Print branding isn’t declining, it’s aligning.

There’s a difference. Both digital and print formats play very distinct roles in the marketing world. This goes as follows:

• PRINT – Exposes audiences to early signs of brand packaging and messaging. Catches people as they conduct their daily life, creates intrigue and brand recognition.
• DIGITAL – Great for search, wonderful for follow-ups, necessary for nurturing and all-too good at building brand affinity with the help of social media and influencer marketing.

We may no longer rely on print for every marketing need, but that doesn’t mean it’s over. It’s about choosing your objective carefully and deciding which medium is going to get you there and what ratio to use. If brand awareness is your goal, a combination of print and social media marketing could be your best friend. If you want to increase market share in a local area quickly, get out there on the street and shout about it with signage… but be easy to find online too. 

The digital world will never replace the real world.

People still need to step outside and be exposed to external elements. We need to feel the sun and bask in the physicality of being alive – and yes… part of that is getting stuck in traffic, staring at a billboard, and wondering whether now’s the right time to take out life insurance.

Meanwhile, in the digital realm… where algorithms rule and dictate… we’re only being served ads and information based on what we’ve actively shown interest in, meaning we’re missing out on everything else. Surely it shouldn’t just come down to whether your ideal customer typed in the right search phrase, that one time, for customers to hear about you? This reiterates why one size doesn’t fit all. Print and TV exposes you to messages that you might be closed off to in the digital world.

Sales rely on opportunity. So, open all the doors and present that opportunity to your customers in a variety of different ways. Digital can’t do it all – sometimes, we need the physicality of real-life too.

Top-quality experience will always have its place.

It doesn’t matter how glossy or dazzling a service is, if top-quality expertise doesn’t underpin the offering, you’re wasting your time. Developing a clear, justified and hard-working brand strategy means teaming up with people who have tangible knowledge of the market. Simple.

Very rarely does a ‘stab in the dark’ moment pay off, so… please don’t risk your ROI on inexperienced newbies selling the dream. Do your homework early on. The result will be far more effective because you’ll be working with people who are highly knowledgeable, passionate and skilled at what they do every single day. Remember, signage campaigns, TV, and print media still hold the ability to transcend so if you’re going to go down that route, don’t take any chances. Pick a reputable and highly experienced company with a portfolio to match.

So, does old school branding work in a digital world?

Absolutely! If anything, its ability to attract attention and draw people towards your brand is stronger than ever.

Without signs, packaging and billboards popping up randomly, brands lose the ability to plant seeds in unexpected places. A customer needs to have been in contact with your brand between 7 and 13 times for them to consider you as an option. With consumers flooded with digital messaging every hour, getting lost in it all is a very real threat to brands both big and small.

Keen to learn more about Speedy Signs and how our long-held signage expertise can fit into your marketing strategy?

Call us now on 0800 SPEEDY – we’re celebrating 20 years in business!