Retailers Choosing the Right Print Partner Need to Think ‘Beyond Print’
Greetings Citizens of The Printerverse and welcome to the communications evolution! I am endlessly enthusiastic about the new opportunities and possibilities available to marketers and print customers, and thrilled to be invited by Specialty Print Communications (SPC) to share a few that you can start taking advantage of today.
No matter where you are in the marketing chain, print technology in the 21st century has disrupted how we engage with customers, consumers and the world. It sits as the foundation for bridges that span into digital media and electronic devices, and gives us the incredible ability to speak specifically to one, or to customize our communications for the masses. With access to minimal information, the right print technology and the right print partner can help you maximize your marketing results. In 2020, choosing the right print partner means thinking about print…and beyond.
Let’s take the retail sector as an example – with many established retailers closing or scaling back their brick and mortar operations, and competition between e-commerce retailers fiercer than ever, businesses need to get creative in order to differentiate themselves. Retail marketing in 2020 means being able to engage with customers through every touchpoint of their purchasing journey. According to a whitepaper on ‘The Connected Customer’ from retail software solutions provider Eagle Eye, 33% of consumers are comparing prices and availability via mobile while out shopping, but 90% of sales are still completed in a store. Planning strategically to follow the retail customer journey means your marketing needs to be in-store, in homes and on phones. Consistent messaging, delivering the right offer at the right time and in the right place – the purest form of multi-channel marketing.
When it comes to retail, print reigns as the foundation for successful communications and sales. The USPS reports that direct mail response rates are often 30 times higher than display ads and 9 times higher than email ads. On top of this, direct mail is a proven driving force of digital engagement, with the USPS also noting that 84% of people who have received a piece of direct mail from an e-tailer have taken action based on that mail.
There are huge opportunities for brands and marketers to capitalize on print’s trust and reputation, but print isn’t enough. Marketing professionals have to look for partners who can do it all, and help them justify the dollars they spend with results. Organizations such as SPC have transformed into truly integrated service providers that can be that partner for you.
Innovators in the direct response marketing and print industries like SPC, are applying new strategies that embrace integrated online-offline campaigns with great success. Why not have the mail call to action push to a text or QR code to drive leads immediately online? Why not capture online shoppers and send them personalized mail offers? Why not launch a campaign with digital ads first to help the direct mail work harder converting sales? These techniques work!
I have known the LeFebvres for many years and have always admired their ability to see the forest through the trees and embrace new technologies fearlessly. That fortitude also enables a consistent flow of new ideas and new opportunities, and new ways for SPC’s clients to communicate with their customers. They can help you go beyond print and serve as your secret weapon in your marketing arsenal!
Hear from Adam LeFebvre on how life can tie into a print campaign and beyond
Author:
Deborah Corn is the Intergalactic Ambassador to The Printerverse, providing printspiration and resources to print and marketing professionals through her website, PrintMediaCentr.com. She has 25+ years of experience working in advertising as a Print Producer and now works behind the scenes with printers, suppliers and industry organizations helping them create meaningful relationships with customers and members, and achieve success with their social media, content marketing and sales endeavors.
