Most people assume print media is the dying art of marketing, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Print is still an essential aspect of any marketing strategy, and self-storage businesses should not ignore it! From flyers, newspaper ads, magazine ads, billboards, letters, postcards, and posters, print media is just as valuable as ever, and its possibilities are endless.
Print media has been a staple of marketing for centuries; physical print helps make consumers and customers feel like more value is placed on what they are seeing and what the ad is trying to portray. This feeling is called "brand credibility." Customers will trust your company more when they know how committed you are to presenting yourselves well, primarily through print media. Your self-storage business should not ignore print advertising because people say that "print is dead." It's alive and well, too essential to let go and forget.
Print offers something other forms of digital ad cannot: physical evidence. People trust tangible items more than anything else. People like having something they can touch or see in real life and real-time instead of looking at an ad on their smartphones or computers - which can also be easily skipped and not viewed at all. Tangible items can help with advertising itself, as a customer has a physical object, such as a flyer from a self-storage company, that they can pass to someone else. Before you know it, the whole town has seen your flyer and knows about your latest offer.
Another benefit of print media is that it can target a specific audience. For example, a particular demographic you want to reach may read and purchase a specific newspaper; therefore, placing an ad for your self-storage company in that newspaper will ensure that the exact demographic you want to reach sees your ad.
There are several ways that self-storage companies can have successful ads using print media:
- Flyers / Brochures - They're very inexpensive compared to other forms of advertising yet effective when passing on information about your self-storage business, such as opening hours and contact details. When designing these materials, make sure they don't look too basic because then people will ignore them like they would an email blast that looks unprofessional; instead, try and create an informative design, eye-catching and memorable. Ensure that the design is clear and easy to read, meaning the information is easily understood by those looking at it. If your self-storage business has a website, try and include the web address on your print materials so that those who find it interesting can take a look at your self-storage company, along with your social media, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Flyers and brochures are a great way to advertise self-storage because they're so cheap yet effective, especially when you have them delivered straight to people's homes.
- Newspaper/Magazine ads - Getting an ad in your local newspaper is cheap, but it also brings high exposure. As previously addressed, you can target specific audiences in your self-storage ad by advertising in certain newspapers that would be read by the chosen demographic. Ensure to include the main benefits of self-storage (such as security, convenience, etc.) and how the reader can benefit from your self-storage facility. For example, if you have a climate-controlled facility, make it clear that this is an ideal solution for storing items that might be susceptible to damage by extreme weather conditions.
- Billboards - Yes, these are expensive, especially compared to the newspaper ads above and flyers. However, billboards are incredibly effective, especially in busy areas. Some of the significant benefits of billboard advertising are that it can target various customers. Depending on where the billboard's location is, it can be seen by thousands of people every day. Moreover, a billboard is constantly in use, which means it can be viewed at all times, giving you advertising that is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week! When it comes to billboard advertising, you want to make sure your message is brief and to the point. People will be driving by quickly and will not have time to read lengthy messages. Have necessary details regarding your self-storage facility on show, such as name and location.
- Posters - These are great marketing tools to use in a location with plenty of footfall. This could be inside a train station, on the subway, in shopping malls, or even outside self-storage facilities. Posters are great because they allow your self-storage company to convey precise information about your company's benefits and how your self-storage facility can help people in an easy-to-digest format. A particular advantage of posters is that they are cheap yet effective, and people can take their time reading them - you need to make sure you catch their eyes!
Print media is not dying; print remains an integral part of any marketing strategy. This post has demonstrated that print media can bring remarkable success when advertising your self-storage company. The post has expanded on types of print media and how best to utilize them. There's something about print ads that our brains seem to like; perhaps it's nostalgia, maybe we appreciate things more when we hold them in our hands rather than on screens? Whatever marketing strategy you have, don't forget to include print media!
