In today’s economic climate it is imperative to continue to get your message out to the marketplace so that you can stay ahead of your competition and improve sales – all while keeping costs down. This is a tricky dance and many companies are tempted to cut out print from their marketing spend. Why not? It’s much cheaper to send emails, post web pages, write blogs and you might even reach a greater audience.
This is a myth, in fact print advertising is more effective than ever. In 2008, eight of every 10 emails sent was spam. While it may not cost much to send email marketing, what are you getting in return? Is it worth it to spend virtually nothing and get a nominal response? Think about how many emails you receive in one day that you either don’t see because it went into your spam folder, or that you simply ignore because you know that it is spam.
In 2008 close to 40% of consumers surveyed by DMNews/Pitney Bowes have tried a new business for the first time because of information they received via direct mail. Nearly 70% reported renewing a relationship with a business after a period of time because they receive a direct mailing or promotional item.
Showing posts with label marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marketing. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Location, location, location
I know it seems strange coming from a print-centric blog site like ours, but today’s post is about real estate.
The real estate I’m referring to is not land based; well not exactly anyway. I’m referring to the desktop in an office or the countertop in someone’s home. Every day smart marketers are claiming a portion of that real estate for their products and services. They do that by producing attractive printed products that captivate their target audience enough so that the piece is read, then set aside on the desk or countertop for future reference. It might have been a coupon, or a grand opening announcement, or a catalog. No matter what it was the consumer felt compelled to keep it and now it’s sitting there continuing to communicate.
The problem with the internet is that it lacks the same permanence. With a click your message is gone. It’s lost in the browser history or it’s fallen below new inbox messages. Each form of advertising has its own place in a good communications strategy but each has its own risk and rewards too.
CCS chooses to use both in our marketing strategies. We use social media, web sites like this blog, email and printed communication to reach our target market. We’ve learned that the best way to communicate who we are is to find ways to claim some of that valuable desktop real estate. If we can create printed pieces that are either too compelling, or too valuable to throw away, we win important ground that our competition does not. If we can have our calendar, or notecards, or notepad, or coupon sitting right there prompting them to give us a chance, we will more likely be engaged when the potential customer needs printing services.
In today’s stingy economy we all need to find ways to woo the consumer to choose our products and services. Battling for real estate is a valid tactic and has proven to work. Print will always have a place in marketing and advertising and those who learn to balance the newer forms of communication with compelling traditional media will have the advantage.
The real estate I’m referring to is not land based; well not exactly anyway. I’m referring to the desktop in an office or the countertop in someone’s home. Every day smart marketers are claiming a portion of that real estate for their products and services. They do that by producing attractive printed products that captivate their target audience enough so that the piece is read, then set aside on the desk or countertop for future reference. It might have been a coupon, or a grand opening announcement, or a catalog. No matter what it was the consumer felt compelled to keep it and now it’s sitting there continuing to communicate.
The problem with the internet is that it lacks the same permanence. With a click your message is gone. It’s lost in the browser history or it’s fallen below new inbox messages. Each form of advertising has its own place in a good communications strategy but each has its own risk and rewards too.
CCS chooses to use both in our marketing strategies. We use social media, web sites like this blog, email and printed communication to reach our target market. We’ve learned that the best way to communicate who we are is to find ways to claim some of that valuable desktop real estate. If we can create printed pieces that are either too compelling, or too valuable to throw away, we win important ground that our competition does not. If we can have our calendar, or notecards, or notepad, or coupon sitting right there prompting them to give us a chance, we will more likely be engaged when the potential customer needs printing services.
In today’s stingy economy we all need to find ways to woo the consumer to choose our products and services. Battling for real estate is a valid tactic and has proven to work. Print will always have a place in marketing and advertising and those who learn to balance the newer forms of communication with compelling traditional media will have the advantage.
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