This piece was submitted from a member of our enthusiastic community of readers. If you’re interested in sharing your opinion on any cultural, political or personal topic, create an account here and check out our how-to post to learn more.

E-commerce is becoming one of the most competitive business space and requires a holistic presence not only on social media platforms, but also on channels that help drive traffic to your site. Almost all people who use the internet engage in some way or the other for their online purchases. Mostly, we would find the younger generation more comfortable purchasing via e-commerce sites. Most millennials prefer online purchasing versus physically visiting the store due to the time it saves. While this is good news for all e-commerce businesses, there is no denial to the roaring competition this industry is facing each passing day.

This is where your expertise in using the correct marketing strategy comes in. You need to make sure you are equipped with all the right marketing tools to have an edge over your competition. We can’t imagine running our business with all handwritten communication, but we also can’t solely rely on the digital form of marketing communication for a business which exists online. With smartphones in everyone’s hand, we consider print marketing to be a dying cause. However, it is still very responsive and we may be underestimating its power significantly.

HOW PRINT MARKETING IS STILL VERY EFFECTIVE

Most e-commerce businesses consider print ads ineffective because of the ease of marketing online. The faith in this marketing has further reduced due to the cost that is involved with this strategy. However, printing digital images leaves a physical reminder and a memorable experience for your potential client. If used correctly, print marketing can give your online business a boost that you never imagined with digital marketing. Print media marketing allows you to do demographic targeting and increases sales.

As much as we may want to deny it, a lot of people still find print advertising more trustworthy versus a digital ad, due to the clutter that digital marketing is faced with. Below is five ways print marketing can leave an impact on your target audience:

1. Target Locals

Most people support their local businesses because they feel supporting local helps grow the local economy.

2. Business Cards and Post Card

People still appreciate the personalized approach of a business to reach out to their prime prospects. This is the most tangible effect it can make on a potential customer. Also, they serve the purpose of reaching out to people when you cannot afford a print ad in the newspaper.

3. Flyers and Brochures

These are a smart way to target your audience where they are most receptive. Understand where your shopper likes to go and make sure you leave your print mark in the form of a flyer or brochure to advertise your business. Most local hotels and public places have the racks to stack flyers and brochures; make sure your presence is there to reach your customer.

4. Product Catalogues

This is another important platform to make sure your marketing message travels to all the potential customers. This marketing tool offers massive profits because of the organized approach for the shopper to browse through.

5. Promo Cards and Coupons

Adding promo cards and coupons to your products is another smart tactic to drive sales for your online business. Everyone loves coupons and promotions, and are very likely to use them. So make sure you use this tactic smartly to bring traffic to your store.

ROLE OF PRINT IN YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA

Your brand voice travels well when you know how to exploit all marketing mediums the right way. Print media is not just a collection of print textures but a proven successful platform to drive business results. If your brand message is designed in an eye-catching captive manner, it is sure to grab the attention of your customer whenever they are exposed to it — be it on social media or in some form of a print ad.

Make sure you have a consistent and shareable tone that resonates well to all age groups that you want to target. For instance, young generations generally rely on online searching while our adult community still prefers printed communication. Ensure your presence at both platforms to not miss out on either of the audience. The following are the key points to note:

• Make sure you have a holistic marketing presence (print and digital) to reach all age groups based on their preference.
• Use printed hashtags to drive traffic to your online brand presence. This helps your audience to join your brand conversation online.
• Bring online to offline. Share your online brand reviews offline with the help of print media. Most consumers get convinced to purchase based on customer experience.

When it comes to reaching out to your target audience, there is no right or wrong marketing platform. You need to make sure that you are smartly leveraging all channels to make your presence felt everywhere. Your business sales and profit will be the testament of all the marketing efforts you have made to succeed.