Read about the latest trends in print marketing for small businesses, including QR codes, personalized URLs, and more.

1. BRINGING YOUR
PRINT MARKETING INTO
A DIGITAL WORLD
A Report by PostNet. Your Neighborhood Business Center.
© Copyright PostNet International Franchise Corporation, 2011

2. Introduction
Daily-deal websites, text messages, social media – the marketing options have exploded as businesses
look for new ways to attract customers in an increasingly digital world. But for small businesses,
print marketing – from brochures to direct-mail postcards – still plays a big role because it’s cost-effective
and easy to produce. In this report, we’ll look at how you can combine your print marketing with digital
marketing efforts to get the most out of both.
The Statistics
Most agree that the reports of print marketing’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. While many
people assume that everyone, especially the younger generation, has tuned out things like direct mail,
a study by the U.S. Postal Service1 found that that wasn’t the case. In fact, they said:
• 87% of Gen Y and 86% of Gen X bring in the mail the day it’s delivered.
• 73% of Gen Y and 68% of Gen X survey respondents had used coupons received in the mail.
Marketing Sherpa found similar results when they surveyed B2B marketers.2 The majority of respondents
said direct mail was either very effective or somewhat effective for their organization. While organizations
of all sizes liked direct mail, it was especially popular with businesses with less than 100 employees.
However, we’ve all also seen the statistics about the growth of social networks and the mobile web.
EMarketer.com reports that in 2011, 65% of U.S. web users will use social networks. And comScore.com
reported that 43 million people in the U.S. owned smart phones in an average month from
November to January 2010, up 18 percent from the previous six months.3 So whether you
love or hate these technologies, it’s clear that you’ll need to embrace them if you want your
small business to thrive. So how do you go about adding them to your marketing mix?
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3. Print vs. Digital
To help you decide which medium is best for your marketing campaign or message, let’s start by taking a
look at the benefits of print marketing vs. digital marketing.
Print Marketing and Direct Mail
• It’s tangible. It makes your company look solid and trustworthy.
• It’s difficult to ignore. Everyone still sorts through their mail – there’s no automatic spam filter.
• It’s good for static information, like product specifications or your contact information.
Digital Marketing
• It’s dynamic. This makes it good for information that you update regularly, like pricing
or special offers.
• It’s interactive. Digital marketing, especially social media, makes it possible for consumers to
easily give you their feedback and ask questions. That dialogue with customers is extremely
important in today’s marketplace – consumers want to interact with the companies they do
business with, not just receive advertising.
Next, we’ll look at some of the new technologies available, and best practices for combining
them with your print marketing.
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4. Quick Response (QR) Codes
You’ve probably seen QR codes – those little squares that look like TV static – in action (you may have even
scanned one to download this). While they’ve been relatively slow to catch on in the U.S., comScore.com
estimates that 14 million people scanned a code in June 2011. Use was highest among men ages 18-34.4
How They Work
QR codes are barcodes, just like the ones the clerk scans in the grocery checkout line. But they hold a lot
more information than a standard barcode, and are becoming popular for businesses in a world where
many consumers live on their smart phones.
Instead of having to type a web address into their mobile device, a customer can simply
scan the QR code with their smart phone’s QR code reader (free versions are available in
most app stores). The QR code reader then quickly and automatically directs the user to
the web address or other digital content.
3
PostNet NC141 in Asheville, NC created these
QR codes for (from left) Wild Birds Unlimited in
South Asheville, Frankie Bones Restaurant and
Lounge in South Asheville, and Books &
Breadboard at Biltmore Village in Asheville.

5. Where to Use Them
While the uses for QR codes are endless, here are a few ideas to get your small business started.
• Save space on your business card by using a QR code for your web or social media sites, or for a
map of your location.
• Use them on banners, posters, yard signs or billboards to minimize the need for text.
• Direct customers to in-depth or digital information they can’t get in a printed piece, like a video
demo or an email newsletter sign-up.
QR Code Best Practices
But before you start putting the codes everywhere, here are some do’s and don’ts.
• Don’t link to a site that isn’t mobile-enabled. Nothing will turn a consumer off faster than trying
to access a website on their phone, only to have to scroll back and forth or zoom in repeatedly to
find what they’re looking for.
• Do make it the proper size for the piece you’re putting it on. For instance, if you put a QR code
on a poster, test it and make sure it’s big enough that the consumer can scan it from a few feet away.
• Do include some brief instructions. Since QR codes are still new to a lot of people, some simple
instructions (“Scan me with your smart phone QR code reader!”) will help increase use of your code.
• Do include a call to action. You want the consumer to know that scanning the code is going to be
worth their while. (“Scan the code for a video demo”or“Sign up to receive our
email newsletter.”)
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6. Personalized URLs (PURLs)
A PURL is a web page or microsite that is tailored to a specific recipient, making them great for creating a
more direct relationship with a customer segment or vertical market. They also allow you to track which
recipients demonstrate the most interest in your product or service, which can help streamline your sales
process.
PURLs in Action
Let’s say a pet store wants to increase response to their next customer postcard mailing. They have a
database that lists the customer’s name, the type of pet they own, and the pet’s name. They decide to
create PURLs for each customer, and print the PURL on the postcard. So www.petstore.com/bob-smith
directs Bob Smith to a page with a photo of a dog and a special offer for dog biscuits for Fido. Meanwhile,
cat owner Jane Jones is directed to www.petstore.com/jane-jones, where she sees a photo of a cat and a
special offer for catnip for Fluffy.
ICD Global, who specializes in print communications for global pharmaceutical companies, has a great
example of a personalized web page at www.icdglobal.net/personal-url.html.
Getting Started
While most printers, including PostNet, can help print the PURLs on your direct-mail pieces, you may need
to work with a web programmer or online marketing agency to create
the web pages. Here are a few good resources to help you get started.
• www.easypurl.com
• www.prospectclick.com
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7. Social Media in Print
There’s a good chance you already use social media for your business, whether it’s LinkedIn to help
network, or Facebook to interact with your customers. If so, print marketing can be a great way to help
increase awareness of your social-media presence.
Integrating Print and Social Media
• Put your LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook URL on your business cards to encourage contacts to
connect online. If you use a Facebook URL, be sure to claim your shortened username to make
it easier for your contacts.
• Hold a contest on your Facebook Page, and use print pieces – like a flyer or postcard – to drive
people to enter.
• Use a wallet-sized card to remind customers to visit your Yelp or Google pages and review your
business. While dissatisfied customers will seek out your pages to post comments, happy
customers may not think to do it unless you remind them!
Social-Media Best Practices
• Know the rules. Before you run a contest on Facebook or ask customers to review you on Yelp,
make sure you’re familiar with their guidelines.
• Give to get. Remember that social-media is different than advertising. If you want referrals on
LinkedIn, refer other businesses. If you want more Twitter followers, follow others,
retweet them, and contribute valuable content of your own.
• Maintain boundaries. Keep your personal and business presences separate.
Your customers may not want to see your vacation photos, and your family may
not want to know about your daily specials.
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8. Ready to Get Started?
If you’re ready to start integrating your digital and print marketing, your PostNet Neighborhood Business
Center can help. Visit www.postnet.com/locations to find one near you.
About PostNet
Founded in 1993, Denver-based PostNet has more than 800 locations worldwide, including several
hundred in the United States. Each locally owned and operated PostNet Neighborhood Business Center
specializes in meeting the design, printing, copying and shipping needs of businesses and busy consumers,
with a focus on exceptional, personal customer service. PostNet centers offer full-service digital printing;
full- and self-service copying; document binding and finishing; and services like graphic design, computer
rental stations, private mailbox rentals and more. They also offer expert packaging services and shipping
with UPS, FedEx, DHL and the U.S. Postal Service. To learn more, visit www.postnet.com.
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1 http://www.delivermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/whitepaper/Gen%20X,%20Gen%20Y,%20and%20the%20Mail%20Study.pdf
2 http://www.marketingsherpa.com/article.php?ident=31852
3 http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2010/3/comScore_Reports_January_2010_U.S._Mobile_Subscriber_Market_Share
4 http://www.comscore.com/Press_Events/Press_Releases/2011/8/14_Million_Americans_Scanned_QR_or_Bar_Codes_on_their_Mobile_Phones_in_June_2011