Low budget print marketing methods

Since so many business owners are trying to cut back on their marketing budgets, one of the first places they cut is print marketing. Print marketing can be expensive if you aren't getting the proper return on your investment. However, if you are targeting the right customers, print marketing is a great way to boost sales and increase your target audience.

A low budget print marketing method is postcard mailing. Post card mailing is often thought of as an expensive print marketing strategy, but it can be done in a cost-effective manner. Post card mailing is a great alternative to expensive catalog mailers and other direct mail pieces. If you have a good mailing list, you will be able to get a great return on your investment.

With postcard mailing, you have the option of purchasing templates, which are half the price of printing your own postcards. You will have a section to add a quick tag line along with your contact information and customer information. Template postcards are great when you want to send a quick thank-you to you customers for their purchase and input.

The post office will offer a discount when you have bulk mailing. This is a great way to save yourself some money on postage, as this usually ends up becoming more expensive than the actual printing of the postcards.

Several companies have chosen to print their own postcards using template software and laser printers. You can use colored stock paper and add a nice picture to make the postcard more attractive, this is a good way to get your customer's attention. When you create your own postcards, you have the option of making them reversible so your customers can return them to you. This works great when you need to receive customer input.

The big advantage with postcard mailing is that it will get the attention of your customers if you keep it simple. You don't need to promote a million things on the postcard, state something simple like "Half-off sale" or "Clearance sale." A good mailing list will specifically target the customers that will be interested in the half off sale. Sending postcards is much easier than sending personalized letters. You can even format the postcards so the customers name will automatically be inserted into the right area on the postcard.

If you don't want to give postcard mailers a shot, here are some other low-cost print marketing ideas to try:

• Press releases. The best part about a press release is you can print them out and send them to members of the media or you can post them online. They literally cost you less than a cent because you only need to worry about the cost of paper and ink. Press releases are a great way to inform the public about your products and they help to increase your web site visibility.
• Brochures. Another great print media method is to print up some brochures. Web sites like VistaPrint.com and OvernightPrints.com will provide you with several templates to choose from and you just need to input your information. You also have the option of designing your own and uploading it, however it may cost you more money because their designers will need to make it print ready. Brochures are a great hand-out item to use when you are conferences and they are a great way to market several different products.
• Gift certificates are another great cost-effective print marketing method. Send out gift certificates as a thank-you to some of your existing customers that help the business grow. This is a great way to boost customer satisfaction and it can turn a onetime customer into a lifelong customer