“It was worth every cent.”

When was the last time you experienced this kind of confidence in a significant purchasing decision?

Maybe it was a memorable vacation splurge. Or a service that saved significant time or energy (like hiring a pro for your home repair or outsourcing your business accounting). Perhaps it involved purchasing a high-quality product for better long-term results.

Value is central to customer decision-making. And though everyone likes saving cash, most people understand a great payoff requires a measured upfront investment. Successful marketing helps people see the long-term gain you bring to their business.

Beyond Print Know-How: Offer Strategic Marketing Support

As a printer, you may get discouraged when you don’t see instant website sales or an immediate advertising response.

But marketing is a process. It takes time to fill the funnel to create sustainable, long-term sales. This means positioning yourself as more than just a service provider, but as a trustworthy creative resource.

Here are five strategic ways to communicate the value you can bring.

1. Develop Content Aligned with their Marketing Goals

Creating content that aligns with your print buyers’ broader marketing objectives will serve as a magnetic attraction for new customers.

• Looking to attract retail clients? Highlight seasonal promotions with eye-catching templates they can easily tweak for their own campaign.
• Trying to inspire nonprofits? Feature advocacy postcards, appeal letters, custom event invitations, and touching impact brochures.
• Developing education partnerships? Share samples of theater playbills, orientation packets, sports team banners, or big head cutouts.

By creating online content that speaks directly to their goals—such as SEO-optimized landing pages or visually engaging blogs—you put yourself in the right place at the right time, giving people the confidence to move forward in placing a print order with you.

2. Ask the Right Questions

When you want to be seen as more than just a print vendor, consultative selling is key.

Instead of simply taking orders, engage in open conversations with clients to uncover their true needs. Ask questions like, “What are your goals for this campaign?” or “Who is your target audience?”  Focus primarily on listening to put your customers first and your ideas second.

Here your goal is to offer more than just products, but tailored advice and deep value through encouragement, big-picture strategies, and product combinations or personalization ideas that directly support their objectives. (Example: a customized print campaign that incorporates seasonal ads, targeted direct mailings, and measurable tracking metrics).

As part of consultative selling, consider sharing coaching tips or success stories from other clients to demonstrate your expertise and your investment in their broader business vision.

3. Provide Customization Coaching

With advancements in digital printing and data-driven targeting, personalization has become a major trend in marketing.

As an industry expert, your print firm can add value by offering personalized campaign options that speak directly to clients’ target audiences. Want to keep clients coming back? Help them make more sales with coaching recommendations on variable data printing for direct mail pieces, out-of-the-box promotional product ideas, or customization options for specific client segments.

By helping customers see the value of customized print pieces, you position yourself as a forward-thinking partner who delivers results.

4. Empower Clients with Knowledge

One of the best ways to establish trust and position yourself as a marketing ally is to provide easily accessible educational resources.

This doesn’t have to be hard! Share tips, case studies, and best practices that help clients make the most of your print or creative resources. Examples may include:

• A social media video featuring design tools on your website
• A blog post about powerful direct mail designs
• A tweet referencing your “killer headlines” white paper content
• A testimonial from a client who relies on your Private Label Websites
• A Top 10 list of customized promotional gifts.

Educating prospects encourages people and empowers them to make informed decisions. This proactive approach builds credibility and positions you as their go-to source for design, inspiration, or future partnership.

5. Steady Follow-Up

Politician Bill Bradley said this: “Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.”

Great marketing partners stay in touch with leads and clients over the long haul. Not everyone is ready to jump in right away; some need a bit more time and a few extra, personalized nudges. Establishing a system to check in with leads who showed interest but didn’t take the next step can make all the difference.

From email drip campaigns to cart abandonment strategies, your timely, thoughtful follow-up can be the nudge that turns a hesitant prospect into a loyal client. Do you find consistency a challenge? Perhaps outsourcing follow-up to our email marketing experts would be a welcome weight off your shoulders.

Trust the Process

While sales wants “Mr. Right Now,” marketing prefers “Mr. Right.”

Marketing is a series of trust-building conversations that take time to yield results. On average, most marketing strategies take at least 3–6 months to show significant signs of success. But long-lasting results are worth it! Whether you need patience with your own advertising or want to sell yourself as “worth every cent,” you’ll need a big-picture focus that goes beyond today’s transactions.

So adjust your mindset to think beyond a simple sale! By embracing the long-game strategy of effective marketing partnerships, you’ll gain patience in the process and boldness to expand your reach – while offering rock-solid value as an essential part of your clients’ marketing teams.