There is a pervading theory in the media and marketing space that the rise of digital channels is putting an end to classic print advertising and marketing.

 While it’s true that some areas of print media are feeling the effects of our increased consumption of digital, some are still thriving.

In fact, recent research by the Australasian Catalogue Association found letterbox media reaches more Australians than any other medium. Around 19.7 million Australians read catalogues compared to 16.4 million for newspapers, 8 million for TV, 10.1 million for radio and 13.8 million for magazines.

 Though digital innovation is significantly reducing the readership of other print channels, catalogues have been easily adapted to fit into the changing landscape and in most cases it has actually enhanced the power of letterbox media. Best of all, it’s proved to be a winning combination for reaching and converting new customers.

The biggest change to catalogues, and the one that has provided the most benefit to marketers, is the ability to better target audiences with letterbox drops.

 Through tools like Roy Morgan’s Helix Personas, Salmat’s Marketfind or geoTribes, you can easily narrow the focus of your letterbox campaign. Or for really targeted results, Swiftplan combines more than 50 targeting variables to increase the efficiency of your campaign.

 Why is better targeting such a big deal? For one, you know you are reaching a much more refined audience that is more likely to be interested in what you’re selling. But more than that, it provides a boost to your bottom line.

 Rather than sending out a spray-and-pray blast to everyone in Melbourne, you can narrow your focus to specific areas based on various demographic data, so instead of needing one million flyers you may only need 100,000 to get the same ROI.

 Even better, the money you save through this can be put towards boosting your catalogues through other channels.

 Here are three reasons you should amplify your traditional letterbox advertising through the power of digital marketing.

 Extend the life

Catalogues in general have a longer lifecycle than most other marketing because most people won’t throw them out immediately after reading them and will keep them around to browse through at a later date.

 With the use of digital, the life of the catalogue can be extended even further than the usual life-span. Some simple ways to do this include creating digital catalogues through Universal Catalogue and Lasoo, expanding distribution to social media, using Google product search and creating an EDM with promotions.

 Catalogues lend themselves perfectly to repurposing so think of ways you can use yours across different channels to extend their life.

 Reach a broader audience

Embracing multi-channel marketing not only improves the longevity of your letterbox media, it also helps you reach a wider audience than would typically receive it.

 Through targeted digital amplification on Facebook or Google, you’ll be better able to reach the “unreachables” who don’t engage with letterbox media. Facebook in particular offers fantastic means for repurposing your content and really narrowing down who receives it.

 Further insight

The biggest benefit of incorporating digital marketing into your campaign is the ability to measure and analyse its success. No other channel provides more insight into how your content is performing and gives you the ability to better optimise it.

 These insights can also help optimise your print catalogues. Universal Catalogue provides insights into what people are reading and allows you to alter the layout based on these findings. This information can then be used for your next catalogue campaign to create even more engaging material.

 As marketing becomes more targeted, looking at ways you can reinvest the savings made from trimming the fat will be the difference between a good campaign and a great campaign. Most importantly, as budgets tighten, it will ensure your ROI remains strong.

 For more tips on how to use letterbox and digital media together to get more customers, download this free eBook from Salmat: http://www.startswithsalmat.com.au/