Print Ads Still Have a Place

Online ads have taken the advertising industry by storm over the last decade. Web banners, Google Ads, affiliate programs – it’s easy to get caught up in the online advertising movement and forget about the importance of print advertising. It all really boils down to your target market, so understanding the best way to connect with customers is important. Print advertising is just another great way to make this connection with customers at the end of the day. Online ads are great, but sometimes you can’t beat having something in your hands to take home.

Types of Print Ads
Print advertising goes beyond the stereotypical junk mailers. In fact, there are a few timeless types of printing that every business should be using:

Business cards – the ultimate contact information piece. Many companies print business cards to double as a coupon or product overview by printing on both sides.

Brochures – the ideal way to present a few key products. Brochure printing usually goes is one big piece of paper folded into all kinds of shapes, and are often full color. This type of print ad is commonly confused with printed catalogs which is usually made up of several pieces of paper.

Flyers – the poor man's print ad. While the cost of color printing has plummeted in recent years, flyers are still a great way to put together a one page, one color ad that you can hand out in a crowd or post all over town.

Posters – the in-your-face print ad of choice. Posters are bigger than life and can be placed just about anywhere.

Postcards – the time-tested and proven mailer. Postcards simply work. A nice presentation and a well-crafted call to action are the keys to success.

One-two Combo
Instead of thinking of advertising as either online or printed, consider thinking of each as a way to reach a particular set of customers. Any time you overlap customer groups, it’s all the better, but online ads tend to reach a certain segment while printed ads reach another. Using both mediums carefully can enhance the other. It’s like a one-two combo punch.

So don’t get caught up in the hype of online advertising. Sure, it works. But so do print ads. Knowing when to use which type of advertising can go a long way to making sure you are spending your precious advertising dollars wisely.