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How to Tell if Your New Bern Print Collateral Needs a Refresh

2/7/2022 | admin

Many businesses tend to take a “set it and forget it” approach to their print marketing collateral.

The trouble is that as the months and years go by, the business undergoes changes that invisibly render the collateral obsolete. Now is the perfect time to perform an audit on your printed marketing collateral to determine what needs a simple update and what needs a complete overhaul. Read on to learn more about how to tell if your print marketing collateral needs a refresh.

Is Your Information Correct?

A new website address, additional business locations, increased pricing, different company focus, and changed phone numbers are just a few of the many things that can instantly cause your print marketing collateral to become out of date. Carefully look at your print collateral and check if the information is accurate and up to date. You might catch an error that previously went unnoticed. Consider adding new information as well. For example, did your company win any new awards or certifications? That kind of info is extremely valuable from a marketing perspective.

Is Your Branding Consistent?

Inconsistent branding across your marketing collateral can lead to confusion and trust issues. Different logos, slightly different shades of logo colors, and other small things are easily perceptible by the human eye. Your printed collateral should also fit in with your online marketing efforts and provide a seamless visual experience across the board. If you’re unsure how to do just that, the expert graphic designers at AlphaGraphics of New Bern can help.

Does Your Collateral Speak to Your Audience?

Compelling and persuasive print collateral speaks to your audience and tries to help them solve their pain points. Refrain from the temptation of using complicated industry jargon as you never know who will view your materials. When it comes to imagery, be sure to use relevant photos that represent your ideal customer base. Think about things like age, gender, ethnicity, race, marital, and family. This will allow your ideal demographic to make a greater connection to your brand. For example, let’s say you run a retirement home. Having pictures of smiling people in their 20s isn’t exactly going to attract people looking to retire. While you can show a picture of Grandma with her 20-year old grandson, be sure that your imagery focuses on Grandma and the pain points that your retirement home solves.

Does Your Collateral Have Call-to-Actions?

Call-to-Actions, or CTAs, are often overlooked by many businesses. They’re an essential way of subconsciously persuading the reader to take the next step, such as “Call Us Today!” or “Visit Our Site!” If your business offers coupon codes and discounts, consider making them easily trackable so you can keep a close eye on how well they perform. QR Codes and pURLs are two of many ways you can track your marketing efforts.

How Does Your Collateral Look?

If you have external sales reps, call them into the office and have them show you the stack of brochures, business cards, catalogs, and other printed collateral that they’re passing out to customers. Concurrently, go into your storeroom and pull all your printed collateral as well. Look for torn pages, yellowing paper, and water damage that could have occurred while the printed collateral was sitting in your office or the trunk of your sales reps. Printed collateral that’s visually torn or tattered makes a poor first impression upon people. If your brochures and catalogs are starting to show signs of age, it’s best to replace them with something new.

Your Online Presence

Every single piece of your printed marketing collateral should have your online presence mentioned somewhere prominent. Full stop. This advice isn’t a “nice to have,” but rather something you must have in this day and age. By adding your website URL, social media handles (and addresses), and any other relevant online info, you’re giving your customers a chance to connect with you above and beyond the printed brochure they hold in their hands. People in the research phase often have questions—if they can’t reach someone at your business to answer those questions, there’s an excellent chance that they will take their questions online so that one of your competitors can answer them.

Print Shop in New Bern

Having an expert print shop by your side offers a wide range of benefits and values. Contact the experts at AlphaGraphics of New Bern to learn more about our print collateral refresh services. We will sit down with you, listen to your goals, and then develop a game plan that will put your business on the right track for success. To learn more about how AlphaGraphics of New Bern can produce and design your next project, you may email us, request a quote, or call us at (252) 633-3199.

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