“I want to send a flyer out to promote our charity event!’
Okay, great. You know your What and Why, but have you considered the Who, the How and Where? Understanding all five elements are the key to a successful print marketing campaign, so today, with the help of Gogi, our Senior Account Manager, we’re going to take a look at the top considerations to make when planning a campaign.
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Meet Gogi; she’s our newest Senior Account Manager with a hefty background in all things marketing. She joins us to strengthen our client relationships and build those bonds, something that comes naturally to her. “What do I love most about my job? Client interaction and building relationships, most definitely. I’m no stranger to the creative side of accounts either, so jumping in and helping guide client ideas and visions is always a bonus.” |
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What: The product; a prospectus, flyer, vouchers, a letter.
Why: Lead Generation, Event Promotion
Who: Your Intended Audience (is there a specific demographic you want to target)
How: Think about how you intended to market. Will your campaign be a direct mail shot, placed in a waiting room, a DoorDrop campaign?
Where: Pick a location and radius.
Nail your objective.
Before you approach your print management team, you’ll be in a stronger starting position if you know exactly what you want to gain from your campaign. Are you promoting an event or a product launch? Perhaps you’re trying to re-engage previous customers or aiming to increase your sales target. Be specific in your needs, as it can really help your Account Manager bring your vision to fruition.
“It’s great when a client knows exactly what they want, but it’s even better to be open to discussion. Talking things through with your AM may lead to discovering options you hadn’t even considered, which lead to elevating your campaign.”
Having that discussion with your AM can also ensure you avoid any costly mistakes further down the print line.
Know your numbers
The beauty of this industry is that it can accommodate a variety of budgets, so the above point of knowing your objective is important as it allows your AM to work within a realistic budget.
‘But I don’t know what my budget should be.’
Let’s start with, are you willing to spend up to £500? £1,000? £10,000? More? Having this in your back pocket will allow your negotiations to be as transparent as possible, something your AM will always try to be.
“Transparency on both sides is key; it’s important to ensure we don’t under or over-promise things. It also allows us to manage expectations with mailing and the additional costs international deliveries bring, e.g. duties and taxes, as these may add to their overall invoice. We have a sense of obligation to protect our clients’ budgets but also not to let budget constraints compromise on quality.”
A good example of this arises with re-engaged customers.
“Say you had a print job three years ago with us and paid £xx, and you come back in 2022 with a similar project, only to be told the price has increased. This may lead you to feel misled and frustrated, but keep in mind that paper, ink, and energy prices have soared. We try to stay as competitive as possible with our pricing whilst keeping our clients happy.”
Hey, good-lookin’
Consider how you will design your material. Have you got the in-house resource to do this? Perhaps you’ll be enlisting the help of a design agency? Before you do this, talk to your AM.
“We can help with your design & artwork needs. We’ll always work within your brand guidelines; it’s mad how excited I get from whipping out a Pantone swatch!”
And it’s not just about looking pretty; you need to captivate your audience with compelling copy, too. Taking the time to consider what your audience needs to see can really help you fine-tune your messaging, making sure when you land in their hands, they know you mean business.
Copy not your strong point? Freelancers are a fantastic resource to utilise! We’d be happy to recommend copywriting services, too.
Keep it functional
Following on from the above point, really consider the functionality of the piece. Is it best suited to be a minimalist A5 postcard, or could you be a bit bolder and create an interactive, multi-layer, all singing, all dancing origami-esque piece? The tip here is to not go to over the top and make it more about showing off than adding value to a client’s needs.
“There’s a fair bit of print terminology to get your head around when you’re not necessarily part of the print world, so don’t be afraid to ask what gsm or microns mean…
…paper weight & thicknesses :)”
All things considered
Overall, Gogi’s most important tips are:
Do use ‘bigger picture thinking; you don’t need to restrict yourself as it’s our job to listen to your budgets and work towards those without compromising the impact your campaign will have on the recipient
Don’t leave out any decision-makers in the business; keep every stakeholder well informed and on the journey to limit any disruptions to the progress.
