For all that we hear about online marketing - and I agree that it is becoming more and more essential every day - there is still a place for traditional marketing and high class print design.

Print design - what is it?

If you've ever used or have seen brochures, flyers, business cards, billboards, newsprint ads, etc., then you've seen print design in action. Someone had to design those marketing materials. Logos, which you use for your print marketing collateral as well as your online marketing materials, are usually created by a graphic design expert. Most graphic designers built their skills on print design projects and then later applied them to online marketing strategies.

The best marketing today is an effective integrated strategy involving online marketing tactics alongside print design and traditional marketing methods. That includes, but is not limited to, having a website, a set of business cards, brochures, letterhead and envelopes, online display ads and pay-per-click advertising, a newsletter (maybe a print edition as well as an e-mail edition), and more. When you incorporate print design into your overall marketing strategy, you are saying to the world, "I still operate in the real world; I'm as brick and mortar as you are."

When planning your next marketing strategy, don't leave out print design.

Think Again Before Deciding to Build Your Own Website...

Many existing businesses have started offering free web-building tools. Sounds great, right? Such tools enable you to build your website and go online within a short time. Although you might think this is a brilliant service, it isn’t.

You will find that the tools offered by such sites are simple enough to understand and use. However, most of them are not as useful as they promise to be. Some of the tools exclude most of the important aspects related to good website design, such as an artistic approach, sense of aesthetics, and use of SEO keywords and metatags.

Most websites that offer such services are full of ambiguity and lack any focal point or strong message. As you must have observed, colors and fonts are crucial to the fate of a website. A proper combination of colors and artistically selected typestyles and design convey subconscious messages to visitors and prompt them to remain on the site till they have seen it all and more significantly, to return. Some color schemes when used in combination with certain fonts convey the messages of reliability and trust.

Most tools that such sites offer are very generic and part of basic templates, which say nothing about your business. Some sites even put default advertising on your website, which is similar to wearing a tattoo you know nothing about. Another important aspect is the layout. The manner in which all elements within a webpage are put together and function evokes a subconscious response from the visitor. We have all landed upon websites that don’t ‘seem right’, and have therefore abandoned the idea of doing business with them.

Web marketing and conveyance of messages are considered carefully by professional web designers. To-the-point yet unambiguous content and well-coordinated elements on a page attract visitor’s attention. Search Engine Optimization is a crucial factor in turning your web business into a success. This professional touch, that differentiates your website from other sites in terms of search rankings, is a field of expertise for professional website designers.

Let the professionals construct your website. Such designers are generally quite affordable and the product they generate is worth every cent spent on it in terms of value addition to business.

The first impression is always the last impression, and you need to make sure that your client returns to your site after the first visit. A really good impression may even prompt social sharing, and your visitors will tell a friend or two about you. If you are looking for a few personal pages, choose a free blog rather than a website. Unlike blogs, websites require rigorous HTML formatting, which is entirely the professional web designer’s field of expertise. So, think again before you decide and choose a professional designer to build your site, just as you would prefer hiring a contractor rather than taking on the task of building your own home.

The biggest benefit of internet marketing is that it allows you to market your products or services to the widest range of targeted demographics regardless of their nationality, age, interests or gender... But 'global' marketing may not be the best strategy for your business. Here are a few reasons that may convince you that local online marketing is the best strategy for a small business.

Reasons to adopt local internet marketing strategy:

• Effective targeting is essential to make the most of your marketing efforts. Unless your marketing message reaches your target audience, your efforts are likely to be wasted. For most small businesses, the target audience is usually the locals. By adopting a local internet marketing strategy you are likely to get the maximum return on your investment.
  
• Today internet search is the starting place for a large number of purchase decisions. A great website is essential for successful internet marketing. If you do not have any website designing experience, it is best to take help of a good local website designer, like Crawford Designs, LLC of Gettysburg, PA. Such a designer will be able to help you create a website that targets the locals. 

Targeted traffic that is most likely to convert:

• Locals form the main target audience for small and local businesses. For instance, if you own a restaurant in Adams County / York County, people in your county are your potential customers rather than people in Los Angeles. 
• Focusing on local online marketing will ensure that your website attracts highly targeted local traffic that is very likely to convert. A website designed by an experienced local website designer specifically to attract the locals can give a significant boost to your business. 

Easier marketing and lower costs:

• The best thing about local online marketing is that it is easier. For a number of websites, search is the biggest sources of traffic. In order to attract maximum possible search traffic, optimizing your website to get the top search rank for targeted keywords is essential. It is much easier to rank for less competitive local keywords than for generic words. For instance, it is easier to rank for ‘Adams County Italian Restaurant’, than just ‘Italian Restaurant’. 
• The ease of marketing also makes local marketing less expensive as the overall efforts required for marketing, and SEO are reduced. The benefits of local online marketing are too great to be ignored and local businesses definitely need to consider this strategy.  Contact Crawford Designs, LLC of Gettysburg Today to reach YOUR local Targeted market!
  

Today every entrepreneur has to face heavy competition in order to survive and grow his/her business. While the marketing departments of big organizations have large amounts of funds at their disposal, small businesses need to make the most of their limited marketing budgets. For such businesses, it is essential to choose marketing tools that cost less, but are highly effective. Business brochure is one such tool. The benefits of an effectively designed business brochure include:

1. Effective online as well as offline marketing: The best thing about business brochures is that they are equally effective for online as well as offline marketing. Once you get your brochure designed with the help of a good local designer, you can offer it online in a downloadable format and offline in a printed format.
2. Reinforcement of advertising and email marketing messages: Often advertising and email marketing messages are short and offer limited information about the products and services that you offer. Business brochures are a great way to reinforce this message as they provide detailed information on your business as well as products and services. Effective brochures not only offer information, but also persuade potential customers to take desired action.
3. Credibility: Impressive business brochures provide credibility to your business. Even if you run an online business and do not have a physical office, good brochures make your business real and credible in the eyes of potential customers. 
4. Flexibility: Brochures are highly flexible and allow you to make choices based on your requirements and budget. You can select the design, the type of printing, the quality of paper and the like to create a brochure that is most suitable for your business.
5. Control: You are in complete control of the message you want to send and the image you want to create for your business using brochures. Unlike other advertising media like television commercials, you are also in complete control of who receives your business brochures. Well designed brochures are an extremely effective marketing tool, especially when you have a small target audience.

Business brochures are a seasoned and effective business promotion tool. Effectively designed brochures are powerful tools for conveying your message to prospective customers and persuading them to conduct business with you. The design of your brochure determines its effectiveness.  It is advisable to take the help of an experienced local designer to create an effective business brochure. Contact Crawford Designs LLC, so we can help you develop a great brochure for your business today.