Hybrid Marketing: The Benefits of Combining Print & Digital

A powerful marketing strategy is key to a successful business. This connects corporations and customers, both in person and online. But how do you know which strategy is right for your company?

Here, we will explore some of the main benefits of print, digital, and hybrid marketing.

What are the benefits of direct mail marketing?

We are living in the technological age, and the latest gadgets have successfully replaced any written form of communication. This does not, however, render direct mail marketing obsolete. In fact, the Digital Marketing Association reported that the engagement of this strategy has actually increased from 91% in 2019 to 96% in 2020.

1. Direct mail is secure

First and foremost, direct mail is secure. In the last 12 months, 39% of businesses have experienced cyber-attacks. Therefore, customers may be more inclined to believe the information on a direct mailing service than a digital marketing campaign, such as an email.

2. Direct mail is memorable

Customers scroll past hundreds if not thousands of online advertisements every day. The constant influx of digital marketing can often lead to overlooking this material. In comparison, direct mail offers customers a tangible product. There is something much more memorable about holding something in your own hands.

What are the benefits of digital marketing?  

Digital marketing – a strategy that reaches customers online – is beneficial in more ways than one. For one thing, the market is extremely successful. In 2021 alone, digital advertisements were estimated to be worth a staggering £129 billion, and spending towards it increased by 9.6% from the previous year.

1. Digital marketing is precise

Digital marketing is more precise than ever before. This can be accredited to recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), which have allowed businesses to understand customer preferences and personalise content accordingly. A social media advertisement, for example, can then be directed towards the relevant consumers.

2. Digital marketing is adaptable

In addition to its precision, digital marketing is also highly adaptable. If a particular piece of marketing is successful, businesses can change this to favour certain demographics. This can happen during a campaign, and digital marketers can produce multiple examples of the same advertisement rather than having a single piece of print.

What are the benefits of combining print and digital marketing?  

There are multiple benefits to print and digital marketing. To ensure your business is successful, you can make the most out of both resources. Here are two reasons why you should adopt a hybrid marketing strategy.

1. Hybrid marketing appeals to multiple demographics  

A hybrid marketing strategy will target multiple demographics, enabling your business to reach a larger customer base. Traditionally, a younger demographic might have responded better to a digital marketing campaign. This stereotype, however, is fast becoming incorrect. In fact, the DMA reports that the Gen Z demographic are actually 40% more likely to be influenced by direct mail than older generations. Therefore, combining print and digital can appeal to multiple audiences.

2. Hybrid marketing drives success

The nature of hybrid marketing drives success. A piece of direct mail, for example, can also be used to promote digital resources. This call to action (CTA) can be a modified URL or a unique product code. The direct results of these can then be measured to track any sales gained. So much so, the DMA reported that direct mail influenced 92% of people to visit online resources, and 87% made an online purchase because of this.

To summarise, a hybrid marketing strategy combines the best of both print and digital resources. This will maximise any promotional efforts made by your business. And knowledge of your consumer market will influence the degree to which you use both methods. Will you combine them?

Sources

https://dma.org.uk/article/what-is-the-response-rate-from-direct-mail-campaigns

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2021/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2021

https://cybercrew.uk/blog/digital-marketing-statistics-uk/

https://www.marwickmarketing.co.uk/digital-marketing-trends-in-2022/