How tangible experiences create seamless customer journeys and boost ROI.
In an increasingly digital world, it is tempting to view print as a relic of the past. But here’s the reality: print is not just surviving; all indications suggest that it is thriving, especially when integrated strategically into omnichannel marketing campaigns. In fact, businesses across industries are rediscovering the unique value print brings to the table, including trust, tangibility, and engagement that cut through the digital noise that we all experience.
So, how does print fit into an omnichannel strategy, and why should your business care? Let’s explore how this time-tested medium enhances modern marketing and drives actual results.
What Is Omnichannel Marketing?
Omnichannel marketing is more than just being present on multiple platforms. It is about creating a cohesive and consistent brand experience across all customer touchpoints—both online and offline. Whether someone interacts with your brand via social media, email, your website, in-store signage, or direct mail, the experience should feel seamless and connected.
The goal? To meet customers where they are, provide them with consistent messaging, and guide them naturally along the buyer’s journey, no matter the medium.
Where Print Comes In: Building Trust Through Tangibility
While digital platforms allow for quick communication and wide reach, they are also saturated. Think about your own experiences, and you can conclude that consumers are bombarded with emails, pop-ups, and ads daily. That is where print shines.
Print pieces like postcards, brochures, catalogs, and signage cut through the clutter and offer a hands-on experience that engages the senses. Studies show that physical media is more memorable and elicits stronger emotional responses than digital alone. It is also more likely to be kept, shared, and revisited.
When paired with digital tools, print helps reinforce your message in a way that feels more personal, credible, and lasting.
How Print and Digital Work Together
1. Direct Mail with Personalized URLs or QR Codes
Gone are the days of not having the ability to “measure” the effectiveness of your print marketing efforts. By combining direct mail with digital elements like personalized URLs (PURLs) or QR codes, you create a bridge between offline and online experiences. A customer receives a high-quality printed mailer with a call to action: scan the code or visit a personalized landing page. This not only increases response rates but also allows you to track engagement and conversion, critical for measuring ROI.
2. Print Collateral that Reinforces Digital Campaigns
Consider this tactic: say you are launching a new product online. Email campaigns and social media build awareness, but a beautifully designed product catalog mailed to your top customers adds a layer of prestige and permanence. It’s something they can hold, flip through, and use as a reference. This reinforces your message across channels and makes your campaign more memorable.
3. In-Store Print That Supports E-commerce
For brick-and-mortar businesses, signage, packaging, and printed displays can feature QR codes directing customers to product reviews, instructional videos, or online ordering. It extends the in-person experience into the digital realm and helps build continuity between physical and online spaces.
4. Event Materials That Drive Online Engagement
Planning a trade show or promotional event? Printed booth graphics, promotional products, and brochures can drive attendees to your website or social channels with incentive-driven CTAs, such as entering a giveaway or downloading a whitepaper. It keeps the conversation going long after the event ends.
The ROI of Integrated Print
When print is thoughtfully woven into an omnichannel strategy, it delivers measurable ROI. Consider these compelling reasons:
- Higher engagement: Studies show that direct mail has a higher open rate than email, often by a wide margin.
- Greater recall: Consumers are 70% more likely to remember your brand when exposed to print and digital together versus digital alone.
- Better targeting: Variable data printing (VDP) allows for hyper-personalized messages, leading to better response rates.
- Increased conversions: Campaigns that combine print and digital can experience up to a 118% lift in response rate compared to digital-only efforts.
At Tru Art Color Graphics, we have seen firsthand how businesses across industries—from healthcare to finance to retail—boost results when they integrate print with their digital strategy. And because print can now be tracked and measured using modern tools, it is easier than ever to prove its value to your bottom line.
Creating a Seamless Customer Experience
The power of omnichannel marketing lies in connection. Customers today expect brands to understand their journey, anticipate their needs, and deliver consistent messaging, regardless of how or where they engage. Print helps create those connections, not as a stand-alone tactic, but as a powerful piece of a larger puzzle.
When your direct mail echoes your email tone, your in-store signage mirrors your website visuals, and your packaging invites customers to engage online, you are not just marketing. You are building relationships.
Ready to Elevate Your Marketing Strategy?
At Tru Art Color Graphics, we help businesses like yours reach your customers through high-impact marketing campaigns that combine the best of print and digital. From direct mail and promotional products to signage and packaging, we create solutions that support your brand and amplify your reach.
Looking to strengthen your omnichannel approach? Let’s talk about how print can help you stand out, connect with your audience, and boost your ROI.
Contact us today to explore our full range of physical media services.
