It’s been two years since the world changed. Here in the UK, at the end of March 2020, it all stopped. Events were cancelled, meetings were stopped, and the world was a worrying place.
The world changed for some time but many of the changes that were bought in to protect us or adapt to strange times, stayed. Some of the changes suited us and some stayed as they were more efficient or cost-effective. It really was a big time for change and review.
Other than Covid-related signage, print was certainly not needed for a little while. We’re certainly glad the world is opening back up again, but it was (and still is) encouraging to see the inventive ways business and companies used print during and long after the pandemic.
Since Covid, print has become the backdrop to Facebook Live, Zoom, Teams, and other online events. It’s also powerful in real-life events where people stream or take photos as the hybrid events and marketing space begins to grow.
Watch your background!
It was interesting in the early part of the lockdown life to see the scramble to online calls, meetings and then events. Initially anything would do, and it was OK to be a little on the hop with some of the presentations. But as time went on, we all got a little better at checking our lighting and sound and the bar of video meets was raised.
The backdrops were often neglected though…
What’s behind you on Zoom or Teams can and does say something about you so giving this some consideration is highly recommended. Even a well-placed roller banner (ideally in front of your clothes dryer in your front room office!) is a step above the rest.
Doing a lot of online meetings? Get a printed backdrop to replace those glitchy and poor-quality Zoom or Teams backgrounds – the ones that chop off your ears and give your hair a weird outline!
Alongside the obvious Zoom world, here are some other key areas to focus on to use print to add that little extra to your branding and marketing.
Exhibition roller banners
Oh-so-versatile and transportable, the humble roller banner can accompany you for Zoom as well as those real-life networking meetings. You can also pop one up in the background of your live streaming, too. Roller banners are ideal for social media posts, streams, and more.
Networking events and banners
Back at exhibitions? Go all out and get an exhibition banner over a roller banner. The difference in quality to the look and feel of your stand when you opt for a stand over a roller banner is huge!
Selfie backgrounds
Another great use for roller banners is to offer visitors to your show, shop, or business a place to take a selfie. “I’m here at XXX event” taken near the banner and other printed kit pushes your brand into other people’s social media, and give you a greater reach on social media too!
Selfie boards
Take the above idea one step further and get some selfie boards made and encourage people to take photos and share them on social. Add your logos and taglines for added exposure points.
Brochures and workbooks at events
Brochures are simple, yet effective. Brochures and workbooks live on long after lockdown. Having something tangible that you can hand out or pass around always beats a digital product for that touchy feely approach.
Print can also add to your online events, too. We’ve helped customers create printed workbooks to accompany their online events to give a little more of a connected and special feel to their online training or events.
Interactive maps and stickers
Looking to encourage visitors to a business show to visit all the stands? An interactive map with stickers (held by exhibitors at the stands) can create a really engaging game of expo bingo! You could even give a prize to the first person to complete the ‘game’ or offer anyone who completes it the chance to enter a prize draw.
QR codes are back!
A real winner of the pandemic was the QR code. Thanks in part to track and trace and other apps needed to be served in hospitality, we all had a crash course in QR code scanning. It seems we’re all now dab hands at scanning those codes now and this opens up a marketing opportunity that looked lost many years ago.
Banners, leaflets, or business cards with QR codes lend themselves to a truly interactive and joined up experience for people you meet at expos, events, networking meetings or anywhere really. We’ve seen them popping up on the side of vehicles and buildings, too!
Combining social media with print
Facebook Live, networking, exhibiting and more get a boost when you add print into the mix. QR codes, handouts, and interactive printed materials are now seen as a must for many of the companies that we work with.
The new normal isn’t fully digital – it’s collaborative!
We have loads of great ideas from the post-pandemic marketing we’ve worked on so let’s have a chat and talk about how we can support your social media with print.