The Power of Print and Email: Multiply Your Marketing Impact
No matter how great the campaign, single-channel strategies rarely deliver optimal results. While both email and print are powerful individually, the real magic happens when you combine them. An integrated approach that leverages both print and email does more than just add value. It multiplies that value.
Why Both Channels Matter
Email has proven its worth as a marketing powerhouse. With an impressive return on investment of $42 for every dollar spent (Direct Marketing Association), email consistently outperforms other digital channels.
The an average email open rate across industries—conservatively—sits at 15% to 25%, and nearly 93% of online adults check their email every day. Businesses recognize this power too—89% of marketers cite email as their primary channel for lead generation, and 80% would rather give up social media entirely than abandon email.
Print, meanwhile, offers something digital channels struggle to match: trust and tangibility. A remarkable 82% of consumers view print advertisements as more trustworthy than digital ads. Print materials command attention in a way digital messages often cannot.
Furthermore, print has a lasting impact. Recipients typically hold onto print advertisements for an average of 17 days, creating an extended window for brand recall and consideration.
The Multiplier Effect
Sounds great, right? Even better, when these two channels work together, their effectiveness skyrockets.
According to Merkle, campaigns combining direct mail and digital media see a 118% lift in response rate compared to digital media alone. This isn't simply additive—it's multiplicative. The combination of print and email taps into different psychological triggers and communication preferences, reaching audiences in multiple moments of their journey.
For example . . .
1. Email First, Print Follow-Up
Begin with email to initiate contact and generate awareness, then reinforce your message with a physical mail piece. This approach works particularly well for significant announcements or high-value offers. Email provides immediate engagement, while print arrives as a tangible reminder that breaks through digital clutter. This sequencing often leads to higher response rates because recipients have already been primed by the email message.
2. Print First, Email Reinforcement
Launch your campaign with print to capture attention and establish credibility, then use email to drive immediate action. This order leverages print's trust factor while email's efficiency and immediacy create urgency. Research from Harvard Business Review backs this up: pairing print advertisements with emails generates an average sales increase of 49% and a 125% rise in inquiries compared to print alone.
3. Parallel Independent Touches
Run print and email campaigns simultaneously but with slightly different messaging tailored to each channel. This maximizes reach by recognizing that different audience segments may respond better to different channels. Someone who misses an email might connect with the print piece, while another person engages with email but discards print. The key is ensuring consistent branding while adapting your message to each channel’s strengths.
One Plus One = Five
The statistics on integrated campaigns are undeniable. When print and digital ads are integrated, online campaigns become far more effective.
In an era where marketers are constantly seeking competitive advantages, dismissing print as outdated would be a costly mistake. But you shouldn’t abandon email either.
· Print's strength lies in its ability to build trust and create lasting impressions.
· Email's strength lies in its immediacy and measurable ROI.
Together, they form a comprehensive strategy that touches customers where they live, work, and make decisions.
