The pandemic has shown everyone that community is more important than ever. For businesses, it has been an important part of marketing to be involved and seen in the community during these challenging times. Leveraging community involvement into the future will prove to be something that separates the successful local businesses from the rest of the pack.
Wide-format printing is more than traditional printing of small posters or flyers. This type of printing refers to special use cases that typically can’t be handled by the trusted office printer. Getting a brand out there and seen in the community is an essential part of marketing and does more than just puts a logo in front of someone’s face; it builds trust, dedication, and loyalty.
Here are a few ways wide format printing can make a difference for local businesses taking a bigger role in their community.
Sponsor or Plan a Local Event
Events that bring the community together are the perfect opportunity to get the word out about a business. Planning an event is quite the process but the benefits can be seen long after the event has ended. These events can be as simple as a charity barbeque or more complex like hosting a city-wide scavenger hunt.
In any case, it’s important that the brand is easily visible at the event. This is where wide format printing comes into play. Large signs, free swag, stickers, and decals for windows or vehicles are just the tip of the iceberg when combining marketing efforts with community engagement.
If planning an event from scratch is a little too much to take on, there’s also the opportunity to sponsor an existing local event and build awareness that way. Provide funds and/or volunteer support for event organizers then ensure the event is plastered with banners, signage, and other marketing materials. When people leave, they will be thinking back on the experience and connecting the sponsor of the event with the positive feelings they have.
Support Local Sports Teams
Sports always brings a community together. Whether it’s high school football, college basketball, or the youth soccer team making a push for their regional championship; this is a perfect opportunity to connect a brand with community spirit. Not only does this help the business through increased awareness, it can also help the community by keeping sports fees low and providing essential equipment to organizations.
When sponsoring a local sports team, there are ample opportunities to leverage wide format printing to build awareness. Some businesses may sponsor a team’s new uniforms complete with their logo. Others may hang banners in gymnasiums or sponsor the printing of championship banners for local teams to connect their logo with the success and community spirit of the team. The possibilities are endless.
Simply being involved with a local sports team is branding in itself. When people leave the event they will be thinking, “I love watching the college football team and I always see Joe’s Plumbing signs there so they must love the same team I do.” That kind of personal connection to a common interest can be a powerful thing. This connection can also be built into other marketing efforts like social media giveaways for tickets, broadcast commercials, and more.
Be Seen in the Community
Humans are visual creatures. Science has shown that up to 80% of brain processing power goes toward visual inputs. This is why major social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter put an emphasis on presenting people with visual content like photos or videos. Don’t argue with science when it comes to marketing; visual content works.
Bright, colorful banners or stunning decals for work vehicles are a great way to grab the attention of a target market. When combining this visual medium with community engagement, people will subconsciously connect a business with community involvement. Due to the pandemic, people have come to realize the importance of local businesses in their community. In fact, more than 50% of survey respondents indicated they are now more likely to support local businesses. Establishing a brand as a local business builds a positive feeling about the brand in the minds of the local community.
With the right combination of high-quality wide format printing and community involvement, local businesses can make the most of every marketing dollar spent.
Build Your Brand
Building a brand is an ongoing process that’s key to the success of any business. Wide format printing and community engagement go hand-in-hand. To learn more about wide format printing, how it can be a part of your marketing plan, and to get the materials you need to build your brand; contact Doing Better Business today.