Print is not dead: why flyers and direct mail still work for SMEs
Everyone talks about online ads. A study commissioned by Swiss Post shows why printed advertising is still strong for SMEs – and how print and online work together.
Google Ads, Instagram, TikTok: when people talk about advertising today, they usually mean online channels. Yet Swiss letterboxes still receive flyers, catalogues and personally addressed letters. Is it still worth it for an SME? The numbers say yes – especially combined with online.
What a Swiss study shows
In autumn 2019, the market research institute intervista surveyed 1,000 people aged 18 to 80 from German- and French-speaking Switzerland on behalf of Swiss Post about the effect of different forms of advertising. Some findings:
- Less annoying: 39 percent found TV advertising annoying and 37 percent advertising on websites. For addressed direct mail it was only 20 percent, for newspaper ads 13 percent.
- Better remembered: 32 percent remembered the advertised offer well or very well after addressed direct mail. For website advertising it was 2 percent.
- Informative and inspiring: 41 percent found addressed mail informative, 40 percent inspiring.
- Purchase trigger: for 40 percent of respondents, addressed direct mail most often led to a purchase.
The study is a few years old and advertising habits change. But it clearly shows: print is perceived differently from a banner you click away.
Print and online are not either-or
According to the WEMF study MA Net 2025-2, 94.4 percent of people aged 14 and over in Switzerland are online. Your customers are on the internet – and they still have a letterbox. The Swiss Post study also found that about as many people visited a provider's website after receiving advertising by email as by post. Moving from paper to the web is no obstacle.
How to combine print and online
- One clear goal per printed piece: one offer, one call to action – such as "Order online now" or "Book an appointment".
- QR code to a matching page: not just the homepage, but straight to the offer.
- Target group, not scattergun: better 500 well-chosen households in your neighbourhood than 10,000 random ones.
- Measure results: a dedicated voucher code or web address shows how many enquiries the flyer brought in.
- Consistent branding: logo, colours and tone should be the same on flyers, website and social media.
How Sparissimo Digital helps
We design and produce print products, photos and videos – and connect them with your website, Google Ads and social media. One team, one contact. The first meeting and the analysis of your situation are free and non-binding.