The Value of Print Advertising in a Digital World
There’s a lot for a small business owner to think about when it comes to marketing. Keeping your website up to date, posting on social media, sending emails… and now working out where AI fits into it all.
I know that feeling. I use digital tools every day, and they’re a useful part of running my businesses. But I also know the value of getting your business through someone’s letterbox and into their home.
There’s room for both. And for a local business, print advertising is an effective way to get noticed, build recognition and reach customers close to home.
Your customers are closer than you think
If you’re a plumber in Wrexham, you probably don’t need thousands of people on the other side of the country seeing your advert. You need people nearby who might need a plumber.
The same goes for a local café, hairdresser, gardener or gift shop.
A local magazine puts your business in front of people in the area you serve. With EssentialsMAG, you can choose between our two editions or advertise in both, depending on where your customers are.
Your advert arrives through their letterbox, alongside news, events and stories from their community. It gives them the chance to discover your business without having to search for it first.
People don’t always need you straight away
This is something I often talk about with advertisers.
Someone might see your advert and think, “That’s useful to know,” but have no reason to call you that day. Their windows are fine. They’ve just had their hair done. They aren’t planning a new kitchen.
Then something changes.
They need a repair, decide to book an appointment or finally get around to that job they’ve been putting off. That’s when you want them to remember your business.
Experience has taught me that advertising works best over the long term. One or two months can introduce you to readers, but regular appearances give them more chances to recognise your name and remember what you do.
You’re building familiarity, so when they need you, they know where to turn.
A magazine can hang around
A magazine might sit on the coffee table, get passed to someone else or be picked up again a week later.
An advert can be circled, a page folded over or a number saved for another day. It’s also easy to say to a neighbour, “I saw someone in the magazine who does that.”
That gives your advert opportunities to be useful beyond the day it first arrives. And it lets people browse in their own time, without another notification competing for their attention.
Let people see who you are
AI can help you write about your business, but the most interesting part is you.
Who are you? What do you do? What would it be like to buy from you or have you working in someone’s home?
A friendly photograph, a clear explanation of your services and a few personal words can help people feel comfortable getting in touch. You don’t need clever wording. You need an advert that makes it easy to understand what you offer.
That’s something I enjoy helping advertisers with: taking the information they want to include and turning it into an advert that feels like their business.
It can start with print and carry on online
A reader might spot your advert, visit your website, look through your work and then send you a message. Or they might follow your social page and contact you later.
Print can be the introduction. Your website and social media give them somewhere to find out more.
The important thing is making it easy for people to discover your business, get to know you and contact you when they’re ready.
For local businesses, being seen regularly in the community you serve is a valuable part of that.
