The Marriage of Print and Digital Marketing

(Photo courtesy of sxc.hu)

Enough with the debate over print or digital marketing already! We know that direct mail marketing is still the king and digital marketing is coming in strong, but the newest theory is that together they’re a powerhouse of success. And it makes sense. Think about the fact that direct mail still boasts the lowest cost-per-lead and the highest conversion rates. Now, consider the creativity and personalization that digital marketing can provide. Bring them together and boom! You have an unstoppable marketing campaign.

Understanding the Union

We could ramble off a dozen reasons for choosing a mailer with digital elements vs. strictly digital, but honestly, the truth is in the numbers. Generation Y is much more greatly affected by traditional media than digital. In a recent poll, nearly half of the Gen Y’ers surveyed better retained information from a print ad, whereas not even a quarter said the same about digital. However, with 62% of young people accessing the internet daily, it would be unwise not to at least consider the growing power of incorporating a digital element into that mailer.

How to Make the Jump from Traditional to Tradigital

Right about now, you may be saying to yourself “That’s all well and good, but what does it mean? How do I make this marriage work for my campaign?” Well, the answer comes in the form of relatively new technologies like QRcodes and PURLs (Personalized Uniform Resource Locators).

Even Postmaster General, Patrick Donahoe, is quick to address the benefits of incorporating digital elements into direct mail pieces. He notes that these technologies have the ability to actively engage mailer recipients with the product or company by allowing receivers to use their smartphones to make quick purchases from a catalog or launch a video.

The generations that marketers need to appeal to now are of a different breed than those in years past. Millennials and Gen Y are clearly still affected by traditional print marketing, but they crave a certain level of personalization and engagement that print can’t always achieve on its own. The integration on new technology bridges that gap, thus creating a world of tradigital marketing.

So, you see, the future of B2C marketing relies not on replacing one material with another, but on evolving current methods. With new found knowledge and the help of an experienced print company, you too, can find yourself ahead of the curve with profits to show for your efforts. Contact us today to get discuss how we can help you’re business embrace the tradigital future!