Play Offense, Not Defense -- Sherburne
I’M NOT A big fan of defending print. I know, a strange way to start a column in a printing trade magazine. Clearly, the graphic arts industry is undergoing a time of dramatic change, and we speak a great deal about competition from alternative media and why print is still important in the media mix. But it seems to me that we all too often take a very defensive posture when presenting this argument. You know, “You should print because paper is portable, and you can fold it up and put it in your pocket...”
Sure, we all know the value of print media. We live it every day, and we are proud of what we do. That is as it should be. But our customers—now, that’s a different story. As we have discussed in this space before, they are not really even buying print. They are buying the ability to better promote their products and services, or a way to improve communication with valued customers. Increasingly, the buyers of print are not the traditional procurement folks we have been dealing with for ages.
And, in fact, they often don’t even have much knowledge about the art and science of printing. Nor do they really care. Their eyes glaze over when you hand them an equipment list, and start talking about your fully automated offset press, or that new full-color digital press that can do all sorts of magical things.
ROI on Marketing Spend
But start talking about improved return on marketing investment and how you can help them differentiate themselves in the marketplace, and the conversation goes to a whole new level. We should not be defensive about the value of print or its role in the media mix. Rather, we should take some time to consider what our clients are buying and why, and frame our conversations from their perspective. It is not about print; it is about the most effective way to achieve the business objectives associated with any given customer communication or campaign. This is a subtle difference, but one that can make a big difference in the sales and marketing process.
I recently visited Print in the Mix (www.printinthemix.com), which is a terrific resource that printing companies can take advantage of, as they frame a new customer approach focused around the new role of print in today’s very different media mix.
It is loaded with facts and figures that you can slip into those important presentations and customer newsletters. I especially like the Fast Facts section, conveniently segmented by subject for quick access. For example, did you know:
• More than 60 percent of merchants surveyed report that catalogs are their primary sales channel.
• According to MRI’s 2008 American Kids Study, children are increasingly using the Internet to look for further info on products they see in print and TV advertisements.
• Consumers across geographies rank TV ads as having the most impact on their buying decisions.
• Magazine, online and newspaper ads are a second tier of influence.
These are just a few of the Fast Fact nuggets you can find at Print in the Mix. Also available are thought leadership reports, studies and white papers that provide solid facts and data that can be used in helping customers determine how best to use various media in their marketing efforts. For example, “The Case for Print Media Advertising in the Internet Age,” by RIT’s Pat Sorce, Ph.D., and Adam DeWitz, examines the impact of advertising in different media.
In some ways, it seems that the pendulum is swinging too heavily toward digital media, and this means that marketers are leaving opportunity on the table. Armed with facts, figures and proactive ideas, you can help prevent that by working with your customers to deliver more effective marketing communications, some of which will include print.
Of course, the other side to this story is the need for printing businesses to diversify into services that encompass alternative media.More targeted communications often mean shorter runs of personalized or versioned printed materials combined with a mix of media.
This is a key reason that print volumes are in decline. But, it doesn’t mean that your revenues must be in decline, as well. By adding e-mail distribution, personalized URLs, database capabilities, video and other services that complement print, you can not only generate new revenue streams that offset declines in print, you will also establish deeper, more enduring relationships with those new print (and media) buyers. They will come to depend on you for your expertise in helping them deploy more effective communications, across all channels, and to demonstrate measurable return on marketing investment.
Times are tough. But, it is not a time to pull back and wait it out. It is a time to get creative about your business and how you can best address real customer needs. Experiment a little. Use a combination of print and new media to promote your own business, and write it up as a case study. Peruse Print in the Mix to see what factual support you can find for your efforts.
Don’t be defensive; there is nothing to be defensive about, and it turns people off. As an industry, we are well-placed to deliver significant value that can help our customers perform better during these troubled times. And, in the process, our own businesses will perform better, as well. PI
—Cary Sherburne
About the Author
Cary Sherburne is a well-known author, journalist and marketing consultant whose practice is focused on marketing communications strategies for the printing and publishing industries. She has written six books, including “Digital Paths to Profit,” published by NAPL; and, most recently, “No-Nonsense Innovation: Practical Strategies for Success,” written with Bill Lowe, the father of the IBM PC, and scheduled for publication this spring. Sherburne can be contacted at Cary@SherburneAssociates.com.
