In a world dominated by digital, you might assume print mail has lost its place. But when it comes to building real connections with car buyers (and staying top of mind), print has proven to be far from dead. In fact, when used with digital marketing, it can be one of your dealership’s most effective tools.
Why? Because today’s buyers move across channels constantly. One moment they’re browsing online, the next they’re flipping through their mail. Reaching them at multiple touchpoints isn’t just smart, it’s necessary. By blending the tactile impact of direct mail with the speed and precision of digital, you create a marketing strategy that delivers better results on both sides.
Let’s talk about how combining print with digital can expand your reach, increase engagement, and drive more car buyers to your showroom.
Boost Visibility. Strengthen Engagement. Keep Your Brand Front and Center.
We get it: digital is fast, scalable, and easy to measure. But that doesn’t mean print is obsolete. Actually, direct mail:
- Has higher open and retention rates than email
- Feels more personal and tangible to recipients
- Cuts through digital clutter with less competition
- Builds brand trust through physical presence
In a noisy online world, a well-designed mailer can stand out in a way a banner ad never will. And when paired with digital campaigns, it amplifies the overall impact.
The Power of Omnichannel Marketing
Think of print and digital not as competitors, but as partners, with each playing a unique role in capturing attention and driving action. Notice how they support each other and create success:
Direct mail builds trust. A high-quality, personalized print piece can establish legitimacy and familiarity, especially with cold or conquest audiences. It’s often the first touchpoint that gets noticed. It’s also a powerful way to help ensure that you’re reaching all customers, including those who may not regularly engage with digital channels.
Digital drives speed and scale. Email, paid ads, social media, and SMS let you follow up on that initial impression instantly. You can reinforce your message, provide clickable next steps, and move shoppers further down the funnel.
Multiple touchpoints boost conversion. The more relevant times a shopper sees your brand, the more likely they are to engage. When your print and digital efforts carry a unified message, your chances of converting increase dramatically.
How to Seamlessly Blend Print + Digital
It’s not about adding more work; it’s about integrating correctly. Here are three ways to make your print and digital marketing work together effectively:
1. Sync your messaging. Make sure your digital ads, emails, and mailers speak the same language. A consistent offer, look, and voice builds recognition and trust—even if the shopper first saw you on a different channel.
2. Use QR codes and PURLs. Bridge the offline-to-online gap with QR codes or personalized URLs on mailers that lead directly to a landing page, trade-in tool, or pre-qualification form. This not only improves the customer journey but gives you trackable performance data from your print efforts.
3. Retarget print recipients digitally. Yes, it’s possible. Use address-matched data to serve digital ads to households that received your print piece. This extends the life of your message and increases chances of engagement.
Real Reach = Real Results
When dealerships combine print with digital marketing, they see:
- More eyes on their offers across multiple channels
- Higher response rates from shoppers who recognize their brand
- Improved return on ad spend (ROAS)
- Increased showroom traffic from previously cold audiences
- Greater brand trust and credibility in the market
Put simply, print fuels digital performance, and vice versa.
The Right Tools Make It Easy
You don’t need to manage a dozen different systems to make this work. Affinitiv Direct Mail helps you deliver high-quality, data-powered direct mail tailored to your audience. Want to stay top of mind across both inboxes and mailboxes? Contact us today.
