Here’s a novel idea: sell printing by using print!
The average printing company doesn’t use print
Their factories may be filled with ink on paper, but none of it relates to them. When it comes to selling their products and services they rely on everything apart from print. They use e-mail, social media and cold calling.
So why is there such a dislike of using print? Why are we abandoning the communication channel which we champion to other people?
What makes this decision even stranger is the fact that print is one of the best performing channels. STATS
Here’s why print works
Prospects remember post
Printing companies that sell using print stand a far better chance of engaging with their prospects. As print is a channel ignored by some many other companies you have a much better chance of standing out. Your prospects will remember you. They are far more likely to carry on the dialogue with you. So you are more likely to achieve your sales targets.
Printing companies that ignore print are more likely to struggle to achieve their sales goals. Their message will be lost amongst the noise of all the other e-mails, cold calls and social media activity.
Naturally we all know this! After all, we are in the world of printing. So you probably know three effective ways to sell using print. But here’s a reminder, just in case.
Use lumpy direct mail
Direct mail has a good chance of being opened. Lumpy direct mail (i.e. direct mail with a gift inside) has an even better chance of being opened, and being opened by the intended recipient. People want to know what the package contains. Send the right gift and prospects will remember you and want to talk to you.
This channel can work even better if you end a letter (or even an e-mail) telling people to look out for your gift. However, you can create good lumpy mail without using gifts.
Give out samples
Good samples still attract prospects. However, to be clear, you need to do something special. A piece of good quality standard print isn’t going to impress anyone. It is what all buyers expect. Instead, wow your prospects with unusual formats and finishes. You want to give them something unusual that will make them sit up and take notice of you.
Sending samples by mail can be enough to get you a phone call or a meeting. However, remember to bring more samples along to meetings. Remember also to give your current customers samples of new ideas as well. You can use samples for the next strategy as well.
“Printing companies that sell using print stand a far better chance of engaging with their prospects” https://t.co/kTqhZmAaJc
— Matthew Parker (@PrintChampion) May 5, 2017
Use cross media
Remember, cross media is still a novel idea to many people. Encourage them to scan print and see the possibilities of taking their prospects and customers on a very different journey. Share the many case studies which demonstrate how cross media really does raise response rates.
If you offer cross media services, you really should be using it to promote yourself to prospects. You’ll get a high response rate and you’ll know exactly who is interested in your services.
Have conviction in what you sell!
It’s not a great advertisement for the printing industry if we don’t use what we promote. It is time to sell print by using print.
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