The New “Old School” Way to School Your Competition
It wasn’t too long ago that I felt the need to post, more than once, that print marketing wasn’t “dead” as those with a digital bias were fond of claiming. Fortunately, those days are gone.
Today, people are realizing the limitations of a digital-only strategy, along with the unique and compelling sales benefits only print can offer. And print marketing in many forms is a key component of smart marketing plans.
Print Packs “Plus” Power
Think about the past week. Think of how many messages (especially marketing messages) you saw on the screens of your desktop, laptop, or smartphone? I’m not asking you to remember any particular one (who could?), just the number you likely encountered, and quickly forgot.
That’s why print marketing is different. Print makes an impression. It creates more involvement. And generates more action.
Our friends at the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) sum up the benefits of print nicely.
Here, along with my thoughts, are some of the highlighted points.
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Print is the Perfect Partner to Digital Marketing
It’s not an “either/or” world any longer. All the talk is about reaching your prospects wherever they are in the “customer journey.” And those customers journey all over the place, media-wise!
Yes, they may see your online messages, along with thousands of others. But your presence in a brochure, a magazine, or a direct mail piece is another touchpoint that may connect with those who haven’t…and provide a strong reinforcement to those who have. (And for both, it can carry QR codes to carry them to a website or landing page for even more information.)
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Print Delivers a Better User Experience
This one is common sense. Or maybe I should say “common senses” because print uses more senses.
A consumer sits passively as digital messages flash past on screens, but a 3-D printed piece engages the eyes with beautifully printed visuals. That prospect can hold it, look at it closer, flip the pages, and even save it!
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Print Generates Response
There are multiple research studies that prove printed pieces produce results. The physical interaction makes a measurable difference. One example: a men’s clothing retailer reported that 20% of first-time visitors to its website place an order only after being sent a catalog.
Print creates an active involvement. When prospects make the choice to pick up and look at a printed piece, they are taking a step on the way to a sale.
Bottom line – print can reach targets you might be missing with digital. It gives those targets a more engaging experience. And it makes them more likely to respond to your messaging.
Isn’t that what building sales is all about?
Catalogs: The New Print Superstar
One print marketing vehicle is continuing a rather amazing comeback. We’ve talked about the benefit of using catalogs in marketing before, but their resurgence is still going strong.
And we’re not talking about yesterday’s huge, everything-you-could-ever-want-to-buy catalogs from mass marketers. We’re talking about new kinds of catalogs that connect better with today’s audiences.
Why are catalogs so popular again? Well, all the above benefits of print apply—and a few more.
- Unmatched Beauty. Nothing can make a selection of products look as good as a four-color printed catalog.
- Tighter Targeting. Today, “data mining” allows marketers to fine-tune catalogs to a specific audience, based on their age, location, interests, etc. The settings and presentations in each one reflects the lifestyles and tastes of that audience—magnifying the catalog’s impact.
- Synergy with Digital. Catalogs work particularly well along with digital marketing, providing a tangible component consumers feel better about. Statistics show that people who have first looked through a printed catalog buy 50% more online than those who did not.
- Cost-effective Impact. Advances in printing technology make it more efficient than ever to create these more focused catalogs that use storytelling and presentation to engage specific audiences.
“Catalogs may seem old school, but their increased capabilities and the brand-building potential suggest they’ll remain a staple in retailers’ toolboxes – and consumers’ mailboxes.” — Denise Lee Yohn, Harvard Business Review
Put Catalogs—and Superior—to Work Building Your Sales
To take full advantage of the dramatic impact of print marketing, partner with a company that has had a dramatic impact on the sales of customers like you.
We’ve just earned our fifth consecutive Best of Print & Digital award, which is based on the reviews our customers gave when asked by an independent research firm.
We’re proud of that achievement because serving business customers effectively is what our business was founded upon nearly 100 years ago.
And we’re one of few in the industry who have achieved ISO certification through exceptional customer service.
Call us at 800-968-1416 or reach out to your Superior sales rep using the menus at the top of this page.
We’ll help you improve your marketing efforts by adding the engaging power of print.
