Print Is Not Only Stirring But Stirring Up Sales
I almost have to laugh whenever this comes up…but it still comes up! Critics, most working far outside their area of expertise, see all the hype about digital this and digital that. They read another article about newspaper readership. Finally, they take another tired shot at the world of print, proclaiming its demise. That’s not only wrong; It’s consultant malpractice, in my book. After all, some businesses might actually believe it and thus miss the profitable advantages print services can add to their marketing.
I’m reminded of one of my very favorite quotations attributed to baseball icon Yogi Berra. He was talking about a hot new restaurant in town, and said, ‘it’s so crowded, nobody goes there anymore.” I think that’s a good analogy for how consumers respond in the face of a digital frenzy.
Print Services: the Prime Entry Point to a Crowded Media Space
The growth of digital media and marketing has made print more important than ever as an access point, to help “steer” prospects and customers to the right spots on the jam-packed digital map. A recent article by the Nielsen research organization explains it well.
Customers use multiple touchpoints to research products and sales. When Nielsen measured the level of consumer engagement with each one, findings were very revealing. During 2017 (how’s that for current?) the two touchpoints used by the highest percentage of households were the two “print” vehicles on the list.
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85% of households used circulars at home
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79% of households used circulars at the store
Those percentages were higher than for store websites, blogs, emails, texts and social media. People still want something they can hold in their hands. That means that if you think print is dead, more than100 million U.S. households, full of people of all ages, would disagree with you.
With Print Advertising, Your Marketing Is Well in Hand
In another article I came across, Molly Soat of the American Marketing Association also makes a good case for why print still matters. She interviews several experts who call it a great partner for digital marketing.
In the post, Aaron Padin, head of art and design at New York City ad agency J. Walter Thompson, praises print for its ability to serve up engaging content that coordinates very well with digital marketing tools. He says print materials are valuable because of the nearly undivided attention readers give to print, rather than multitasking like they do when consuming digital content.
“Print is all about that consumer engagement, where people are physically holding the ad in their hands,” Padin says.
Should Print Be in Your Marketing? Dead Right!
Whether it is in the form of ads, flyers, brochures, direct mail pieces, or imprinted promotional items, print belongs in your arsenal. In my experience, it will be the most effective part of your marketing program.
Contact Superior today, and we can discuss print services and the best ways to work print in and multiply the results of whatever else you are doing. If you prefer, contact one of our skilled sales representatives. Print is alive and kicking—and kicking business up another level.
