5 Reasons Print Still Rocks

 

Is print still relevant in today’s world of ubiquitous electronic media? Yes! Here are a few reasons not to overlook when you are planning your next marketing campaign.

1. Print adds a dimension to the media experience not possible with digital media.

Print is warm and inviting. You can create dazzling special effects that make readers want to touch and feel your message thanks to a new generation of papers, inks, varnishes and coatings. It’s a tangible dimension that electronic media can’t impart.

2. Print is universally accessible.

Printed documents don’t have batteries that run down, they can easily be read even in direct sunlight, and they can be read even in locations where wireless is not available, such as subway stations and airplanes.

3. Certain demographics don’t go online.

Some demographic groups, particularly older consumers, simply prefer print collateral over digital options. In some cases, print may be the only way they research their options. Don’t overlook the disposable income of this demographic group!

4. Consumers are multi-channel.

When looking to make a purchase, today’s media-savvy consumers seek multiple sources of information. Rarely will they use online only or print only. They seek out multiple media and compare and contrast responses. Print is a critical part of that mix.

5. Print is more trusted for high-dollar purchases.

Consumers love electronic media for its immediacy, but research shows that they seek print when it’s time to buy. Web technologies provide quick answers, but the responses are often contradictory. Print shows that you found your message to be important enough to commit it to paper and you stand behind what you’re saying.

Overlooking the role of print can prove fatal to a marketing campaign. If your objective is to inform, teach, persuade or entertain, print marketing is a must.

 

 

Jeff Lampert

Director of Marketing and Business Development

 

Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes.  It is best to admit them quickly and get on with improving your other innovations.

Steve Jobs

 

Want to be a Best-in-Class Marketer?

Do you want to be a best-in-class marketer? In survey after survey, we find that it is well worth the effort. Regardless of how best-in-class marketers are defined, these companies consistently stand out in profitability and customer retention. 

According to one research study (“Analytics for the CMO: How Best-in-Class Marketers Use Customer Insights to Drive Revenue,” the Aberdeen Group), best-in-class marketers were found to receive 9.9% average YOY improvement in incremental sales lift resulting from marketing campaigns. This compares to 1.1% for “average” marketers and a 3.6% decline among marketing laggards. Best-in-class marketers were also found to receive 9.5% average YOY increase in customer retention rate vs. 2.1% among average firms and a 3.2% decline for laggards.

How do they do it? According to the study, they have intentional, strategic processes in place to track, measure, and report on all marketing campaign results, both print and online. These efforts include:

• Website visitor tracking (86% utilizing)
• Tracking, measuring, and reporting on all marketing campaign results (82% utilizing)
• Establishing processes to test effectiveness of campaign content (64% utilizing)

Best-in-class marketers also make a 60% average marketing contribution to the sales pipeline versus 10% for industry average firms and 3% for laggards.

What’s clear from this data is that best-in-class marketers understand the value of making planned, strategic investments in monitoring their campaigns and their results, then the importance of wrapping those results around to their next campaign to reap the benefits of what they have learned. The good news is, these are strategies that any marketer can put into place.

Need help setting up intentional processes for your marketing campaigns? Give us a call!

 

Jeff Lampert

Director of Marketing and Business Development

 

“When you compete with a person, you only have to be as good or better than the
person to win. If you compete with yourself, there is no limitation to how good
you can be.”
Chu Chin-Ning