Tag Archives: print

5 Reasons Print Stubbornly Refuses to Be Replaced

No matter how frequently marketing gurus prophesy the demise of print, and no matter how loudly and publicly they do it, print marketing remains the bedrock of any successful multichannel marketing program. Let’s look at five reasons why print is here to stay.

It’s just prettier. It doesn’t matter how gorgeous your JPGs are; a beautifully printed piece will blow away your screen graphics every time.
You can’t avoid it. When you communicate by email, recipients can’t see beyond the subject line until they open the message. With clear envelopes, windows, and exterior envelope printing, you start communicating your print message as soon as the piece arrives in the mailbox.
Print is one of many touchpoints. Today’s complex marketing environment requires multiple touch points. According to the Online Marketing Institute, it takes six to eight marketing touches to generate a viable sales lead. Repetition is critical, and print is a critical channel in the mix.
Print influences buying decisions. Marketers once thought that with the growth of e-commerce, printed catalogs would fade away. History indicates otherwise. Surveys find that consumers who receive printed catalogs are more likely (in one study, twice as likely) to make online purchases at the retailer’s website as those who do not.
Consumers trust print more. Open your e-mail. How much junk email do you receive? Unless it comes from a known brand, people are skeptical of claims made by email alone. Print carries greater weight and authenticity than digital marketing. People continue to trust messages communicated in print.

Print remains irreplaceable in today’s “what’s in it for me?” world. While e-marketing is a necessary component in any multichannel marketing campaign, print carries benefits that online channels just can’t touch.

Want More Sales? Drip It!

What is drip marketing? It is a powerful form of marketing in which marketers gradually “drip” content out to customers and prospects over time. Drip marketing includes a wide variety of channels, including direct mail, email, newsletters, and social media. It can be used for brand building, product introduction, cross-sells, and a variety of other marketing goals.

Let’s look at how one marketer used drip marketing with direct mail to get 1400% ROI.

Phase #1: Step one was sending an eye-catching, high-gloss trifold mailer that grabbed instant attention inside the mailbox. Once the mailer was opened, recipients were greeted with name personalization, relevant text, and a personalized URL that allowed them to enter an email address and download a free, high-value white paper. They were also encouraged to fill out an optional survey to provide the marketer with more insight into their individual needs.

Phase #2: Step two was a follow-up mailing to nonresponders. This mailing built on the name recognition built by the first mailing, but it was tweaked to differentiate the two. The piece also included a personalized URL.

After the second mailing, the marketer was swamped with responses — so much so that the third mailing was delayed for several weeks so that the response team could keep up.

Phase #3: The third mailing went to people who had not responded to the first two mailings. The marketer used an invitation-style A7 envelope with full-color brochure insert, personalized note, and personalized URL. To sweeten the pot, respondents were offered the chance to win a sporting package or high-end coffee brewing system.

The results? The company exceeded its sales goals by 400% and achieved more than 1400% ROI!

What made this program such a success? The marketer understood that sometimes it takes more than one contact to build name recognition and trust. In a drip campaign, each piece builds upon the next, and in the end, you gain results not possible with a single marketing touch.

Want to tap into the power of drip marketing? Give us call!

Boost Customer Loyalty with Surveys

One of the best uses of your marketing dollars is to protect your existing customer base. You’ve worked hard to earn their loyalty. Now you want to keep it. Consider the benefits of utilizing customer surveys.

Let’s look at an example. A regional grocery store chain was experiencing increased competition from a large national chain and wanted to preserve its most valuable customer relationships. The chain sent two personalized surveys to its top 400 customers: one in the fall and one in the spring.

The first survey included six personalized questions and a letter addressed to the shopper, signed by the store manager of the location they frequented most. In the second, questions were designed to see how well the chain had addressed the issues raised in the first survey. Recipients also received a personalized cover letter from the store manager.

The surveys received a 52% response rate. While specific data on customer retention was not provided, a research study conducted by Rice University and published in Harvard Business Review found that, over the course of a year, customers who received similar customer surveys were twice as likely to continue their relationship with the company than those who did not.[1]

There are no surprises here. Once people have made a purchase from you, they are your customers to lose. Show them that you care what they think, that their opinions are valuable, and you will act on information they share with you. They will reward you with their loyalty.

Why not talk to us about incorporating a customer survey into your next mailing?

[1] “Sending out a Survey to Customers Can Double Sales,” by Vivek Bhaskaran, http://www.questionpro.com.