With the ever exploding options available to marketing professionals and the rise of “inbound marketing” why would you use a communication medium like print advertising anymore?
The simple answer is because that’s where your customers go to get information. While there has certainly been a dramatic shift in the type and sources of information available to customers, print remains a popular option in many markets. Trade and leisure magazines continue to have strong readership.
From a marketer’s point of view there are five main reasons to use print:
1. To announce a new product to the broadest audience in one of the most cost-effective ways
A new product’s biggest challenge is gaining awareness, if no one knows about you, you have little chance of success. The fastest way to do this is to yell from the rooftops in the places your customers frequent.
2. To leverage a special feature or editorial in a magazine
An editorial focused around an issue you can help customers solve is a great place to advertise, readers are looking for solutions and it offers you an opportunity to be in the right place at the right time.
3. To help you define your target market
By advertising in a general publication, you can analyze the response and identify pockets of opportunity you may not have suspected.
For example, suppose you’re advertising a new piece of software. You think it will mainly be used by large businesses, however when you advertise, you are surprised to find smaller businesses are responding as well.
4. To add credibility to your product
Print advertising also adds credibility to your product. The fact that you are seen in a well-known publication adds weight and authority to your advertising claims.
5. Print has impact
A clever print ad stops the customers and grabs attention. As you can see in the Adidas piece at the beginning of this post many of the best ads have a powerful visual component and sometimes no headline at all. This invites curiosity – what is this advert about?
Print media is still an important tool in the marketer’s toolbox. However the key question is how do your customers prefer to get information?
