When it comes to online marketing, “content is king” has been one of the major axioms. Companies usually follow this rule to create a presence on the digital landscape. However, with increasing connectivity of people on the web, people’s attention span has markedly decreased in the past two decades.
The average attention span of people has gone down from 12 seconds in the year 2000 to 8.25 twenty years later. The result is that people aren’t as keen to consume written content anymore. This results in marketers to rely on visual content instead.
This isn’t surprising since people consume visual content much faster than their written kin. According to statistical data, 32% of marketers consider visual content more valuable than blogging. And with 80% of them using this advertising form for their social media campaigns.
This is why infographics are getting more and more ubiquitous over the web. Pairing relevant data with attention-grabbing images result in longer memory retention. To boost the effectiveness of these campaigns, marketers are also using color theory to send specific messages. It all depends on what their end-goal for the strategy is.
So Where Does Print Marketing Come Into Play?
With online marketers constantly bombarding people on the web with ads, people are becoming more annoyed about them. But that’s not saying that online ads aren’t effective anymore. People only dislike those that are poorly made.
Still, this provides print marketing a window of opportunity to grab attention. Especially of people who opts to significantly cut down their phone usage in an attempt to connect with the real world. This is even more true for Gen Z – the new consumer class – since most people in this group have expressed their desire to disconnect from the web.
As such, a lot of online marketers are trying to acquire the services of talented artists. They are searching for help to increase brand awareness and brand engagement. In turn, artists can benefit from this, not only from a financial standpoint but to expand their network as well. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Developing A Niche
Promising artists have yet to dip their hands on the print marketing honey pot. They can start their journey in this industry by first choosing a niche. Something where art and the professional world can merge. Are you fond of creating art about nature? Then you might want to specialize in travel. Are you interested in drawing fashion? Try to collaborate with a clothing brand.
The idea is for you to focus your endeavors on a single goal. Following that, you’ll need to aggregate your art in a single space. Somewhere businesses can peruse your previous work easily. Sites like Deviant Art and Dribble are just some of the best platforms to showcase your skills.
But if you want to step it up a notch, try creating a dedicated site and place your art there. This gives potential clients the impression that you’re professional and will treat you as such. This will also keep shady businesses at bay, those that will ask for your art in exchange for “exposure”
Building Your Network
Most fledgling artists think that to succeed in this industry, they need to work with corporate juggernauts from the outset. This may be the end goal, but the first step is to partner with clients in your local area.
Collaborate with small businesses. Presenting your skills and how you can help with their print marketing campaigns. It doesn’t matter what they need – a revamped logo, posters, or flyers. The important thing is for them to see you as someone who can help their business grow.
Partnering with local businesses will also help you build your network of clients. Always make sure that you’re giving your best as the first impression is crucial in this gig. After all, most business owners are already well connected.
If you’re doing a good job in delivering what they want, chances are they’ll be referring you to their associates through word of mouth. And we all know how powerful that is for building a network.
Developing Your Marketing Skills
One of the things that artists struggle with is the lack of skill to sell their work. By entering the print marketing industry, you’ll gain valuable insight into how to turn the gears behind the scenes.
Sure, you may not be selling the art that you truly love to create. But if you want to be a successful artist, you’ll first need to gain the skill on how to sell your work. Not only will this help you pay the bills, but it’ll also give you the edge that others are lacking.
Besides, once you have developed a reputation in your area, you can use your connections to try and sell your previous artistic works. Perhaps a travel agency is interested in buying an exquisite piece that’s been collecting dust in your workshop.
Broadening Your Artistic Horizon
While you may not be expressing your passion when you’re working in the print marketing industry, there’s no denying that you’re still creating art. And not just any art at that.
As mentioned earlier, one of the things that make print marketing interesting is marketers are using colors to send subtle signals to consumers. Corporate giants are incredibly adept that using these psychological cues, hence why they’ve attained such a global presence in the first place.
For instance, McDonald’s has been using red and yellow for their brand to entice hunger among people. Red for ketchup and yellow for fries.
McDonald’s doesn’t use green in their marketing campaigns as the color is associated with health and nature. Can you imagine the criticism the brand will receive if they use that color while also selling all those unhealthy food? It’s for this reason that Jollibee, a major fast food joint in the Philippines, is also sticking with red and yellow.
These are just one of the many techniques you’ll learn if you enter the print marketing industry; techniques that you can inject in your art.
Hone Your Client Conversation Skills
Another valuable skill you can learn in the print marketing business is your ability to communicate with clients. As your network grows, you’ll find that your skill in negotiations will develop alongside it.
You’ll know how to navigate a conversation to get you the best deal when trying to land a new project. Most artists often sell themselves short to businesses hoping to get an edge against the competition. While that may be a viable strategy in the short term, it can hurt your professional image down the road as cheap labor can be associated with cheap results.
You’ll also develop a deep understanding of how to deliver what the client wants and not what you think the client wants. This is one of the most common blunders of artists in print marketing.
Always remember that as an artist, you’re there to depict the vision of your client in the best way possible. Communicate what they want, ask for specifics, and if the instruction is vague, ask for clarification before continuing with the project.
But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t point out glaring errors in the proposed design. What this means is that you’ll need constant alteration of the client’s idea to refine it to the point that the project will come out in its most optimal form possible.
While businesses campaigning online is expected to grow in the coming years, there’s still room for artists to take advantage of the persistence trend of print marketing. A lot of factors are influencing this persistence, including prolonged existence of printed materials resulting in higher ROI; it reaches multiple generations and helps a business stand out where everyone is looking to leverage the power of the web.
Author Bio
Aubrey is a graduate from Miriam College with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Communication. She is currently a digital marketer in Growth Rocket. During her free time, she is a video creator.