All around us, we hear about the benefits of going paperless. When it comes to marketing, that’s just not a smart move. When our inboxes are clogged with spam and any company can look big and successful online, print carries a gravitas that inspires confidence and trust.
Now is not the time to give up print. But smart marketers are making their print contacts even more powerful.
- Focus on recent customers. Clients who have purchased from you recently know who you are. They just need a simple reminder, such as a postcard or sell sheet, to give them a reason to buy from you again. If you’re looking to stretch your marketing dollars, focus on recent customers first.
- Know your top customers. Pay particular attention to retaining customers with the highest profit margin. Then target prospects with similar profiles with the presumption that you will be able to serve them profitably as well. If you don’t know who your top customers are, a proactive investment in data analysis can reap big returns.
- Be relevant. You can only satisfy buyer motivations if you understand what your prospects love and hate—their hearts’ true desires and what keeps them awake at night. Knowing your customers and engaging in sincere dialogue about what they want and why they want it will pay off in repeat sales and quality referrals.
Print marketing is evolving. Success is no longer based on trying to get a static, “same to all” message in front of as many people as possible. It’s about marketing smart and marketing relevant, and using the tangible, confidence-building medium of print to its maximum advantage.
