Recently i’ve listened to a variety of keynote speakers talking about how print is being under utilised in business and that despite the rumours, isn’t dead as many would like you to believe.

Having spent over 20 years working in print management, procurement and sales, I thought i’d share a few ways you can still utilise print in your business to improve your company’s brand, keep your name in front of prospects so you’re the first person they turn to when they need something and most importantly win more business. After all, these days everyone claims to be a marketing and brand expert yet so many still fall into the trap of not using print. Remember, the experts tell us that we need to constantly keep our name in front of prospects or risk losing business to competitors. With the above in mind, below are my top six easy starter tips that any business can implement quickly and cost effectively.

Business Card

Often this is the first impression a prospect will get of your business. Do you really want to leave them with a flimsy poorly produced card? A business card should be representative of your brand so well designed, printed on a decent thickness of board and on both sides (why waste an opportunity by letting them turn the card over to find a blank space).
Remember, first impressions last!

Letterhead

Nowadays people rarely write letters or supply written quotations so using a good letterhead for these purposes can ensure your business stands out from the crowd. As I write this, I currently have over 300 unread emails, how many do you or your prospects have? By sending a letter and posting it in a hand written envelope will certainly get your prospects attention as it won’t be caught up in a spam filter or remain unread for days/weeks on end.

Invoice

As with the Letterhead the Invoice is also another under used print resource. So many businesses now opt for electronic invoicing. It’s granted that this saves on print and postage but also think of the loss to their brand. No longer does the invoice get passed around the office to different staff and departments so you’re missing an opportunity to put your brand in front of potential new customers. Also, it’s a great tool for thanking your customers for their business.

Envelope

Putting your logo on an envelope can make your brand instantly recognisable as it lands on the doormat of your prospect or customer. A simple but effective way for you to keep your name in front of a client in a professional way.

Newsletter

A printed newsletter can set you apart from your competitors. Not only are the majority of newsletters being sent by email these days. Most end up being deleted and read rates are constantly falling. Whilst I would always suggest an email newsletter should be used as an important part of your marketing mix, so should a printed version. Remember, some people still like to read a book, newspaper and open the post in the morning.

Notepad

As with all marketing, keeping your name in front of a client is always important. By utilising a notepad with your name and printed message on it can ensure your name is always on your customers desk. These prove really popular with customers and are a great way of maximising marketing spend as they can sit on the desk for a sustained period of time rather than end up in the bin like a one time marketing piece.

As with all branding and marketing, the secret is to be consistent. All of the above are simple things any business owner, brand manager, marketing expert could and should be using within their
business.

The question is are you?