Australians are by nature early adopters of technology, so where does physical marketing collateral marketing fit into today’s marketing mix? How can you use one of the most effective methods in marketing - emotions through touch?
Have you noticed that today’s competitive trading environment is focused on online as a medium to communicate with customers, and trying to attract new prospects. And when Aussies are all about their devices checking their digital channels, physical marketing collateral, direct mail or letterbox may seem to be a little bit old school.
Actually, statistics tell a different story. According to the Australasian Catalogue Association, 58% of Australians aged 25 to 34 read physical catalogues and 93% of Australians go into a store after reading a catalogue. Today, more people are reading these catalogues in Australian than at any other given time (around 7,000,000 Australians read supermarket catalogues on a weekly basis for instance). Plus physical marketing collateral can be targeted to both consumers and businesses and specific geographic areas.
Whilst the best way to market yourself is a mixture of both physical and digital channels, when such a large percentage of consumers voluntarily choose to flick through a physical catalogue whilst relaxing with a cup of coffee, physical marketing collateral becomes a difficult medium to beat.
Physical, direct mail or letterbox marketing is also a great leveller for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Using these traditional methods, a local business can rub shoulders with supermarket giants and the like and receive the same level of attention enjoyed by the nation’s biggest retail businesses (do you think they’re onto something?).
You may have a smaller marketing budget than these giants, and may not have the budget or expertise to manage all of the various options required for an effective online campaign, but physical marketing hits a targeted market – either business to business, or business to consumer, and is guaranteed to deliver.
It stuns me that we are just re-learning this again - researchers are only just beginning to understand the emotional power of touch, or ‘somatosensation’. Different fabrics, for example, have been proven to elicit different brain responses related to pleasure. Silk might make the recipient think of luxury and class, whilst terry towelling might elicit comfort and cleanliness.
Shape is another factor that can be considered – collateral in the shape of a car for a car dealership, a house for a real estate agent, a ring for a jewellery store, or a coffee-cup shaped fridge magnet from a local care for instance.
Physical collateral marketing is the only channel, outside of a store itself, that can boast touch as an influencer of purchaser decision.
Promotional calendars have the advantage of being around all year in front of your customers reminding them of you each year, and can be a very low cost and effective investment for year round exposure that most businesses cannot afford in a digital campaign.
What to do now?
Book an appointment on 1300 244 001 or email: hello@bigboldbranding.com.au to talk about how you can satisfy your market with quality marketing collateral.
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At Big Bold Branding, we can provide you with a wide range of marketing material that satisfies the senses and keeps you in the forefront of your clients' minds all year around.... and of course, that make you look amazing!