If you trust that potential customers will not ignore the piece of paper you’ve just put through their letterbox, think again.
Some only check their mail for bank statements or to make sure they haven’t got any speeding tickets.
It’s easy for your paper brochure to get lost but there is a lightweight alternative.
Almost everyone is online, all of the time, so tailor your brochures to the experiences of your target audience.
Not convinced? Let’s weigh up the pros and cons of digital brochures to paper.
Accessibility and Distribution:
Physical:
Advantages:
Tangibility: Something that hits all the senses, relating those experiences back to your brochure.
Targeted Distribution: Place them in specific locations to reach local audiences.
Disadvantages:
Limited Reach: You can only distribute them to certain locations, missing out on thousands of engagement opportunities.
Higher Costs: Printing, shipping and sending them out adds up to a lot of money, especially for larger-scale campaigns.
Digital:
Advantages:
Global Reach: Ah the world of instant messaging. It can be shared, wherever, whenever.
Cost-Effectiveness: No printing or shipping needed, cut down on costs massively.
Analytics: As it’s all online, you can use online apps and plugins to monitor the engagement metrics, so you can know where to make changes.
Disadvantages:
Overlooked Content: Sometimes vital information can be rapidly missed or dismissed by viewers.
Accessibility Issues: Not all potential customers may have access to the internet.
Interactive and Engagement
Physical:
Advantages:
Hands-On Experience: People can physically hold and interact with the content.
Longer Attention Span: Engagement increases and the reader should typically get a deeper understanding of the information.
Disadvantages:
Limited Media Integration: Limited to paper, ink, and no moving images.
Digital:
Advantages:
Rich Media Integration: The brochures can have video, animation, clickable links, and interactive elements.
Dynamic Content: You can update the content in real time without having to re-print hundreds of pages.
Disadvantages:
Potential Distractions: Too much fun stuff could distract from the whole point of the brochure.
Technical Challenges: Making sure it works well on all devices can be a difficult and really annoying task.
Environmental Impact
Physical:
Disadvantages:
Footprint: Printing thousands of brochures isn’t great for the environment, is it?
Don’t be stupid, limit what you need to print and go digital instead.
Digital:
Advantages:
Reduced Carbon Footprint: No need for paper or ink, a lower impact on the environment.
But technology increases your carbon footprint!
Yes, but if you’re reading this you obviously have a phone or computer, so aren’t THAT fussed about it.
Don’t create the supply and the demand for printing paper and ink won’t be so damaging.
Enter the Matrix!
Physical brochures only work best locally, so for some businesses that’s perfect.
Those who want a little more national or global reach, with highly managed expenditures, should really opt for digital brochures.
It’s really down to preference but a smart idea to take in external factors to influence your decision.
If you want to be in it for the long run, digitalise your business.
