I recently read an article on the popularity of online advertising and email communications and how print was dead.
OK we all know that online is a cheaper way for businesses to promote themselves and you can reach a wide range of customers hitting them directly in their email boxes but with the amount of email people receive now is it more effective than print?
I was having this debate with my good friend Michelle Eade about two weeks ago – she asked me to write an article for her new monthly newsletter that she is sending out to her customers. I naturally presumed that she was looking at doing it through email, and she announced it was a print newsletter!!!
Admittedly it took me aback at first, but then I thought about it – when I was still in my corporate life I used to receive a paper newsletter once every two months and I would always stop and read it, if not straight away – I would always read it. I used to always receive email newsletter as well and they just got lost in the noise of all the other people asking for things from me. I would read them if I noticed them – but 9 times out of 10 I would delete them – sorry everyone the truth is out there!!!
I’m not saying that I think print is better than email, it just means that you can’t ignore print.
As my last blog post on Memory Palaces alluded too, keeping the marketing mix alive with different aspects of marketing will only strengthen your ROI in the long run. This applies to both the B2B and B2C markets if you sell tangible products or services. A nice little stat for you – 65% of consumers still place a lot of interest in direct mail whether that be postcards, newsletters or letters whilst only 36% of businesses think that consumer value printed materials. (research by cardsmadeeasy October 2013).
This leads me nicely on to tell you about the latest marketing from Jigsaw. I too will start sending out monthly marketing email newsletters in conjunction with a paper newsletter. The email newsletter will be kept nice and brief with helpful hints and tip so when people do open it there are not faced with lots of daunting text.
The paper newsletter will have longer and different articles included so for people like me who think I have 5 minutes to have a sip of tea – then they can pick up my newsletter and take a break!!
If your interested in receiving my monthly newsletters, please email info@jigsawcommuications.co.uk and I will add you to my list!
Oh and please don’t forget to share my blog with your friends and family, or share through the various social media links. I would love to hear your thoughts on my post, what are your thoughts email marketing over direct mail? Do you think integrated marketing still has a place in this digital marketing age we are in?
I look forward to receiving your comments.
