When we talk about contemporary techniques and marketing trends, we often don’t think about print media at first glance. However, whether you are a small-scale brand or if you work with partners across the US. You can still benefit from some print marketing trends in 2020.
According to Relevance, 92% of youth aged 18-23 found it easier to read print media. While 61% of Gen Z respondents believe that we could all benefit from “unplugging” in today’s digital-first world. This data shows that consumers trust print over search engine ads 34% more, while direct mail marketing still performs 37% better than email marketing.
The appeal of print is still there, be it for convenience, nostalgia or pure affordability. With the new year, the time has come to discuss which print marketing innovations are shaping up. And why they continue to be effective and valuable in the digital age.
Before we dive into print marketing upcoming trends, let’s first talk about the value of this medium. Print is nothing new, it saw light in Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of moving type (letters) in 1439. Since then, we’ve seen plenty innovations shaping print media, from screen and offset print to modern digital print techniques.
Stylistic trends, creative innovations in art and design drove change forward. With that said, several important advantages of using printed marketing materials in 2020 include but are not limited to:
Handing out printed brochures, cards and other forms of print ads is not a new trend on the marketing scene. However, adding value to those items in the form of coupons, freebies, and gift codes can inprove their performance. Whether the added value consists of “show this to our representative and receive item X with your purchase” or more concrete, non-committal gifts such as online-redeemable coupons is entirely up to your budget and creativity.
It is important to note that adding incentives which encourage people to keep the printed flyer or brochure in an indefinite future is likely to encourage sales, conversion, and word of mouth. Coupled with clever brand design, you could achieve great success with traditional hand-out materials with added value in 2020.
The further we move into 21st century, the more we notice the falloff in interest in traditional calendars. People are learning to rely on digital apps, smartwatches, and computers both for their time management and day-to-day calendar orientation. This isn’t the fault of printed calendars as a medium but of its failure to innovate.
Wall calendars, table flip calendars, and pocket calendars haven’t changed in shape, size or utility in decades – and for good reason, they simply work. Basic functionality isn’t a priority in CX-based marketing, meaning that you can still gain quite a bit of revenue from your printed calendars if you approach them from a new angle.
By changing the standard dimensions of your calendar, making it multi-paged, adding perforation, lenticular effects, and other creative elements, you “make it pop” in the eyes of consumers. Creative printed calendars will likely make a great impact in the print marketing scene in 2020, making their addition to your business strategy a wise choice.
Stickers are a compact, versatile and creative way to go if you’re trying to pomote a brand. However, due to the amount of different stickers around us, it can be difficult for your design to stand out. With that in mind, you can dedicate time to create custom-shaped printed stickers which will differentiate you from the crowd.
Most stickers come in circular or square forms, leaving plenty of room for innovation in this print marketing medium. You can create cut-out elements in the sticker itself, apply special glow-in-the-dark colors or create a collectible series.
Print marketing is experiencing innovations and new trends in 2020, but keep digital marketing in mind. Combining the two marketing channels in an innovative and creative way can help you reach a completely new level of consumer engagement and, with that said, raise and better track your ROI.
For your future campaigns, either include QR codes, unique URLs, social media handles and emails for people to reach out. Or alternatively, and even better, embed all of them into an appealing landing page, connected by convenient Image Recognition and created with one of the new game changer tools like GizThis Augmented Reality.
Adding a combination of these elements to your flyers, brochures, business cards or posters will allow people to engage with your brand online and be more inclined to make a purchase. They will also be more likely to refer a friend to your website in the long run.
Instead of neglecting digital in favor of printed marketing, using both will allow you to stand out from the competition and carve out a much bigger market for your business in 2020.
Lastly, seasonal and holiday crazes cannot be overlooked when it comes to print marketing. Whether it’s Halloween, Valentine’s Day or religion-specific holidays such as Christmas or the Chinese New Year, the accompanying sales and events will surely drive your sales upward. In this instance, you can refer to plenty of print marketing mediums, material combinations as well as a mix of the above-mentioned techniques to reach your audience and spread word of your business.
While holiday prints are temporary, this seasonal spike in interest and shopping will likely make the investment worthwhile. Create branded design elements with an emotional appeal in order to drive your point home. Don’t forget to add and a discount code or gift.
At the end of the day, print marketing and media will be as effective and useful as the time you invest into creative design and clever delivery methods. Take time to research your industry, your competitors and how you can outperform them with innovation. Once you find unique ways to benifit from print for your business specifically, no one will be able to copy what you do or do it better than you, allowing you to gain a strong foothold on the market.
Erica Sunarjo is a Business Management Specialist, a long-time follower of the graphic design industry and an Editor at The Word Point. Erica’s interests lie in combining her skills in business with her love for graphic design and writing, resulting in a multitude of published content on these topics. In her spare time, Erica enjoys drawing, long quiet walks and cooking for her friends and family.
