A common goal for small businesses this year is to be more social – as in, social media. There is no better time to optimize your business’ social media presence and the good news is, there is no real entrance fee to get started. But chances are you already have a successful print marketing campaign, so why put all of your chips on an unproven social strategy for your business?

Companies small and large are finding that it doesn’t have to be one or the other; you could be using both print and digital platforms to attract new business, provide information and rewards for your current customers, and grow your business. So how can you harness the popularity of social media to help support your print marketing initiatives?

• It is important to start including social icons on all of your print materials. Try to keep your usernames consistent across all platforms and remember to include your username on your print materials so that people can find you quickly and easily.
• The reason why social platforms like Pinterest and Instagram are so successful is due to the highly visual aspect of the content posted there. There is no reason why a well designed postcard, or business card can’t do the same. Your high quality and well-designed print images should lend themselves easily to the visual nature of these platforms and provide some extra eye-candy for your fans on Facebook and followers on Twitter.
• Support your print marketing initiative with a social media strategy to drive conversation online. This should include goals and how you will measure your results before you begin to implement your strategy. If necessary, consult with an expert in social strategy to ensure your business is headed in the right direction.
• Use social media to attract customers to your print materials as well. Consider creating an online photo album that features your best printed documents. Customers may also be attracted to previews of your upcoming campaigns.
• Use social media to promote your print materials. Your social strategy should be designed to integrate your print marketing materials. If people like what you’ve posted online, they are more likely to sign up for your mailing list as well.

Don’t be afraid to integrate traditional and digital marketing efforts to help grow your business. Social media is a great way to keep your ear to the ground and listen to feedback directly from your customers in order to provide them the best possible service. You may also learn some valuable feedback about your print initiatives!