The print industry and the automotive industry share a key commonality, they both excel at innovation. Linking print and digital experiences together, interactive print is the evolution of print media.
Capturing your customers’ attention is one thing, but finding a way to keep it is another. Consumers live in both the physical and digital worlds. While print can give your auto customers a long-lasting experience, the interactive portion drives engagement. Together, interactive print can accelerate consumer buying decisions.
The auto industry can use interactive print to deliver a powerful message to customers and create a more memorable brand connection. Safeguard’s automotive marketing experts can help you identify opportunities for leveraging interactive print for your automotive dealership.
Is print media dead for auto dealerships?
The value of print marketing cannot be underestimated. Physical ads lead to a stronger emotional response, and recipients remember them longer. Consumers also spend more time with physical ads compared to digital ones. Combined, these factors lead to a response rate for direct mail that is anywhere from 10 to 30 times higher than that of digital, according to the DMA (Direct Marketing Association). Print continues to evolve, becoming more creative and useful for businesses.
What is Interactive Print?
Interactive print also referred to as clickable paper, refers to a method of combining traditional print marketing with digital technology, allowing brands to seamlessly move customers across marketing channels. For example, a consumer can use their mobile device to scan a flyer at your auto dealership, allowing them to easily access more information, download an app, or otherwise digitally interact with your brand.
Instead of putting print and digital advertising against each other, interactive print draws on the best attributes of both and combines them to create a more captivating experience. Common methods of implementing this include:
- QR codes
- SMS Messaging
- Augmented Reality
- Near Field Communication (NFC) transmitters
Types of Interactive Print
QR Codes
You can set a QR code to do a variety of actions when it is scanned. You could have your QR code open a website, open a social media page, send an email, or make a phone call. QR codes are particularly well-suited for posters and flyers. These are items that a customer will walk past and notice, but something they won’t necessarily be taking with them. The addition of a QR code capitalizes on the attention you have garnered and expands the interaction.
SMS Messaging
Perhaps the simplest method of incorporating interactive print is through SMS messaging. By adding a call-to-action with a text number to your print ads, you can encourage prospective customers to send a text using their cell phone and have them instantly receive a text back with a link to your website or additional content that can be viewed on their phones.
Augmented Reality
Using a layer of virtual augmentation on top of the real world, augmented reality allows the viewer to interact with these virtual items using their smartphones. Augmented reality works well with a wide variety of print advertising formats, from brochures to outdoor displays. However, before being able to use this particular type of marketing, the user generally has to download an application.
Near Field Communication (NFC) transmitters
Near Field Communication (NFC) is a method of wireless data transfer. This contactless communication technology is already used by many customers to make secure transactions with their mobile devices or exchange digital content, including contacts. Now the NFC transmitters can be laminated onto print products such as business cards, where they can take users to a website or provide them with a download.
How Can I Leverage Interactive Print For My Automotive Dealership?
Interactive print allows brands to be more creative with their messaging, linking print marketing with a digital experience, further bringing your brand to life. Your customers are both online and offline, and that means your marketing should be, too. By incorporating interactive print elements, brochures, direct mailers, and flyers can smoothly connect to your digital channels.
Consumers are naturally drawn toward more engaging content. At Safeguard, our automotive marketing experts specialize in digital marketing strategies, including interactive print, that can help you reach customers sooner, no matter where they are. Traffic-driving solutions that bring customers to your dealership can take many forms, but you can count on Safeguard to provide you with innovative marketing services to drive your success. Call 844-4CARBIZZ to get started.
Key Takeaways
- The print industry and the automotive industry both excel at innovation.
- Interactive print links print and digital experiences together.
- Common methods of implementing interactive print may include QR codes, SMS Messaging, Augmented Reality, or Near Field Communication (NFC) transmitters.
- Safeguard’s automotive marketing experts can help you identify opportunities for leveraging interactive print for your automotive dealership.