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The Power of Print in a Digital World
In a recent episode of The Thoughtful Entrepreneur Show, host Josh Elledge interviewed Alysha Burch, the founder and creative director of Square Root Creative, to explore the often-overlooked power of print in today's digital-centric marketing landscape. Alysha shared valuable insights into how print can complement digital strategies, the nuances of effective print marketing, and best practices for creating impactful print materials. This blog post delves into the key takeaways from their conversation, offering actionable advice for businesses looking to leverage print in their marketing efforts.
Despite the dominance of digital marketing, print remains a powerful tool for engaging consumers. Alysha highlighted several reasons why print should not be overlooked: it provides a tactile experience that digital cannot replicate, offers longevity as print materials often stay in homes for days or weeks, and garners more trust from consumers who may perceive digital content as less reliable due to online scams and misinformation. Alysha emphasized that print and digital should be seen as complementary, with print reinforcing digital messages to enhance overall marketing effectiveness.
Alysha shared several best practices for effective print marketing. Choosing the right paper is crucial; it should match the message and audience, with high-end paper for luxury products and more approachable paper for everyday items. Color psychology is also important, as different colors evoke different emotions and should align with the brand's overall color scheme. The layout and design should guide the reader's eye logically, with clear headlines and engaging visuals. Specialty embellishments like gold foil can add a touch of luxury, and testing and iteration are essential to refine materials before a full rollout. Leveraging data for targeted print campaigns and integrating print with digital strategies can further enhance the impact of print marketing.
About Alysha Burch:
Square Root Creative is the brainchild of Alysha Burch, a 30-year industry veteran.
This full-service agency was established in 2002, when Alysha saw the need for a creative house that delivered effective messaging across all marketing mediums. Her vision was to form a group that could think conceptually, act strategically, and design with purpose. 20 years later, the agency remains independent and solely owned, an inspiration for women entrepreneurs worldwide.
A native New Yorker, Alysha utilized her connections and resources to build “a rock-star team of talented individuals.” Together this group of innovative thinkers, master storytellers, daring designers, video mavens, and tech sensations rise to any creative challenge-–pushing the boundaries of every project to deliver work that exceeds expectations. While Alysha’s passion, talent, and dedication are the foundation for “the Root,” she’s the first to say that teamwork keeps the agency moving forward. This emphasis on a collective spirit has earned her the affectionate title of “Mama Root” – a nod to the family this fearless leader has built.
Prior to opening SRC, Alysha worked at top advertising and marketing agencies on Fortune 500 clients including Nestle, Panasonic, and Hasbro. When not running the Root, she can be found downtown with Mylo, her French bulldog (and the office mascot) looking at street art and discovering emerging designers, jamming to old-school hip-hop during boxing class, or enjoying a late-night meal with friends–– that is, if they will wait for her to get out of the office.
About Square Root Creative:
We are a full-service agency passionate about design and its ability to provoke, inspire and energize. We build strong brands with fresh ideas, engaging creative and the right mix of technology. Our agency is built on integrity, trust and teamwork. We’re independent, giving us the freedom to be innovative and the flexibility to go above-and-beyond expectations. It’s this foundation that allows us to truly connect with our clients and engage with their audiences.
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Links Mentioned in this Episode:
Want to learn more? Check out Square Root Creative website at https://squarerootcreative.com/
Check out Square Root Creative on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/square-root-creative
Check out Alysha Burch on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyshaburch
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Transcript
Speaker 1 (00:00:05) - Hey there, a thoughtful listener. Are you looking for introductions to partners, investors, influencers and clients? Well, I've had private conversations with over 2000 leaders asking them where their best business comes from. I've got a free video you can watch with no opt in required, where I'll share the exact steps necessary to be 100% inbound in your industry over the next 6 to 8 months, with no spam, no ads, and no sales. What I teach has worked for me for over 15 years, and has helped me create eight figures in revenue for my own companies. Just head to up my influence. Com and watch my free class on how to create endless high ticket sales appointments. Also, don't forget the thoughtful entrepreneur is always looking for great guests. Go to up my influence. Com and click on podcast. I'd love to have you. With us right now. Alicia Burch Alicia, you are the founder and creative director with Square Root Creative. Your website is Square Root Creative. Com Alicia, thank you for joining us.
Speaker 2 (00:01:17) - Thank you for having me. I'm excited to be here and talk to your guests.
Speaker 1 (00:01:21) - Yeah, yeah. Well, well give us an overview of your work and who you serve and what you do.
Speaker 2 (00:01:25) - So Square creative is a full service boutique agency. We are a creative house. We specialize in branding as well as packaging and print communications. Digital communications. We are a first small firm, a full service company, which was a niche for us when we started. everybody had their own niche in a way, and ours was we could do it all for a client. We do a ton of branding. we work a lot in technology. We do work in textiles. For us, it's not always about the industry. It's about the project and what we can accomplish. It's, it's really where you have the opportunity to tell a story.
Speaker 1 (00:02:06) - Yeah, well, you and I were talking about print, and, you know, again, this could be something that is, quite overlooked by many business leaders and owners today.
Speaker 1 (00:02:19) - Tell me about the work that you've done in print and where print can really perform.
Speaker 2 (00:02:24) - So we've had a very, as an agency, unique look at the market when it comes to print, because we work with major manufacturers of printing equipment, of, software. And then we've also worked with their customers and have done business loyalty programs. So when it comes to print, there's pretty much every I know pretty much everything there is. and there's been a big shift over the years with digital and everybody was talking digital, digital, digital especially during the pandemic. and what we're seeing now is I mean let's be honest, everybody is on overload. when you get something and it becomes very easy to scroll, so when people ask us, is it print or digital? It's together. Of course, people are going to do digital, but to reinforce it with print really drives it home. And if you think about it and you think about your own experiences, you're on the train, you're doing something, you're checking things on your phone, and you can really read at the speed of your finger.
Speaker 2 (00:03:26) - Right? I'm glancing. I scroll up, it's over. You come home, you check your mailbox, you put it down. It's sitting there for a few days before you might even look at it, and then it stays in your your house, your apartment, on the kitchen table. You give it to a neighbor. So the impact that it makes, it's when a customer consumer can really have the time to digest and ingest the information. the other thing is, if you think about it, people aren't as trusting of digital anymore. People are afraid to click on things. So we see those rates going down. but if you get something from in the mail, you know, a brand, put their time into it, put their money into it, and when you put something in print, it gets checked so many more times. I can't tell you how many mistakes I see. Digital advertising. Tons. And another interesting thing that marketers are probably not aware of is have you ever heard of Informed Delivery? With your mouth? I don't think so.
Speaker 2 (00:04:30) - It's something a lot of people don't know about. So it's a free service in the post office where you could literally see where you're when your mail is coming to you. you sign up for it. But what's interesting is a lot of people started doing this when they weren't staying in their primary primary residence. So I know in New York, especially in the pandemic, half of New York went somewhere else. So you could see what mail was coming to you so you didn't miss a check or something like that. What we're finding is if you have that, when you send a piece of direct mail, you can also click on that and it takes you to that website or whatever that offer is. So it's another way to drive traffic. when we talk about print, I'll give you a very interesting I'm going to say it's a fact, you know, it was on the internet, but,
Speaker 1 (00:05:21) - Therefore it's true. I'm like.
Speaker 2 (00:05:22) - Therefore let's I'm just prefacing this. This is not I didn't do the research, but I've seen this in multiple.
Speaker 2 (00:05:27) - I could sort this. I can sort like sorry, I have a little cold. I could cite the sources. an email last 17 seconds in a consumer's brain and a piece of direct mail has the power to stay in a home for 17 days. And when you think about how 17 seconds, 17 days. And you, you know, add it up to your own experiences. So I think print is definitely a, it's been overlooked. It's a great way to do local, and what's really and targeted, very targeted. What I'm always advising clients on these days is what everybody talks about data. And we have all this data, we have all this data, we have all this data. What are you doing with it? So many people have tons of data. They capture it, but they don't do anything with it. Print. And for traditional people might think there's something called offset printing. And that is what we call static today with digital technologies, everything could be variable. I can send you a piece of direct mail.
Speaker 2 (00:06:34) - I know where you live. I know you're buying habits. And I could say, hey, Josh, do you know you're 17 steps away from a new life or a new home or a new gym or so. You really can target somebody and it's it becomes a very interesting way to create a relationship with the person and really get what you need. The other thing that I customers that were advising a lot to do is people talk about, you know, you leave something in your cart when you're online shopping and you'll get something, hey, you left this there. I find it a little creepy. Also, not in my cart. but what you can do. Also, marketers are missing the opportunity to take that data. If you have an online business, they've probably also filled out an address for wherever they're going. Take that data and send them a direct mail postcard. Yeah. And people then a consumer is not going to put the dots together right away. But if you send them, hey, a picture of those boots that they left in their cart and you talk about like the beautiful leather and the sea and then you don't know.
Speaker 1 (00:07:45) - Yeah. That's quite you know, it's kind of like zigging when other people zag. you know, most marketers, you know, it's it's their marketing in the red ocean. so it's, you know, the more that we can kind of go to where there's maybe not as much fatigue.
Speaker 2 (00:08:04) - but not as much noise.
Speaker 1 (00:08:06) - Yeah, yeah. Well, you know, in consumers brains today, too. I mean, can you would you mind maybe sharing a couple of best practices? I know you just kind of talked a little bit about, but in terms of, like, print that performs versus boring stale. Well, this is of no value to me as a, as a consumer. When I receive that, maybe share some ideas about what you see that that kind of really pops or sticks or gets the attention.
Speaker 2 (00:08:34) - Well, first of all, I always say, let's talk about what paper you're using, because when you think about it, it's tactile. That's another reason why print resonates in someone's brain.
Speaker 2 (00:08:43) - So think about the impression you want to make, and you can talk to your printer and look at different types of paper. If you're going for an event, we always recommend, you know, there's like a special paper that has a certain sheen on it that looks more upscale. If you're having a business conversation and you want somebody to invest, let's say if you were an American Express, go a high end linen. So best practice. Think about your paper. Think about what you're putting on that paper. Think about the colors you're using. always be careful about the colors because certain colors set people off. So think about color psychology. That's another best practice. And think about what you're putting on that message and what somebody is going to read. Get there. There's a hierarchy of information. So I would say think about the substrate, think about the colors you're going to use and think about the first message you want them to see because they're going to see it and then go down into it. we also recommend, if it is something for a product or service, a picture.
Speaker 2 (00:09:51) - There is going to be an engagement when they see a piece of art, whether it's a person's face, a picture of a bike, a lamp, anything. and then also there's new ways in print where you could do things called specialty embellishments. If you think about it, you'll get something from an airline and it's like, oh, reach your gold status and it has gold. Match up your marketing and your fonts and your print to what you're offering. And there's a value in that, you know, it's so if you're selling something and it's, I don't know, like a $20 item, you're not going to use gold, you're going to make it more fun and approachable. But if you're asking somebody to sign up for a loyalty program and hit a status, make sure those things match. so that's another, big item. And I always say, for people who are starting out in print and direct mail, I always do a test and mail it to yourself first. that's a big thing because you never the post office things up, you know, and you never really know.
Speaker 2 (00:10:54) - So, reinforcing the substrate, the colors and ink you're going to use and making sure that your headline is not cluttered.
Speaker 1 (00:11:06) - Yeah. You have worked with companies like Nestlé and Hasbro. Share with us just a little bit about Square Root Creative as a company and, and the type of work like who you work with and what that looks like.
Speaker 2 (00:11:20) - So Nestlé and Hasbro were my starter business, like I would say when we first started out. I worked with them and learned a ton in that market about packaged goods, and that's where my love of packaging did start. I would never go to a supermarket the same way again because you're scanning every aisle. and you learn where things are placed. As an agency, now we're doing more in technology and services and hospitality. a ton with re rebranding. Now many companies are rebranding to connect with a different type of audience. The consumers are changing their preferences. So as an agency, we do work with, like I said, fortune 500. We also work with a lot of nonprofit.
Speaker 2 (00:12:09) - and pro bono. I'll do when it comes to we work with the Miss Foundation from time to time, which has been a great honor for me. being part of, you know, what Gloria Steinem in that vision created, especially being here in New York. we do a lot of video websites, print, branding is my personal love, actually, because you get to tell the story. and it's very interesting when you work with working with a client now. and it's a pretty big business, but a small medium business. But, you know, it has substance. When you work for a company, when the owner is, like, personally involved and still there, it's a very different experience than working for a fortune 500 company. so when we can tell a story, that's when we see the creatives getting really excited, and how we work. So if it's a branding project, there's always a few ways to get somewhere. If you think about directions, you get three routes, right? Do you want to pay tolls? Do you want to go this way? Do you want to go that way? So in branding, it's the same way you have a goal.
Speaker 2 (00:13:20) - But how are you visually interpreting that? And that's a big deal. And what's the voice of that company? So much goes into the simplicity of a brand. It's you don't realize it, but everything is it's crafted. It's like plastic surgery. You're crafting it. So I hope I answered your question there.
Speaker 1 (00:13:42) - Yeah, certainly. and so to someone that, like who would be ideal in terms of like that, that, you know, it's like it could be maybe their values, maybe particular industry that they sort of like who is kind of like your perfect customer. You're like, oh yeah, we're going to do good stuff together.
Speaker 2 (00:14:01) - Besides one that pays. Just kidding you, right?
Speaker 1 (00:14:05) - One that pays on time.
Speaker 2 (00:14:06) - Oh, yeah. well, I'm gonna answer that question. Like my personal ideal. I always had a dream of working with Nike. Always. I they inspired me in college, and that was many years ago. so that's a personal thing. An ideal client is one that is collaborative with you, and has information and participates.
Speaker 2 (00:14:32) - We have some clients who just dump and run, and you spend so much time trying to weed things out. So I'm going to also make sure that I give your audience some advice. If you're going to work with an agency, learn how to work with an agency first. It'll save you time, money, and you're going to get to market faster. so an ideal client for us is one that wants to create something it we don't like doing one hit wonders. It's that's not what I'm in the game for. I still believe in the art of the idea. So if we can take a brand who wants to have a new visual identity, a new voice, and do something different, and when I say different, it's going to be an event that's not ordinary or we're going to do something different in delivery, something that's going to stand out. the word templates for me is like. Because it's like video killed the radio star templates kill creativity.
Speaker 1 (00:15:31) - Yeah, right.
Speaker 2 (00:15:33) - so an ideal client is also one that wants to build something out.
Speaker 2 (00:15:39) - and it's not just one piece. It's here's everything's cohesive. So when you can take something and put it around all the different avenues of marketing. So if it's print PR, digital ads, your website, your social being one message and the client that wants to understand that and then you can tweak it to different audiences. So I would say an ideal client is one we want. They want us to build their story and tell their story. Everybody in marketing says, oh, we're storytellers. I'm a story builder. I like building it and then we can tell it.
Speaker 3 (00:16:16) - Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:16:18) - Alicia, your website, square root creative.com to a friend that's been listening to our conversation. And they're curious and they they kind of want to take the next step. What would you recommend they do? I don't know if you have any resources or anything that you would direct them to.
Speaker 2 (00:16:31) - We recently just rebranded our site and it's very functional right now. There's a variety of work there that we show we decided to go for by client instead of by application or type of project.
Speaker 2 (00:16:47) - so I say explore there. See what we do. See our design aesthetic. It's very clean. It's modern, it's thoughtful. Yeah. and they can get in touch with us there or email me at Alicia at Square Root creative.com.
Speaker 1 (00:17:02) - I'm looking at some of your your portfolio right now. And it is. It's gorgeous though I like the work that you did with, was it aquavit?
Speaker 2 (00:17:11) - Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:17:12) - The aquavit. Beautiful.
Speaker 2 (00:17:14) - Yeah. Spirits are one of my favorites. because the packaging and you have to stand out in the market. You're pitching something now? that hopefully I could call you back in a week or two and tell you, Hey, we got it. we're also another exciting thing that, we are doing. We're we've been branching out a little differently. over the past, I would say six months looking for more like, smaller clients. Not these big fortune 500 clients that. It's hard to get things moving there lately. There's a lot of, you know, red tape. Everybody's very concerned about the the political environment around us.
Speaker 2 (00:17:55) - So smaller clients sometimes can be more fun. we're rebranding, a person right now, not a product. That was one of my goals. Like, let's work for a person, not a product. we'll be launching Jenna wolfe.com soon. Jenna, if everyone says, oh, yeah, I know the name Jenna Wolfe was the, she was the lifestyle and fitness correspondent on the Today show for ten years. She's a total trailblazer. Badass. Yeah. and so we're launching rebranding her site. we are also creating a new product, and that brand is called Apothecary saints.com. You won't see this work on this site right now, but by the time this launches, you probably will. In terms of being an entrepreneur and knowing marketing, I never sit still. And also I'm in New York, so I'm very always going, always, always on. so I recently partnered with another woman and I'm launching a brand of my own, in the health and beauty lines. Nice. That's super exciting. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:19:02) - Well.
Speaker 1 (00:19:03) - Congratulations again. Square Root Creative Comm Alicia Burch, thank you so much for joining us.
Speaker 2 (00:19:09) - Josh, I appreciate your time. Take care.
Speaker 1 (00:19:17) - Thanks for listening to the Thoughtful Entrepreneur show. If you are a thoughtful business owner or professional who would like to be on this daily program, please visit up my influence. Com and click on podcast. We believe that every person has a message that can positively impact the world. We love our community who listens and shares our program every day. Together, we are empowering one another as thoughtful leaders. And as I mentioned at the beginning of this program, if you're looking for introductions to partners, investors, influencers, and clients, I have had private conversations with over 2000 leaders asking them where their best business comes from. I've got a free video that you can watch right now with no opt in or email required, where I'm going to share the exact steps necessary to be 100% inbound in your industry over the next 6 to 8 months, with no spam, no ads, and no sales.
Speaker 1 (00:20:16) - What I teach has worked for me for more than 15 years and has helped me create eight figures in revenue for my own companies. Just head to up my influence. Com and watch my free class on how to create endless high ticket sales appointments. Make sure to hit subscribe so that tomorrow morning. That's right, seven days a week you are going to be inspired and motivated to succeed. I promise to bring positivity and inspiration to you for around 15 minutes every single day. Thanks for listening and thank you for being a part of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur movement.