Cyndie Shaffstall

The Power of Print (in Marketing) Cyndie Shaffstall

Printers the world over are feeling the pinch of being known for, well... print. Listening to the buzz, print does seem to be at risk. We hear of the demise of yet another newspaper nearly weekly, and mobile devices are churning off production lines at an alarming rate. Despite the reports schoolbooks, newspapers, and coupons are going the way of the dodo bird, the fact is that survey after survey finds people simply prefer tangible printed products. In many cases, direct mail still out-performs email and with fewer marketers using direct mail, the mailbox is a much quieter place than the inbox. The demise of print may be imminent-who can say for sure-but the demise is not today. For us marketers, we look to our printers with a focus on communication, not just on producing print. We need the lift print provides-and that is the premise of multi-touch marketing. An approach where it's not about choosing print over electronic, it's about supporting your message with appropriate vehicles. When offline communication-print-is combined with online communication-email and web-both sides benefit, and, of course, the customer too. Online analytics and tracking are extended to the print vehicles and digital vehicles are bolstered by the tactile preference people have for print. Most importantly, the entire campaign benefits from the simultaneous deployment of multiple vehicles with the same message. In this ebook, we look at print with excitement. It is a time-honored format that is of the earth, sustainable, and just plain feels good. It is the power of multi-touch marketing. The Power of Print.