What are you Teaching Your Print Buyers?

As a printer, you wear several hats.

Not only do you have to manage the day-to-day aspects of running your print business, but you’re also looked upon as a leader; one who’s expected to lead in times of crisis such as these.

Additionally, you wear the hat of a marketer. Whether you embrace that role or fear it, there’s one aspect of your marketing hat you can’t afford to overlook right now: teaching.

Marketing is Teaching

An essential part of your job is teaching your print buyers, and it’s one of the most valuable ways to invest and secure both present and future customers.

Teaching positions you to make connections you might have otherwise missed. For example, follow this scenario through:

You give your print buyers information on something they’re eager to learn (like direct mail or print marketing tutorials or information).
Your print buyer finds the answers to their questions through your information and influence and signs up for your email or mailing list.
As your information continues to help, teach, and bring your printing company to mind, your print buyer then makes a purchase.
After a satisfying purchase, your print buyer then refers you to another print buyer, and the process starts over again.

Teaching not only creates an effective marketing cycle, but it has another enormous benefit as well:

Teaching eliminates the fear involved with marketing.

You don’t have to worry about coming across as too “salesy” or shoving your print services and solutions down their throats. By teaching, you create an atmosphere of continually “soft selling.”

Think of it like this: instead of telling your print buyers they need to do print marketing, show them how to do it through your marketing information and influence. As they learn more and get their questions answered through your teaching, they’ll naturally be guided to turn to you when they do need your products and services.

How Should You Teach Your Print Buyers?

There are several avenues you can take to teach your print buyers. No matter which one you choose, the objective is to answer any (and all) of their questions.

Answer questions through your blog. These don’t have to be 800-word masterpieces; they can be simple and relatively short. Click here for a complete list of blog ideas.

Every blog you put out is like dropping another bread crumb so your audience can find you. The more bread crumbs you leave, the faster they’ll find you.

Answer questions through short webinars. Whether you outline direct mail best practices, promotion ideas, or how to implement print into omnichannel marketing, the sky is the limit!
Answer questions through social media videos. Try short videos with quick tips for helping your print buyers market themselves better. These could be general marketing tips or more product-specific.

What Should You Teach Your Print Buyers?

In teaching your print buyers, your goal should be to teach the WHAT and the HOW/WHY, to ultimately sell the “DO-IT-FOR-ME” (DIFM) solution you offer. Take a look at these examples:

WHAT: A clean mailing list is essential for a successful direct mail campaign.

HOW: Here are three tips for making your mailing list better.

DIFM SOLUTION: If you need help cleaning up your mailing list, we provide…

WHAT: Omnichannel marketing boosts your print marketing efforts by XX%.

HOW: Top 10 Reasons You Need to Add Print to Complement Your Digital Marketing Strategy

DIFM SOLUTION: Partner with the print experts. We’ll help you craft a powerfully integrated direct mail campaign.

WHAT: To grow your customer base, you have to focus on connecting with your customers.

HOW: 5 Products Guaranteed to Help You Connect with Your Audience

DIFM SOLUTION: Whether you choose to make the connection through business or networking cards, brochures, newsletters, or postcards, we can help you build the relationships that will help you succeed.

It’s Time to Put On Your Teacher Hat

When you focus on teaching your print buyers about the WHAT, they’ll begin to feel that they can trust you.

When you help them understand HOW those concepts and tips can be put into action and the why behind them, those print buyers will gain a sense of comfort.

Lastly, when you’ve already taught the WHAT and the HOW, it’ll pave the way for them to see the extra value in having you take care of it for them through the products and services you offer.

As you seek knowledge for your own print business through the concepts and information you learn, now is the time to start filtering it through the lens of, “Can I pass along this information and teach it to my prospects and customers?”