subject: The Pros And Cons Of Printed Advertising [print this page] One option to get the word out about a product, service or event is through printed advertising. In the past, this was the only option available. With the emergence of online options however, people have the choice to go for advertisements on paper or not. To find out if printing ads is for you or not, you may have to look at its pros and cons.
Sending out brochures, flyers and handouts is considered fairly old school. Even with the emergence of new paperless ads however, many people are still more familiar with text on paper. This is simply because this form of promotion has been around longer. One advantage then of following the old way is that people are more familiar with it. You can expect positive results from good print advertising because people are at ease with it.
Ads on paper are also good options because they are a million ways to be creative. This is true for both the copy writing and designing aspect of your campaign. There is no reason therefore for ads to fail because you can always come up with an attractive concept that will sell.
Another good reason to go for paper promotion is that you can be as selective and concise as you want. There can be countless descriptions and definitions about your product online but not all of them are what you want to be associated with your service or product. With printed advertising you can control what you want to relay and in what way you want your message to come across.
A possible significant downside to sending out ads on paper is that the procedure can cost you a lot. In the internet, some promotional campaigns can be launched for a few cents or even for free but printing always requires a fair amount of cash. You may be able to save a bit though if you go for companies that offer offshore services. These service providers execute your project specifications by sending out instructions to printers located in other countries.
Another clear disadvantage to print advertising is that they aren't the most environment friendly. Obviously, paper and water need to be consumed for the process. The only way to be responsible about this is to pick a printer that has green options. These companies offer materials and procedures that lessen the impact of printing on the environment. These can include such options as recycled materials and state of the art equipment that no longer require water cooling.
A final negative point to promotional materials on paper is the lack of accessibility. Paperless advertising on the internet or television can definitely reach more people in more locations. You would probably only want this though if you are promoting something with national coverage. Limited coverage is still fine if you are targeting a limited area.
It's obvious that printed advertising is no longer the only modern option for promotion. In some cases though, it may still be the best choice. Find out if this is still the most appropriate choice for you by evaluating your needs, budget and preferences.
