Should Print Be The “ToFu” (Top of the Funnel) on Your Marketing Menu?

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending a significant DAM conference with a large contingent from the Pica9 team. As usual, it was exciting to see how the conference—originally the province of a small band of digital-asset-management and marketing-resource-management pioneers—has evolved and grown.

But one curiosity struck me as I watched our team engage in dozens of conversations with fellow marketing technologists: the degree to which print served as a facilitator.

Yes, we had the badge scanner to capture information on our booth visitors. But even so, business cards changed hands as a way of establishing trust and commitment.

Yes, we had animated presentations and videos, website links and landing pages galore. But even so, our case studies and brochures got stuffed into the conference bag for future reference. And I have a feeling they created a more lasting impression, even when they didn’t make it into the briefcase for the flight home.

And — my favorite—when the conversations took a deeper, more consultative turn, I watched as pen and paper got pulled out to list requirements, depict workflows, or just jot down a detail for future reference.

Now, we’ve always known that trade shows and conferences are closer to the Top of the Funnel (ToFu) than they are to the bottom. Attendees are gathering information and doing their homework. But they’re doing that work in a face-to-face environment where the immediacy and tactile nature of print seems to be a natural. And so, it seems, when the marketing gets local (and face to face selling is as local as it gets), the inherent values of print really shine.

One final example: the invitation to our after-party on the conference’s first day. We handed out printed invitations that featured a shot from our Manhattan office’s rooftop deck, welcoming people up for Cinco de Mayo tapas (no taco bowls in sight, I promise!).

By my count, the “visit rate” produced by that modest little 4x6 card out-did every other form of contact we used — by a large amount. When more than 150 folks popped by that evening (close to one third of the total conference attendee population), I realized once again that print has a place in the marketing conversation—as does, I suppose, the prospect of a cold glass of Albarino at the end of a long conference day!

Kevin is the founder of Pica9, and a long-time student of local marketing effectiveness. Visit our website to see how CampaignDrive helps make print a more powerful and brand-compliant part of the local marketing process for hundreds of globally recognized brands.

Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.