We’ve heard it a few times before: Print is NOT dead! No matter how much you love your smartphone, tablet or laptop, you know it’s true. Certainly your mailbox hasn't suddenly emptied of catalogs from retailers and clothing companies just because of the internet.

In working with businesses of all kinds, we have discovered that B2B firms and high-end sales outfits take print marketing as less of a mass marketing ritual and something that is much more tailored to their distinct buyers. As such, certain business sectors have specialized needs when it comes to print collateral.

For example, print collateral is especially important for luxury real estate firms, where the name of the game is to showcase (and show off) the features of a property. Views of everything from a home’s architectural features to a breathtaking balcony and its sunset views are best seen in-person, but can also be conveyed through high-quality printed materials like brochures and glossy fold-outs with exceptional photography.

Likewise, the travel sector also has a soft spot for print. As Travel Pulse reports, printed collateral is “still produced by suppliers,” including “cruise lines, tour operators, hotels and resorts, (and) destinations”.

One reason print hasn’t gone away with the advent of tablets and smartphones might have a little to do with people’s preference for the tangible versus intangible. But creative types, from copywriters to the visionaries that build award-winning ad campaigns, might argue that you can just do more with a print ad, poster or billboard than a small ad on a smart phone.

Keeping both creativity and efficiency in mind, Inc. magazine reported that digital and print media, when propagated in a thoughtful, balanced fashion, can result in the best of integrated marketing for your business. “Finding the right mix of print and digital is less about your business and more about your customers,” said Joellyn Sargent, a branding expert quoted by Inc. “Think about who (your customers) are, how they buy, where they go.” 

We know that many people are online much of the day and that nearly everyone has a smartphone. Yet, we still read newspapers. We still love books. And we still marvel in the images that grace every issue of our favorite magazines, from People to National Geographic. As a result, print continues to play a major part in our everyday desire for information.

Likewise, today's businesses continue to influence sales and reach their customers with print collateral. For example, most companies that are active at trade shows depend on printed collateral. Stocking your booth with classic marketing materials, including high-quality brochures and product sheets, increases the chances for success. These kinds of exhibits are highly-interactive events, where professionals meet each other, but also hope to take home something tangible, like product information.

The type of print collateral you should use depends on your company’s products or services. But the better your materials tell your story or demonstrate your company's benefits, the better your results will be.

Back to Inc.’s take on integrated marketing — some experts think that digital does not and never will replace print. Kevin Kelly, a chief creative operative with BigBuzz Marketing Group is most adamant about the topic. “Digital and traditional media should be treated the same. It all comes down to reach, frequency, and engagement,” Kelly says. “If digital and interactive aren’t part of your traditional plan by now, you should fold up your tent and go home.”

If you help other businesses streamline their marketing and prepare for trade shows, sales events, or even day-to-day promotions, Idea Custom Solutions will help you customize and design printed materials including brochures, one-sheets, signage and other compelling materials that will impress your customers, and ennable them to impress their customers too.