4 Ways Print Can Grow Your Business

Unlike online advertising, print is a tangible product that a customer can hold in their hand or keep in front of them on their desk.  You don’t have to wait for the customer to come to you or find you online.  You go to the customer.  Because of this, print material is a great way to grow your business. Here are a few creative ways to utilize this tried and true marketing product.

1.      Newsletter To Existing Customers

Send your customers a monthly or bi-monthly newsletter through the mail.  Make it something to look forward to by including well written articles and tips. This is a good way to stay in front of them and to remind them to refer their friends.  Engage their interaction by holding a contest and announce the winner in the following issue.  I receive a monthly magazine that hides a symbol somewhere in the issue each month and it is fun to comb through the pages to see how fast I can find it.  Be creative and remember, make the newsletter worthy of receipt so that it doesn’t get tossed.  Keep it informative.

    

                                                                                                   

2.      Business Cards

Yes, we all know this is an obvious printed material.  However, are you making the most out of this mini billboard? Is it living up to its full potential? Your standard everyday run of the mill business cards unfortunately don’t stand out and aren’t that memorable. 

You can change this easily enough with a well designed card.  For instance, a brick mason may opt for a card that leaves no doubt to what he does.  Because of the unique design, you’ll remember the card.  Rounded corners are a nice touch.

Try something different than the typical rectangular card. 

Think about Circle business cards, half circle, leaf shaped, square and oval shapes. Use bold colors, creativity, and imagination to set yourself apart from the competition.  

 What about a plastic business card?  With several finishes available, a plastic card's texture and thickness automatically sets itself apart from the competition.

3.      Signs

Signs are means to communicate a message. Try some of these cool products to capture attention.  Have a store front?  Try static window cling or adhesive vinyl signs to advertise promotions, contests, events etc.  Make them interesting by giving your sign movement.  This can be done with custom shapes. Step out of the box and lose the rectangle. 

Make it fun and get noticed.  Utilize mobile advertising by using magnetic vehicle signs. Create a set for each season to showcase a special promotion.  For instance, if you are a florist you might want to put a big bouquet of roses in full color on the sign with a special sale price for Valentines’day or birthdays. Use magnetic signs to your advantage by advertising more than just your business name and phone number. Everywhere you go your message goes with you.

4.      Brochure

Think of a brochure as an appetizer for the main course. In this case, the main course would be your website.  It’s a good idea not to include every single product or service that you offer in a brochure.  Instead, think of a creative way to spoon feed the customer enough information that they will want to go to your website to learn more.  With folding, die cuts and creative design you can make an otherwise boring brochure into an imaginative work of art. A professional graphic designer can apply some of these techniques to create a piece that will be the attention getter you need to stand out from the crowd. 

If you are already using some of these printed marketing products, try jazzing them up and make them interesting by applying some of these ideas and say it in full color.

View more business card shapes at http://www.tumblr.com/blog/creativesoupthings