2020 is going to be an exciting time for marketers with so many new technological developments and perception shifts happening in the marketplace. The largest change is how we market to buyers. Capturing attention is no longer about pumping out generic content to the masses; it’s about a more personalized touch centered around customer experiences.
Consumers are getting savvier. Gone are the days where marketers marketed at people. In 2020, the focus will be on influencing consumers through engagement, personalization, and education.
Experiential Graphics
The way consumers are making buying decisions has changed dramatically over the years. With the amount of information on the Internet today, buyers are more informed than ever before. Whether they are shopping for a product or service, it’s much less about convincing them to check out what you’re selling. Consumers no longer make their buying decisions that way. The experience now changes from attention-grabbing (think BIG and BOLD) to more memorable. If you can create something people remember, or even better, something people can share with friends, they will spread your message for you. No longer is mass spamming ads acceptable. Businesses are utilizing new technologies such as experiential graphics to engage with consumers.
National Cinemedia did exactly this.
They came to Vomela looking for a print provider capable of enhancing their interactive augmented reality experience, branded as a Noovie ARcade, through a combination of print and digital technology. The idea was to create an arcade-style cardboard display so that moviegoers could interact with aliens via a smartphone app.
Our structural designers created a 3D arcade model with printed graphics to be displayed at movie theaters. When assembled, the interactive display integrated with AR technology and allowed consumers to play a video game through their smartphones. Talk about memorable.
Personalization
Personalization is truly the future of digital and print marketing. And nowadays, it’s what buyers expect. The main benefit of personalized marketing is having the power to reach a particular group of customers. And by collecting user data like location, age, and interests, you can change the content you send for a more effective campaign. If you are not embracing this now, you need to be in 2020.
Elmhurst College did exactly this.
They were looking for ways to stand out and attract more prospective students. They wanted to focus on local students who were planning on attending grad school close to home. With Vomela’s help, Elmhurst College embarked on a highly personalized multichannel marketing campaign. Based on school surveys, they found out what prospects were interested in when considering grad school and tailored 8-10 different mail pieces featuring:
- A personalized greeting
- A personalized URL (PURL) for delivering the e-version of their personalized program.
- A message from the program director (specific to the area of study)
- Degree-specific information
Elmhurst College was able to track whoever visited their personalized website. From there, they could create an even more hyper-targeted list of prospects to continue marketing to. By embracing this personalized approach, Elmhurst College was able to make each marketing dollar go a lot further in terms of value.
Take Away
In 2020, focus more on the value and experience you can provide your consumer with that will set you apart from your competitors. It is no longer acceptable to just go with “the status quo.” If you need help stepping outside of the box in 2020, Vomela Company is here to help with your print graphic needs to provide a more memorable, personalized experience.
