Print and Online
The Internet has certainly become the focus of marketers and every business in the U.S. We have websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and more. What’s a business owner or marketer to do? Obviously, we must make some effort to have an effective presence in all of these venues. Of course, the tendency of the Web-focused marketer is to listen to the doomsayers who say that “print is dead.”
Print is still kicking, but it’s doing it from crutches. What Internet marketers and other business owners must think about is how to use print in conjunction with the Web. And, when we speak of print media, we’re also talking about direct mail, post cards, and even business cards. They all have their own audience, and that audience must be exposed to our other marketing.
What we must realize is that print is sort of handicapped in a way when it comes to how the American consumer gets their information today, and how they shop for products and information. They still read the newspaper, and they still read magazines, but they get a major amount of their news and information via the Internet, and now more than ever, via their mobile devices. They’re doing their shopping on smart phones and tablet computers. But, they’re also still exposed to print.
So, don’t drop print if it’s been a business-generator for you in the past. However, modify it just a bit. ALWAYS feature your website in your print advertising. Always feature your email address. You see, while a consumer may first be exposed to your business in print, they are going to be right back online in moments, so you’ll want them to have an easy and fast way to find you when they make that switch.
Think of your online marketing as a crutch for that limping print ad. Offer something special in the print marketing that they can redeem online. Let them make that transition from the traditional print media to your online presence with ease. You can make offers and deliver information much more efficiently via the Internet and mobile devices, so introduce the consumer to those offers with your print advertising.
Print advertising is far from dead. It’s just in need of an online crutch to move it to the next level.
Comments
having been in the printing trade as a pressman for several years ,I have seen the decline in print advertising first hand. Print is not dead but you are correct it is no where close to what it used to be. I have seen many shops close down and have seen many friends and coworkers loose their jobs.Printing at one time was a great trade to be in with good pay and benefits now days it is hard to find pressman jobs and when you do find one, the pay rate is not what it used to be .Not to mention some companies want you to run a 6 color press by yourself. So learning affiliate marketing is going to be atop priority for 2013. thanks for the lessons