‘69% of consumers don’t trust advertising and 42% distrust brands, seeing them as part of the establishment and therefore ‘remote, unreachable, abstract and self-serving’.*
The key to beating the decline in brand and advertising trust in the future is to connect with customers in the real world. Printed marketing materials are anything but remote and unreachable: a piece of direct mail, a printed newsletter or a hand-delivered invitation reinforces your brand’s promise the second it lands in your customer’s hands.
The opportunity to build trust with printed marketing is immense, and to really make customers feel special the high perceived value of a premium print finish also creates a positive and memorable experience and leave customers feeling valued, and here’s why:
1. It’s the thought that counts
A high-quality piece of communication can speak volumes and show customers that you care enough to invest time and budget into communicating with them. Much of the distrust in brands is down to the ‘pushy’* behaviour and data manipulation that brands adopt online. Trust can be rebuilt offline with a show of thoughtfulness that reaches out to customers and demonstrates how much you value them.
2. The sum is greater than the parts
The power of successful printed marketing come from the sum of the individual parts that make it up. That means paying attention to personalisation, the wording of the message, the imagery, the colours, the quality of the paper stock and the finish. All of these details add up to a great impression through how the finished item feels, how it looks and the feeling this gives the customer as you connect with them in a meaningful way.
If you have a successful meeting and leave behind your premium business card you continue to create a good impression, long after that first encounter.
3. The power of association
If you’ve got a premium brand, or a brand with admirable qualities, then it’s quite likely that your brand has power and values that people want to extend to themselves. Take Jaguar, Mercedes and BMW – drivers get behind the wheel of these cars because the brands’ kudos rubs off on them and says they’re a class act, too.
Often a printed item such as an invitation or ticket is the only tangible item a customer has to remind them of a brand experience, and so it needs to be in tune with the emotions evoked by the intangible and can also be used to elevate the digital experience.
A soft-touch, foil-finished invitation to a swanky do is just the sort of thing your customer might snap and post on Instagram, leave out on their desk as a talking point with their colleagues, or pin up on a noticeboard as a souvenir of a memorable evening, long after the event itself.
There are many finishes that can create a premium impression and build trust in your brand, and the good news is that it doesn’t mean a premium cost is necessarily attached. Here are our favourite three:
Triplex and duplex
For a thicker, more durable finish, triplex and duplex also has the flexibility of adding extra depth with a contrasting colour. Consider pairing different finishes – smooth and glossy – for a really tactile experience.
Ideal for invitations and business cards that create a lasting, premium impression.
Soft-touch finish
Provides a velvety feel that is hard to put down, a complete contrast to the feeling we get from an unwanted email or an intrusive sales call. Up the luxury factor by coupling with embossed patterns and digital foil finish.
Digital foil finish
The shine and sparkle delivered by digital foiling technology offers premium brands the flexibility of short runs to reach a select target audience. The individual personalisation of each and every item is a world away from a generic email or a sponsored advert appearing on your social media feed.
Find out how BISON can build trust in your brand through innovative brand communications. To start the conversation today, call Managing Director Mark Bidewell on 01622 677541 or email mark@madebybison.co.uk
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