EP166 – Print Isn’t Dead – Print Without Digital is Dead

Does it feel like print media is obsolete? It is if you don’t do it right. Print is just one component of your marketing pillars. In this episode, Jason and Bridget have a conversation with Keith Besherse about how to make the best use of print media in a digital world.

Strategy, tactics, getting it done on time and on budget. What would you like to know?

Keith has a companion resource to go with this episode that you may find helpful.

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Strategy is Strategy

Keith spent over 20 years in the military (thank you!) and when approached to run a print shop realized that logistics are the same regardless of the industry. You can coordinate print and digital media to work for success in your campaign. This strategy works in battle and in marketing.

“As we used to say in the Calvary, ‘Coordinate. Anticipate. Verify.” Keith Besherse

Print is one part of your marketing strategy. Your website is anther. Social media, networking events, ad campaigns, are all part of an overall strategy.

Who is your audience? What is the message? Is it valuable to them? These are the questions you need to ask yourself before launching tactics to support your strategy.

Efficient Isn’t Always Better

We like easy. We like efficient. We love the web. It’s fluid and living and breathing not to mention much easier (and cheaper) to fix mistakes.

Writing on the internet is easy. Writing for print is hard. Does that mean print is dead? No.

Print media paired with a good landing page will confirm the data that you have.

We can now predict a correlation between email, phone, address of people, Keith reminds us. Print media is powerful because it is personal and tactile. People respond to it. When they go to your landing page, those data points are validated.

“It is a visceral reaction: this is a substantive message.” Keith Besherse

Branding is the Whole Experience

Branding is about the whole experience a customer has with your brand, front to back, soup to nuts, the whole nine yards. You get the point.

You will meet people at conferences. You will want outreach campaigns. You will want print to accompany your landing pages. You will want to qualify leads. Print is your perfect companion. Touching a piece of media has an effect that is lasting.

It takes 7-12 touches to help create a buying decision and a branding impression regardless if your campaigns are digital or print. You may as well make the most of it.

Not All Designers Can Design for Print

As Keith Besheres says, “Ask your designer if they have a history with print.”

This is so important because of bleed, color limitations, and other print-only problems. The designer who works in print as well as digital (it’s all media) will have a printer he or she works with, too. This is to your benefit.

You’ll want to watch or listen to the whole episode so you don’t miss out on these gems.

Tool Or Tip Of The Week

Your ad could have been here.

Keith recommends leveraging big data for small businesses. This is why he started The Lead Leader.

Jason recommends Snapfax. Yes, there are some people (cough doctor’s offices cough) who still use fax machines.

Bridget recommends taking a break from screens and reading a paper book that doesn’t have to do with work.

Weekly Watercooler Discussions about WordPress and it’s community.

6 responses to “EP166 – Print Isn’t Dead – Print Without Digital is Dead”

  1. Check it out –
    EP166 – Print Isn’t Dead – Print Without Digital is Dead wpwatercooler.com/wpblab/ep166-p…

  2. The audience and message should drive a marketing plan; not the platform or channel.
    @YouTooCanBeGuru made a great point about the tactile and emotional experience of reading a printed piece.
    And @jasontucker said print marketing carries authenticity.

    twitter.com/wpwatercooler/…

  3. Keith Besherse Avatar

    Thanks for the opportunity to share.

  4. Chris Johnson Avatar

    Another tip – and I run the sales – is Thanks.IO.

    Automated (ahem, Digital) postcards that can match your FB ads etc.

  5. Baldguy_Marketing Avatar

    @jasontucker, in this #GirlsWhoPrint presentation Lily Harder makes a case for the younger generation preferring tangible over transitory…
    youtu.be/w97WoLGv-JM

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