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https://www.vistaprint.com/hub/how-to-design-flyer
When promoting your business, there’s one thing you shouldn’t overlook: Print marketing. Like digital marketing, print marketing can significantly impact your business success, whether you’ve just launched or are well established. But which print marketing materials should you use? And why are they important? In this guide, we’ll explain the different types of marketing materials, list the benefits and give you tips on using print marketing effectively—giving you a competitive edge over the rest.
- Print marketing is still effective in the digital age because it promotes brand awareness, builds trust and helps businesses stand out. Print collateral has the most impact when combined with digital marketing tactics.
- When working with print marketing materials, it’s important to understand who your audience is, be clear with your messaging, outline clear benefits, include a call to action, create engaging designs and measure effectiveness.
- Types of print marketing collateral include flyers, brochures, business cards, promotional items, branded stationery and clothing, posters, banners, billboards, wall decals, door hangers, catalogs and direct mail.
What are print marketing materials?
Print marketing materials, also known as print collateral, are printed materials that promote a business, its products or services. These include brochures, postcards, flyers, business cards, posters, direct mail, rack cards, packaging and promotional products.
Why print marketing materials are important
You might be wondering why print marketing is still important for businesses in the digital age. It’s because it…
Source: by Jon Tyson via Unsplash
1. Is still effective
Print marketing is still around because it’s still effective—even compared to certain digital channels. For example, 80% of consumers act on printed ads, while just 45% act on digital ones.
2. Promotes brand awareness
Print marketing materials are great for promoting brand awareness—in fact, people find it easier to remember brands that advertise in print. Because we tend to read text slower in print than we do off a screen and because we engage with print collateral physically, the information is more ingrained in our brains.
3. Works well with digital marketing
This doesn’t mean you should focus on print marketing to the exclusion of digital marketing—they’re most effective when used together. In fact, a marketing mix that combines print with digital is often the most effective strategy (campaigns can be up to 400% more effective).
Source: via the 2024 Small Business Marketing Report by VistaPrint, presented in partnership with Wix
4. Builds trust
Print collateral helps to establish local brand recognition by connecting you with the local community, and building trust and loyalty—with the increase of scams on the internet, people tend to trust print marketing materials more than digital ads. This trust is indispensable for long-term business success.
5. Helps businesses stand out
In a competitive digital space, adding print collateral to your marketing strategy can help your business stand out, giving you a competitive edge (especially if you get a little more creative).
Tips for using print marketing materials effectively
Follow these tips to ensure you use your print marketing collateral effectively, maximizing your return on investment (ROI).
Understand your audience
Think about who your target audience is, what their interests, values and pain points are, and at what stage of the buyer’s journey or marketing funnel they are.
The buyer’s journey describes the stages a person goes through to make a purchase:
- Awareness: The buyer is aware that they have a problem that needs solving.
- Consideration: The buyer researches the different approaches to solve that problem.
- Decision: The buyer evaluates various businesses and decides which to purchase from.
Knowing exactly where your target audience is on the buyer’s journey will influence your choice of marketing collateral and how you design it. Tailoring print marketing materials to match your target audience’s preferences, needs and behaviors will increase their effectiveness.
Create clear messaging and benefits
Clarity is always key. Effective marketing materials make it easy for audiences to understand what the intention is. For example, if you’re opening a store, make it clear what you sell, when it’s opening and where it’s located. Think who, what and where.
Also, think about the why and lead with the benefits of your product or service. Center your messaging around what’s in it for your customers and you’ll make a compelling case for them to purchase from you.
Include a call to action
Your audience should also know what their next steps should be after reading your print collateral. A call to action tells a person what to do next in a few words, whether it’s visiting your website, following you on social media or attending a pop-up.
A call to action usually uses a clear and simple command, such as “Order now” or “Book now.”
Use eye-catching design
One of the most important aspects of print marketing is visual design. Good design captures attention and highlights key information without overwhelming your target audience. Consider using the seven principles of design, such as visual hierarchy and contrast to make your marketing materials stand out and get your message across.
If you’re designing the collateral yourself, remember that most applications will default to RGB color mode, which is used for digital projects. For print, use CMYK color mode, otherwise, the colors will look different once printed. Add a little space around the edges of your design as a safe zone because your work will get trimmed slightly when printed.
Our guide to crop marks and bleed can help ensure your design comes out exactly how you want it to.
Remember that good print marketing reinforces your brand identity. To do that, maintain consistency with your brand colors and fonts, while staying true to your brand personality and values.
Measure and adapt
Keep track of the effectiveness of your print campaigns by monitoring response rates, sales and customer feedback. Adapt your marketing strategies based on these insights to continuously improve performance.
13 types of print marketing materials for your business
Let’s take a look at some of the different types of print marketing collateral, along with their benefits and considerations, so you can pick what’s best for your business.
1. Business cards
Business cards are a great way to share essential contact information and make a strong impression. They’re handy for networking and chance encounters with potential customers—helping you get more leads for your business. What’s great about business cards is that you can design them with a tactile quality that helps boost brand retention.
Source: Business cards via VistaPrint
Get creative with your business cards to stand out and show what you’re about. Just make sure the material you choose communicates something about your brand. If you’re a luxury brand, deluxe or premium business cards can convey that high-end feel using a more durable material like ultra-thick paper, plastic, metal or linen. If sustainability is a core value, use natural-textured, recycled or kraft paper, bamboo or hemp.
Or impress with a QR code business card, so that people can scan your cards with their phones to get your details quickly and easily.
Source: QR code business card via VistaPrint
Benefits of business cards
- Create a lasting impression
- Easy way to share contact details
- Handy networking tool
- Easy to customize
- Affordable
- Portable
If you need design inspiration, take a look at some of these creative business card ideas.
2. Brochures
Brochures are versatile marketing materials designed to highlight specific products, services or promotions, allowing businesses to share more detailed information in a visually appealing way.
Source: Brochure via VistaPrint
These folded sheets of paper come in various sizes and formats, such as bi-fold, tri-fold or multi-page, giving businesses the space to share their marketing message. Brochures can be distributed through direct mail, in-store rack displays, trade shows or events.
Benefits of brochures
- Versatile
- Space to print more information
- Affordable
- Can be turned into digital marketing assets as PDFs
If you’re not sure how to design a brochure, our guide to brochure design is a good place to start.
3. Flyers
Flyers are single-sheet marketing materials printed on one or both sides. They tend to be smaller in size, making them easy to hand out directly to people, pop in mail slots, pin on bulletin boards or add as inserts to newspapers or mailings.
Source: Menu flyer via VistaPrint
They usually contain brief information about a business, its products, services, events, sales, special offers or promotions. They come in various flyer sizes and designs, ranging from simple handouts to more elaborate, visually engaging layouts.
Read our step-by-step guide to flyer design so you can be sure yours makes an impact.
Source: Top marketing tactics via the 2024 Small Business Marketing Report by VistaPrint, presented in partnership with Wix
Benefits of flyers
- Budget-friendly
- Quick and easy to distribute
- Ideal for promoting events or announcing promotions
Not sure what the differences between a flyer, brochure and pamphlet are? Our article will help you to understand which is the best marketing material for your business.
4. Posters
Posters are designed to capture attention from afar and convey a message quickly. They come in various sizes, but they’re bigger than flyers, giving them greater potential to reach a wider audience. They’re typically displayed on shop walls, bulletin boards, storefronts and areas with high foot traffic.
Source: Poster via VistaPrint
Thanks to their eye-catching nature and larger size, these print marketing materials are great for promoting events, sales, product launches or important announcements.
Benefits of posters
- High visibility
- Attention-grabbing
Considerations for posters
- It can be difficult to find available space for posters
- Printing large posters in color can be more expensive than other print collateral
Make sure to put posters in places frequented by your target audience to maximize their effectiveness.
5. Banners
Banners are large-format marketing collateral often made from durable, weather-resistant materials such as vinyl or fabric, designed for both indoor and outdoor use. Larger than brochures, flyers and posters, banners come in different sizes and formats, including hanging banners, flags or standing banners.
Source: Vinyl banner and poster via VistaPrint
Banners are excellent for outdoor advertising, promoting sales, announcing events or increasing brand visibility. You’ll see them on street corners, storefronts and entrances, or at trade shows and events.
Benefits of banners
- High visibility: can attract attention from afar
- Great for outdoor advertising
- Durable
- Versatile
- Reusable, offering long-term value
Considerations for banners
- Larger banners need more space for storage when not in use
- Hanging or installing large banners might need professional assistance or specific equipment
6. Direct mail
Direct mail involves sending printed promotional materials—like postcards and flyers—directly to your target audience through the post. It’s perfect for reaching specific demographics in certain locations.
Source: Direct mail postcard via VistaPrint
You can use direct mail to advertise promotions, discounts, coupons and exclusive offers to encourage recipients to make a purchase. When effective, direct mail can help businesses generate leads, drive sales or increase brand awareness. If you’re just starting out, direct mail could be a good approach for raising awareness of your brand in your local area.
Give your business a more professional, premium feel with letterheads and branded custom envelopes to enhance your credibility.
Benefits of direct mail
- Targets specific demographics
- Measurable results
- Less competition
Considerations for direct mail
- Success depends on the accuracy and quality of the mailing list you use
- A large mailing list can be expensive to distribute to
Postcards are a good option for direct mail. Because they don’t come in envelopes, the message you’re trying to communicate is instantly visible to the recipient.
7. Catalogs
Catalogs are printed materials that allow you to showcase your products and services. Catalogs can be excellent sales tools, encouraging purchases through copy, graphics, discounts and coupons. They’re so effective that 60% of recipients visit the business’ website after receiving a catalog.
Source: Catalog by micheile henderson via Unsplash
Benefits of catalogs
- Showcase a range of products and offerings in one place
- Achieve high engagement that influences purchasing decisions
Considerations for catalogs
- Expensive to design and print
- Can become outdated quickly due to changes in products, pricing or offerings
8. Packaging
Packaging doesn’t just protect products from damage but can also promote your business and create an enjoyable customer experience. Use packaging as an opportunity to delight your customers with an interesting unboxing experience, strengthening positive associations with your brand and setting you apart from the competition.
Source: Packaging via VistaPrint
Put a thank-you card inside the packaging or include a note that gives your customers tips for using your product.
Source: Thank-you card via VistaPrint
Complement your digital marketing efforts by adding a QR code to the outside of packaging that connects to your social media accounts. This is just one way that packaging can help to build a loyal customer base and a positive image for your brand.
Benefits of packaging
- Builds a positive brand image
- Strengthens relationships with customers
- Can increase your social media following
Understanding current packaging design trends can help you to impress with your product packaging.
9. Stationery and promotional products
Creating visually appealing, high-quality stationery and promotional products helps reinforce your brand identity and professionalism. Customize stationery like pens, folders and notebooks or promotional products like stickers, mugs, water bottles, chargers, mousepads and USB sticks.
Source: Branded stationery via VistaPrint
Using stationery and promotional products can increase brand visibility by giving people tangible reminders of your business. For example, whenever someone uses a branded pen, the brand will pop into their mind, boosting brand retention and recall.
You can make a good impression on customers by including some useful stationery or promotional products for free with a purchase. Print marketing is all about using every available opportunity and space (no matter how small) to promote your brand.
Benefits of stationery and promotional products
- Builds long-term brand exposure and recall
- Encourages customer loyalty and retention
- Gives your business a professional image
- Enhances engagement and memorability
Considerations for stationery and promotional products
- Some items can be more expensive to customize
- More difficult to measure the return on investment
10. Clothing and accessories
Clothing and accessories (such as T-shirts, hats, hoodies and bags) branded with your company logo, slogan or message are a fantastic way to turn customers into brand ambassadors or walking adverts, increasing brand exposure.
Source: Branded hoodies via VistaPrint
You can give branded apparel as giveaways at events or gifts to customers with their orders to create positive associations with your brand and inspire customer loyalty.
Benefits of branded apparel
- Mobile advertising
- Sustained brand exposure
- Influence perception of brand value
11. Door hangers
Door hangers are a targeted form of local advertising and promotion, effective for reaching specific neighborhoods or areas with tailored messages. They are used to announce sales, special offers, discounts or upcoming events directly to residents in a particular area. Door hangers can generate leads by providing contact information and directing recipients to your website or store location.
Source: Door hangers via VistaPrint
Benefits of door hangers
- Targeting specific areas directly
- High visibility
- Cost-effective
Considerations for door hangers
- It can take more time and effort to distribute them
12. Billboards
Billboards are one of the most effective forms of advertising because they’re hard to ignore and are displayed in high-traffic areas. Billboards are a good option if you’ve recently launched your business and want to spread awareness of your brand in a particular area, but they can be expensive.
Benefits of billboards
- Generate mass exposure
- Highly visible
13. Wall or window decals
Wall decals are designs—made from vinyl or other durable materials—that stick to walls and other smooth surfaces, like windows. They’re a good opportunity to get creative and grab attention in commercial spaces with striking visuals.
Source: Window decal via VistaPrint
Many businesses use decals to advertise a promotion or customize their space with brand logos and messages, reinforcing their branding identity. Wall and window decals are usually temporary and can be easily applied and removed without causing damage to the surface.
Benefits of wall decals
- Visually striking
- Flexibility in design and size
- Easily removable
Considerations for wall decals
- Might not stick to heavily textured surfaces
- Limited reusability
Design and print print marketing materials
Using print marketing materials to complement a wider marketing strategy can help small businesses effectively spread brand awareness, establish credibility, build brand loyalty, stand out from the competition and get more customers coming through the door.
Now that you’re familiar with the different types of print marketing materials and how to use them, it’s time to start creating them. You can either collaborate with a designer or use templates to get the professional results you’re looking for. With VistaPrint, you can easily customize templates using your branding and print your marketing materials that are then delivered to your door.
Print marketing materials FAQs
What are different types of print marketing materials?
Print marketing materials include everything from business cards to billboards—anything tangible that helps spread the word about your business. These can be displayed outside or in-store, like banners and brochures, sent directly to customers, like postcards and promotional products, or handed out in the street like flyers.
What are the benefits of print marketing materials?
Print marketing can help to build brand awareness, customer loyalty and trust. They help to establish your business as credible and let your target audience know who you are and what you do.
How to combine print marketing materials with digital marketing efforts?
Print marketing materials provide a tangible touchpoint that, when combined with digital marketing, create a seamless and cohesive customer experience. For example, you can include QR codes or social media handles on brochures or flyers.
What are the best practices for designing print collateral?
When designing print marketing materials, focus on simplicity, clarity and brand consistency. Use high-quality images, easy-to-read fonts and a clear call to action. Ensure the design reflects your brand’s personality, and test it for readability and impact before printing.
How can small businesses create cost-effective marketing materials?
Small businesses can create cost-effective marketing materials by customizing professional templates, using online design tools and partnering with affordable print services like VistaPrint.
