Getting the word out about a brand requires attention to detail. Though the digital sphere is growing, organizations must focus on elevating their image through channels such as large printing. For those with a local presence, getting the word out via large visuals may be the only thing separating them from competitors.
Use tangible methods to expand a customer base and put material directly into the audience’s hands. Here are the ways to tap into the power of large printing for building brand awareness.
1. Choose the Format
Spending on print advertising is approximately $48.59 billion annually, with much of that going to newspaper ads. Large print advertising means anything in hard copy that uses large-scale equipment.
However, most people use the term to indicate bigger items such as banners, billboards, posters or product display stands in retail stores.
To get the most exposure possible, choose the format that makes sense for the product. Consider where the competition advertises. If they have product displays in big box stores, place some there but also expand and add a hanging poster.
Knowing where to reach a target audience helps brands get the most bang for their buck. For example, if a business spends money on a billboard but the user has to remember a website address and go to it to learn more, the marketing is not likely to be effective.
Pay attention to analytics. When print advertising results in leads and sales, repeat it. When it does not, throw it out and replace it with something different. Using large prints effectively will assist in targeting the right market and help them remember the organization.
2. Tap Into Emotions
The human brain has to work to decipher the meaning behind visualizations. When people feel emotions, they are more likely to believe they connect to the business.
It is easier to tell a story with meaning with additional space. Imagine a massive sign with a smiling face versus a small ad in a magazine with the same. The larger images are easier to absorb at a glance.
3. Utilize the Power of Modern Printing Methods
Tapping into high-resolution printing methods on large-scale prints helps images leap off the page. Companies may pay more for some processes, but the tones and vividness of the picture make it stand out to consumers. One example is Giclee printing — it lasts 200 years, so reprinting frequently is unnecessary.
At one time, companies had to pay for expensive screen printing or printing presses to create any mass productions or large images.
Today, digital methods make large-scale printing more manageable and less costly than ever. Talk to a printer about the potential for various marketing methods and how they can be reproduced inexpensively. The large, vivid product they produce helps the brand stay in shoppers’ memories.
4. Tap Into Local Markets
Reach citizens near headquarters — raving fans often come from locals who will help spread a brand’s message via word of mouth.
Connecting with the nearby community offers an opportunity to build a loyal customer base, increasing the chances of expanding. Large print will let them know where the business is and what it is about, enticing them to visit.
A local market is also an excellent place to test ad campaigns and see the response before expanding into other locations.
Setting up a presence at a local art fair, adding signage to a local little league ballpark via sponsorship and directing people into a brick-and-mortar store with a printed sandwich board all taps into the market around an organization.
5. Hang Event Banners
For brands that want to grab the attention of passersby, hanging an event banner in front of a retail location or at a trade show can point people in the right direction.
Large printing allows for bigger text potential consumers can spot from a distance. Whenever choosing a font and size, consider the space someone might view the signage from and if it will show up.
Also, pay attention to contrast. The background of the event banner must contrast with the text so the words pop. If there are other banners, consider how to make one stand out. Color choices, images and even size all make a difference when competing with other brands.
6. Reach Older Generations
Large printing offers companies an opportunity to reach generations that might spend less time online. For example, baby boomers may or may not be on social media platforms. However, many of them pay attention to signs in stores or banners.
Ideally, brands will combine digital and print advertising to reach people in various locations. A rule of thumb used to be a person needed to see a message around seven times before it had an impact and they remembered it.
With the number of ads people see in a day in the 21st century, brands may have to find a way to reach them on multiple levels even more frequently to get through.
Add brand imaging, colors and messages to any large print media whenever possible. The more frequently a message gets repeated, the more likely people will remember it and take action. They may even tell others once they know what an organization offers.
7. Be Yourself
Do not use a different tone of voice when utilizing larger print versus smaller or digital ones. Studies show 86% of consumers point to authenticity as a desirable trait in the brands they do business with. But 57% of the same polling group stated less than half of enterprises come across as authentic.
If a company has an open, friendly vibe in their stores and suddenly takes a serious tone in advertising, people will not know what to think and may lose trust in the business.
How can they believe anything the organization says if the message is inconsistent? Large print enables a business to get consistent marketing across, along with everything it needs the viewer to know.
Brands that know what they stand for and why tend to repeat their messaging without fail. To show authenticity, find a purpose and define the unique value proposition for the company. Create a style guide for consistency in colors, images and voice.
8. Tap Into Memory Stores
People are much more likely to remember what they see in print. The human brain processes images faster and more effectively than words alone.
With large print advertising, companies can use powerful images to plant a message in the recipient’s mind. The person can later pull it out when they need it.
For example, a family drives past a sign about a local extermination company on their way to vacation in another state. Perhaps they have seen the billboard multiple times in the past.
Unfortunately, while they are away, they pick up some pesky bed bugs and bring them home. When they suddenly need a way to get rid of the infestation, they remember the billboard and call the company advertising in large print format.
Some of the results from marketing are not noticeable immediately but will come to fruition months later. Messaging can be key to grabbing attention and tapping into people’s memories. Use large, striking print to ensure the brand sticks in onlookers’ minds.
9. Locate the Right Printer
Experts predict the printing industry will grow in the next five years. Anyone can buy some equipment and set up shop, but finding the right printer for marketing needs requires some research.
Start by asking other brands in the area who they use. Join the local chamber of commerce and get to know small business owners in the area to get the inside scoop on the best printers and why they get results.
Test out the quality of the product by hiring the company to do a small job here and there. If a business is satisfied with the large printing jobs, they can always expand and use the supplier for additional materials.
Finding a successful and consistent printer means extensive print ads will always be high quality, increasing brand recognition and trust.
10. Boost Visibility
In the struggle to gain name awareness, anything a company can do to boost visibility is a plus. Large printing adds a bit of legitimacy to marketing campaigns.
It shows the business has a bit more to spend on physical appearance, and is willing to try out untapped markets and see where things go.
A print ad can sometimes go where a digital ad cannot and vice versa. For example, an ad on the subway or a local public transportation bus might get a message in front of eyes who otherwise would never visit a website or drive past a billboard on a particular interstate.
Think outside the box and find creative locations to get the word out about a new product or build brand awareness.
Adopt Large Printing to Win at Marketing
Large printing works best when it is part of an integrated strategy that taps into the power of consistent presentation across multiple mediums. When consumers experience a message from an organization, they should get the same one repeatedly, no matter where they encounter it
The tone, images, color and message must repeat on social media, on the website, when people walk into a physical store, in the newspaper, on a billboard, and anywhere else they may see a brand.
With enough consistent marketing and building brand awareness, a company should become a household name. The business will be associated with a particular product and the ability to solve customer pain points.
Implement large-scale printing today and experience the benefits of increasing brand awareness through physical ads.
About the Author!
Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.
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