Marketing yourself is an important part of conducting business. Today there are more marketing options than ever. Making new connections with prospective clients is like being able to keep the lights on month after month, but what’s the best way to go about it? Should all marketing be digital—online ads and social networks? Whatever happened to all the print mailings we used to send out? Are those still relevant? Here at BOLTGROUP we think print remains valuable, and we often use it in conjunction with digital to elevate our client’s reputation across the board.

There has long been talk that print is dead, from waning newspapers to the decline of postal mail. Falloff in printed materials is well documented, but research tells us that there’s still value in holding a physically printed piece in your hands, and it has an impact on the viewer’s thoughts and memories. Forbes features a study out of Canada comparing paper-based marketing with digital media. It showed that direct mail requires 21% less cognitive effort to process than digital media, suggesting that it is both easier to understand and more memorable. What’s more, brand recall was 70% higher for print versus digital. Another study at Temple University using functional MRI showed that physical media better stimulated an area of the brain associated with desire and valuation. At the MarketingProfs website, a Pitney Bowes survey concluded that 76% of small businesses say their ideal marketing strategy includes both print and digital communication. Taking this into account, it’s easy to see that printed pieces are viable, and put into the hands of a target audience, can have a significant and lasting influence.

A recent BOLTGROUP success story involves a FOX Rehabilitation direct mail campaign. FOX was looking to grow their ranks with new therapists, so we first launched a microsite with embedded YouTube videos capturing a day in the life of a FOX therapist. After an effective digital launch, we followed up with a physical mailer. We sent FOX-emblazoned, orange-lensed sunglasses (matching the brand color) to therapists in advance of an upcoming tradeshow, asking them to “See the world through orange-colored glasses.” The glasses came in a branded box and invited recipients to visit the microsite and view the videos. Just as important, it delivered a tangible connection to the recruiting campaign with something they could touch and hold. The glasses represented an ability to see into the future and seize the opportunity to change their career path. This reflects FOX’s position as a visionary provider of care and how their therapists create change for patients every day.

Another company we follow is Land Rover. We look forward to getting their well-crafted print pieces, such as the Perspectives book we recently received about their Discovery model. Land Rover loves to tell an adventure story in these books. They wrap their message up in a vision of getting out into the world—and doing it in style. Their story is told with ink on paper, allowing you to turn the pages like an action novel. Land Rover unfurls their rich history, while in the same breath, presenting state-of-the-art automotive technology. Truly an extension of their brand foundation, these books are the ideal tool to reach and move their audience. But the books are not stand-alone pieces. The message and design are backed up in digital campaigns that tell the story with photography and video, and ask viewers to book an “Experience Day,” to immerse themselves in the world of Land Rover.

At BOLTGROUP we work to stay on the cutting edge for our clients, but there’s always a place for tried and true methods that have produced solid results. The key is getting the marketing materials recipe right and connecting to the authentic brand foundation.