Last updated on April 1st, 2020 at 08:55 am

Bookmarks can be used as marketing tools. And I’m not referring to those bookmarks on your browser.

Outside of web-based marketing, mass distribution of brochures and flyers remains a popular way to connect with customers and market a brand. But while these marketing tools do reach potential customers, there’s a possibility that they’ll land in the trash can after being barely read. This is the cruel truth. Unless a person is urgently in need of the product or service being advertised, that piece of paper containing dull copy will have no further use.  Hence, it’ll be no different to a piece of worn-out tissue paper.

An alternative you can consider is to print out strategically designed promotional bookmarks. Unlike brochures and flyers, these bookmarks, if distributed to the right people can help promote your product or business for months…even years. Just think about it. People of all ages read books and most of ’em read several books a year. If these potential customers get a good look at your company’s logo or tagline every time they open their books, then wouldn’t that be successful marketing?

Before you get too excited though, there are some things you should consider both from a design and business stand point with regards to using promotional bookmarks.

No Tissue Paper Please

Most flyers and brochures aren’t thrown away just because of the boring copy they contain. Some are tastelessly designed and made of low quality material–qualities that immediately turnoff potential customers. Give your customers some respect. Have your bookmark printed on some durable and classy card stock. Also keep in mind that your bookmark should function properly–meaning it should be long/short enough for its primary purpose which is of course… to be a bookmark.

Bookmarks as miniature Print Ads

Not only will your bookmark have to look good, you have to make sure that it can effectively advertise your product. Strategically place a logo, visual ad and/or a tagline on either or both sides of the print. Feel free to use typography or at least choose fonts that could properly represent your ad’s (yes, ad as in advertisement) tone. However, try to avoid filling it up with copy. Sure, you can be certain that your customer will be staring at the bookmark every now and then. But you can’t expect him to read the ad every single time he does. Why should he when he’s already reading a book?

Remember, though your bookmark  is relatively small, it does have two sides. Use the space wisely.

Target Distribution over Mass Distribution

When companies print out brochures and flyers, more often than not their goal is to distribute these promotional tools to as much people as possible despite their knowledge that a huge percentage probably won’t bite. Now, let’s assume that you’re going to spend a bit with the production of these bookmarks. It will be very important to identify your target market in relation to your product. For instance, if you’re trying to sell men’s perfume, make sure that your bookmark has a masculine design. Applying your trademark scent would also be ideal. Lastly, give out your bookmarks for free, but only to those who you deem would be interested.

Here are more examples of excellent bookmarks that function well as marketing tools.

For your bookmark printing needs, just visit UPrinting.com or call 1-888-888-4211 . Subscribe to our RSS feeds to receive design inspiration and marketing advice.

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