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Selecting the Print Materials Your Business or Organization Needs for the New Year

December 13, 2019

If you’re the owner or leader of a small business or organization, you’re no doubt concerned about how to best get the word out about your awesome products or services. Maybe your digital marketing mix is solid, but you’re interested in incorporating print/traditional assets to tell your organizational story, as well. You’ve heard about the power of direct mail — and who doesn’t love an attractive and informative company brochure? There’s no better time to revisit your traditional print materials than at the start of a new year!

But take a pause before moving forward too quickly. It’s not necessary, or even wise, to use every available option. The print collateral at your organization’s disposal should be strategically selected, considering several key factors:

Your Organizational Goals and Target Audience.

Before printing anything, consider your overarching company goals and target audience. Are you a nonprofit organization soliciting donations? A booklet that potential donors can peruse may be one key traditional piece of marketing collateral. Perhaps you’re a small company with a handful of services, and your goal is to get more people interested in what you have to offer. Rack cards, which are print materials that are more concise than brochures and typically front and back, 4 by 9 inches in size, can be used to describe services and offer people the opportunity to pick up, keep, and pass around information to friends and family.

Are you the founder of a brand-new organization that needs to raise awareness about what you do? Create a brochure with all the necessary info about why it was created, what services are offered, etc., and take them with you to conferences and community events so people can get familiar with your organization. Again, there’s no need to create everything under the sun — just a few pieces that make sense for your organizational goals and objectives.

Your Competitors.

Your competitors can give you many ideas about which print pieces to consider investing in. As one means of gathering information, don’t be afraid to sign up to receive direct mail from your competitor, if applicable. You can also check out competitor materials at events/conferences you both attend.

Your Budget.

It probably goes without saying, but it’s important to take your business or organization’s overall budget allocation into consideration when deciding how much you want to invest in traditional marketing collateral. Maybe you’re just starting out, and a few hundred business cards for each of your employees are all your company can set aside at this time, but companies with larger budgets may be able to invest in more. There are many factors which play into the overall budget of your print collateral:

  • Quantity
  • Size and orientation
  • Print sides (whether you’re printing on only one side, or both sides)
  • Paper type (prices will vary based on the quality of the paper)
  • UV coating / no UV coating
  • Rounded corners / not rounded corners
  • Envelopes / no envelopes (if printing postcards or greeting cards)

Learn more about budgeting here. While this blog is written in relation to marketing postcard campaigns, the content applies to printing for many other types of marketing materials, as well.

Refreshing Existing Materials.

Keep in mind that it may not be necessary for your business or organization to completely “reinvent the wheel” when it comes to the collateral at your disposal. A few of your materials may simply need a refresh. Take an objective look at your materials and ask yourself these questions:

  • Is any of the information outdated in relation to your business or organization? For example, have new staff been hired? Has your location changed? Has your mission statement been updated?
  • Is the language used relevant for your industry, or could it be modernized?
  • Is this piece of collateral in keeping with modern graphic design best practices?
  • Also consider — do you need this marketing material at all? Is it in line with your organizational goals and target audience?

If you find room for improvement on a piece of collateral that you feel is necessary for your business or organization, make the necessary revisions to update. Revisiting your traditional print materials every few years is a good practice to ensure that your brand stays fresh.


Conclusion.

There are many options out there when it comes to selecting the right traditional/print materials for your business or organization. Keep your goals, target audience, competitor’s strategies, and budget in mind to make strategic decisions that are right for your brand, and you’ll be equipped with a toolbox of great collateral that benefits your organization.

When you’ve decided which materials make the most sense for your organization, you can print high-quality collateral right here at QuantumPostcards. We have an entire suite of products available, from brochures to flyers to marketing postcards.

Posted in: Business Tips