Social versus print. If you have read the news in recent years, these two platforms are often pitted against one another and media outlets suggest we should place our bets on one or the other.
Print is the classic, trustworthy marketing medium we have always known and that we are already used to. Social is the cool new guy in town; mysterious and with capabilities brand new to the world.
But do we really have to see social and print in binary opposition? Do we have to place our bets on one or the other?
No, we don’t – and we shouldn’t. The most prudent realization is that both are integral and critical platforms in marketing.
Just three months ago, we published a blog on Integrating Digital with Direct Mail. We made numerous suggestions as to how brands can integrate digital marketing plans into their direct mail.
We also came across this article detailing Twitter’s latest move in social marketing: “Twitter is in the process of testing a new advertising functionality through Twitter Cards. If successful, this may give direct marketers a process to generate leads directly from tweets.”
This functionality is great for advertisers since advertisers will be able to deliver their message directly to people, and will get feedback directly. Can this be directly integrated with direct marketing? Yes, and this is only one example.
As time moves forward, so does the progress in social and print marketing efforts and emerging avenues for integrating the two. While many already understand and fully utilize available resources for social media and print marketing plans, many still see social and print as enemies, a sort of “good and evil” where one will eventually vanquish the other.
Whoever is most successful today and tomorrow is the person who sees social and print as complementary efforts.
Having a strong, persistent social presence is no longer an option for brands – it’s a mandatory means for success and survival. Social media leverages a powerful concept - word-of-mouth viral communication – to increase sales, strengthen customer relationships, and keep your business top-of-mind as the “go-to” source for your product or service.
At Tray, we can make you social and grow your brand. We represent a wide array of print equipment and service options, combined with the skill and flexibility to help you communicate your brand in the most attractive, efficient way possible.
From social to print, we are going to take you places. Contact us to get started today.
The Tray Way is the blog for Tray, experts in the printing, mailing, logistics and promotional products. You can learn more about our capabilities by visiting our website, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages. For information about the company and its successes, visit www.trayinc.com
