printing press, mass distribution because possible. While regular publishing started out as a means to distribute news, over the years, print media has evolved to include gossip, educational content, entertainment, and more.

Types of Print Media

Here are the most popular types of print media

Newspapers
Magazines
Direct Mail
- Letters, postcards and other mail items
Outdoor Advertising
- Banners on bridges
- Billboards
Brochures
- Where advertisers create colorful brochures and tell a story about their brand
Posters and flyers
- Where local companies use low-cost posters and flyers to let customers know about a business, product, or event.
Yellow Pages
Business Cards

Pros and Cons of Print Media

Newspaper Advertising Pros and Cons

Advantages of newspaper advertising include targeted advertising to a geographic segment. Smaller businesses can use newspaper advertising as an affordable way to communicate with a local audience. It also builds credibility for your audience as they trust the advertisers in the newspaper.

Cons of newspaper advertising include poor creative copy and short shelf life of just a day or at most a week. The best way to get around this drawback is to hire a freelancer to make a fantastic ad for you that will capture the reader’s attention.

When you are choosing to advertise in a newspaper you should consider these three criteria:

Distribution
Size
Audience

Paying attention to these things will ensure that you get the most ROI for your ad spending budget.

Magazine Advertising Pros and Cons

Pros of magazine advertising include advertising to a highly engaged audience with a specific interest. Most people who buy magazines purchase the magazine because they are interested in the topic that the magazine covers. If you are a gardening tool company, you have the option to advertise in gardening specific magazines. If you are a fashion retailer advertising in Glamour can make a positive impression on people who care about fashion and clothing. Another pro is that magazines tend to stay in people’s homes for a long time. There is a longer shelf life in a magazine for your ad than newspaper or digital advertising.

The main con of magazine advertising is the long lead times as it can impact the effectiveness of our ad if you are looking for instant results.

Print Media Advertising vs. Digital Media Advertising

The biggest strength of print advertising in relation to digital advertising is tangibility. Not only that, but print advertising offers a long-lasting message and high credibility.

The biggest strength of digital media advertising is that it offers real-time engagement and lower cost per impression.

Overall, newspapers and magazines are tangible items that sit on a table at a coffee shop or on a shelf at home or business. These physical items attract attention and stick around for a longer time.

If you are considering print media advertising in Kansas City to grow your business, contact us today to explore the options you have to reach a local audience.

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How To Use Print Ads To Build Awareness

June 18, 2019 admin Leave a comment

If you buy into the “print is dead” idea, how well the medium has held on might surprise you. Though businesses give digital marketing priority, it is not the only effective strategy. You can use print in combination with digital marketing. Print advertising in Kansas City is still going strong.

Print advertising in Kansas City

Because of its reputation as out-dated, many business owners and marketers are overlooking the power of print advertising in Kansas City. Print media has been a staple of advertising for hundreds of years. It has remained relevant throughout the rise or radio, television, and even the internet. And it will continue to be relevant because it can do things other media cannot.

Uses of Print Ads

Directly Talking to Your Audience

With print advertising, you can go where your audience already invests it’s time. If you have narrowed down your target audience, you can use publications unique to that market segment. This is an excellent way of getting the best bang for your buck, especially if you have a small budget. Do not use publications that target a large swathe of people. Only utilize print publications that appeal to your specific audience.

Talking about the Details

Print ads are a great way to talk about the details of your product or service. Explain how your solution is the answer to your customer’s problems. It is an excellent opportunity to have more sustained attention from your audience. Use the space to get their attention with the graphics, layout, and the words you use. If it works, they are one step closer to purchasing your product or service.

Tipping the Scales towards Action

Print advertising can build a desire for your product or service in your target audience. It can tip the scales towards action and lead your audience further into the sales funnel. Whether you are trying to raise brand awareness or sell a product or service, the print ad is a great opening act for the rest of your campaign.

Capitalizing on Existing Markets

Despite the salience of the internet, print publications still hold a lot of value. Advertising in respected publications can show your target audience that you are a trustworthy brand. You can tap into the publication’s market and gain legitimacy because of where you advertised.

Which publication you choose depends on where your target audience prefers to get their information. If your product or service is for scientists, a science magazine would be a great choice. If your product or service is for children, a parenting magazine might be an option. Though putting an ad for a hiking bag in a tech magazine might get you some sales, it is likely not a great return on your advertising investment. Not all people interested in technology are interested in hiking. But the same ad in an ecotourism magazine might perform much better.

Attention Grabbing

The digital landscape can get easily crowded and overwhelming. Many people ignore the ads on their screens out of habit. There are also browser extensions and tools designed to block ads on digital platforms. Depending on how the ad is being blocked, you might be paying for an ad that the potential customer can’t even see!

Print media advertising is less invasive, so it might not get ignored out of habit. Print ads must be handled before they can be thrown out, so you did have an impact on your audience. They likely skimmed it first and now have knowledge about your product or service. This seed can prove itself useful when your potential customer needs it.

Another benefit of print ads is their novelty. So many people focus on digital advertising that those that use print ads can stand out.

Capitalizing on how the brain works

There is a fundamental difference in how the brain processes print media advertising to digital advertising. The experience is entirely different as there is a physical quality to print ads that digital media can’t compare with. Research suggests that touching print ads elicits stronger emotional processing than digital ads. Stronger emotions mean it becomes a more salient part of our memory.

This creates more brand awareness and more associations in people’s memories with your brand. And because they personally handled your ad, it has a more personal effect than seeing it on a screen. This can lead to nudging your audience down the sales funnel and towards action.

We have already talked about how a good design can create brand awareness and grab attention. But the strategy you use in your ad campaign can also make a difference. People are naturally resistant to pushy sales tactics. Your readers will not respond to having your product or service shoved down their throat. A popular alternative is “storytelling” where the approach is to tell a story that your reader can connect with. This method reaches further into the hearts and minds of your audience than brute force sales tactics.

Using Print in Ad Campaigns

Digital marketing has not replaced all other forms of advertising. It has only created another tool in the marketer’s toolbox. So the idea that print is no longer relevant ignores the unique effects print media advertising can have on your audience. Unlike in the past, print ads might not be the majority of your ad campaign. But they should still part of any good marketing campaign. With planning and creativity, print ads can add quite a punch to any campaign.

Looking for print media advertising in Kansas City? Give us a call or email, and we can help plan a great advertising campaign targeted for your business. How have you used print media advertising in your marketing campaigns? What is your opinion on print media advertising? Tell us your story in the comments!

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Top Local Advertising Ideas for Small Business

April 22, 2019 admin Leave a comment

If you are a small business owner, you know that you have to expand your customer base to continue to grow. The best way to do that is to advertise to a local demographic. Since this is a targeting market, you need targeted local business advertising. You are probably looking for affordable ways to achieve your marketing goals. That is why we have compiled a list of the Top 10 local advertising ideas for Small Business so you can compete with the big companies on a small budget!

1. Claim Your Google ‘My Business Listing’

When your customers are ready to buy, they turn to Google. Google has created a listing specifically for small businesses to be found by local customers called ‘My Business Listing’ Utilizing this listing will help you rank on the front page and in the maps section for your niche. Your local business advertising doesn’t get more targeted than this. Google has made it simple to add your information to their platform, so make sure you claim your listing today!

2. Run a Referral Promotion

The most effective form of advertising is word-of-mouth! If you incentivize your customers to refer you to their friends and family, you will see that you generate a lot of business on a recurring basis. People trust personal recommendations, so use your current customers to advertise for you. Offer them a free gift with each referral or a dollar amount off their next purchase. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for the referral when you know your customer is happy!

3. Use Print Advertising

Print media isn’t dead. People still like to have something tangible to hold on to. That is why you should have your business cards and pamphlets ready for distribution where your customers are. Make sure you hand out business cards to each customer that walks through your doors or partner with other local businesses in the area to display your cards at checkout. You can also implement a direct mail campaign with time-sensitive coupons. This is a great way to create awareness for your business, and if your offer is a great one, people will pass it onto their friends.

4. Stay on Brand

Everyone loves swag! Branded items are a great way to keep your brand top of mind. Make sure that you get swag that is useful. Pens, USB sticks, t-shirts, reusable bags, and water bottles are excellent products for your local business advertising. Make sure that your logo is prominent on the items so that people associate your brand to the good feeling they get when using your product.

5. Make Use of the Local Newspaper

Your local newspaper is an excellent local business advertising option. Not only does it provide an excellent return on investment, but you can place your ad in specific sections for hyper-targeted advertising. You can also try pitching a story to your local paper to get your business name in the paper for free. Make sure your story has an angle that appeals to many people to have a better chance of getting your story picked up.

6. Partner with Local Radio

Radio Contests are wildly popular. If you have a physical location and partner with the right local radio station, you will find that your return on ad spend is well worth it. If you are running a radio contest, make sure that your prize is a substantial one. You should also make sure that your staff is ready to provide excellent customer service for those who phone in or come to your store in person.

7. Host an Exclusive Event

Hosting an exclusive event for people within your target market is a great way to build goodwill and brand recognition in the community. You can make almost anything an event as long as there is plenty of food and friendly people. Try partnering with other local businesses to keep your costs down and get more reach. Make sure that you plan your promotion at least a month in advance for maximum turn out. You can also provide branded swag or a gift to the first 50 people who attend.

8. Do a Local Give Away

People love free stuff and the excitement that comes with a chance of winning. Try partnering with local businesses who have a similar target market to do a giveaway. You can cross promote on all social channels to get the maximum amount of people to participate. Make sure that each business provides a great prize that people will want to have right away!

9. Localize Your Online Ads

Local business advertising online has never been easier. These days you can use online advertising to target people within 1 mile of your business that has traveled outside of the country recently. You can target people who are ready to buy and, in your store’s, geographical location. Make sure you couple localized ads with excellent ad copy to achieve maximum leads and foot traffic.

10. Advertise With Your Vehicle

If you have a fleet of company cars or use your own car for frequent client visits, you should consider wrapping your vehicle in your brand colors with your logo and contact information prominent. The best part about vehicles wraps is that the advertising is a one-time cost and continues to work overtime even when it is parked. If you aren’t ready for a vehicle wrap, you can try magnetic decals that are low cost and can come off at any time.

Now that you have 10 local business advertising ideas that you can implement today, your company will be better able to attract the right clientele in your local area.

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