Print marketing is marketing that uses printed material to reach people, from leaflets, brochures, direct mail and press ads to banners, signs, flags and display stands. Large-format print is the part that puts your brand where people physically are: on the street, at your shopfront, on the road and at events.

It still earns its place because it works where digital ads can't follow. The people who walk past your door see the sign outside it every day, and nobody has to click on anything. Our advice is to start from the goal rather than the product, because the right format depends on where your customers will actually see it.

Which print format suits which goal

Here's how we'd match each common goal to a format.

Goal	Format	Where it works best	Our tip
Be found and look established	Business signs, printed display boards, corporate flags	Shopfronts, office entrances, business parks	Corporate flags are printed on 95% translucent polyester, so the design reads from both sides of the pole.
Pull in passing trade	A-frame pavement signs, pavement swing signs, feather flags	Footpaths, forecourts, retail parks	Swap the A-frame poster for each new offer instead of buying a new sign.
Promote an offer, opening or launch	PVC banners, mesh banners, hanging banners	Railings, fences, shop interiors, showrooms	Choose mesh for windy or exposed sites. PVC is laminated and waterproof for most other spots.
Advertise on the move	Magnetic signs for vans and cars	Your own vehicles, on every job	They're removable, so they come off when the car isn't working.
Stand out at events	Pull up banners, zipper walls, printed tablecloths	Trade shows, fairs, conferences	Zipper walls go up without tools, which helps when load-in is tight.
Brand an outdoor event or site	Branded gazebos, Heras fencing covers	Festivals, sports days, building sites	Gazebos run from 2m x 2m up to 5m x 5m, so confirm your pitch size first.
Light up a window	Lightboxes	Shop windows, showrooms, receptions	Double-sided, so the street and the shop floor both see your message.
Identify staff and visitors	Printed lanyards	Events, conferences, campuses	Made in Ireland in full colour, from a minimum order of 30.

If you're planning a bigger presence at a show, our exhibition stands bring several of these together. If banners are the main part of your plan, our guide to banner types and uses covers each one.

How to choose the right format

Start with where the piece will live. Outdoors in Ireland means rain, wind and a lot of grey days, so a banner on a seafront railing needs a different material from one hanging in a hotel foyer. We'd go with mesh anywhere the wind can catch it, because air passes through it and it doesn't act like a sail.

Then think about how long it needs to last. A banner for a weekend sale and a sign that stays over your door for years are different purchases. Tell us which one you're buying and we'll match the material to it.

Reading distance is the one people forget. Drivers passing a forecourt get a second or two, while someone at your counter can take as long as they like. Keep to one message per display and size the lettering for the furthest point people will read it from. Our piece on how to choose a banner works through these questions for each type.

Before you put signs on public railings or someone else's property, check with the council or the owner first.

Keeping your print on-brand

Use the same logo, colours and fonts on every piece. That way, someone who sees your van on Monday recognises your stand on Saturday.

Give every display a clear call to action and a route online you can track, such as a short URL, a QR code with UTM tags or an offer code. That's how you can count the enquiries a banner brings in. We cover the wider picture in using print ads alongside your digital strategy. If most of your sales happen online, read how offline marketing can boost an online business.

Send your artwork to size as a high-resolution, print-ready PDF, and we'll check it before anything is printed. No artwork yet? Our in-house design team can design a matching set of signs and displays for you. Our FAQs cover the details.

Using print to bring customers back

Print marketing isn't only for winning new customers. It also does a good job of reminding the ones you already have why they came to you.

A pavement sign is the simplest way to do this. You can change the poster with the seasons, run a "welcome back" offer for returning customers, or tell regulars what's new this week. The frame stays and only the poster changes, so each new message costs very little. That's the case for reusable displays in general: you buy the hardware once and refresh the message as often as you like.

Inside, hanging banners and lightboxes can point out new stock to people who would otherwise walk straight to the counter. If you host an evening for existing customers, a pull up banner and a branded tablecloth make it look planned. Thank-you cards and loyalty schemes can help too. Every printed piece should look like it comes from the same brand.

FAQs

Is print marketing still worth doing?

Yes, for the jobs it does well: local visibility, footfall, events and brand recognition. It works best when every piece points people to an offer or web page you can track.

What are the main types of print marketing materials?

Small-format print covers leaflets, brochures, direct mail and press ads. Large-format print covers banners, signs, flags, displays and vehicle signage. We specialise in large format: banners, flags, pavement and business signs, display stands, lightboxes, branded gazebos and lanyards.

How much does print marketing cost in Ireland?

It depends on the format, size, material and quantity, so we quote per job. Hardware you can reuse, such as A-frames and pull up banners, keeps later campaigns cheaper because you only replace the graphic.

How long does it take to print and deliver marketing materials?

We produce and deliver most orders within a working week, and next-day delivery is available on many orders. If your event date is fixed, give us the date when you order.

How can I make print marketing more sustainable?

Our eco-friendly range includes PVC-free banners and eco pull up banners. Using the same frames for years cuts waste further.

How do I know if my print marketing is working?

Give each piece its own tracked link, code or QR code, then compare the enquiries each one brings in. Our guide to measuring print marketing performance explains how.

Plan your next print campaign with us

After more than 20 years in large-format print and display, we can help you choose the right format for your goal. Contact us for a quote.

How Print Marketing Earns Repeat Business