marketing Archives - Marketing, content, & technology to help printers sell more printing

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Eliud Kipchoge, king of marathon running Athletics is all about fast times and firsts, and marathon racing puts strength on display with its grueling 26.2-mile test of physical, mental, and emotional endurance. Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge, known by many as the king of marathon running, is the only man to hold both the official and unofficial marathon world records. Raised by a single mother, he ran two miles to school each day but did not start running seriously until his teen years. Early in his career, he ran in shorter distances, winning the 5,000-meter bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics before transitioning to marathons in 2013. At the height of his career, Kipchoge was known for immense self-discipline – from 5:00 AM mountain pacers to logging every workout in a personal notebook. But there’s one thing he did not do: overextend himself in training. In daily runs, he never pushed past 80-90 percent exertion. And his slow, steady consistency paid off. On his journey to logging the first sub-two-hour marathon in history (in 2019), Kipchoge never sustained a serious injury, put down four of the fastest 10 marathons

If you’ve ever felt the pinch of a tight budget, you know the importance of making value-driven decisions. A central question of economics is this: how do we assess the value – or the economic WORTH – of a product or service? For example, is it “worth” paying more for cookware that will last twice as long? Is it “worth” investing in a star NFL quarterback if it means more people will follow your team? As a professional printer, maybe you’ve asked a different version of this question: Is it “worth” investing dollars into your own direct mail marketing? It Costs Money NOT to Market Your Print Business As digital marketing continues to expand, many printers have answered this question with inaction. Maybe this describes you. Have you drifted toward ambivalence or stopped sending direct mail marketing altogether? Perhaps the price tag on direct mail (including both time and financial cost) has discouraged you from using this time-tested tool. Here’s an important truth to consider: It costs money NOT to market your business. While direct mail takes effort, it is also an important building block to your future success. When you overlook this strategic marketing channel, here are three different

Welcome back to another edition of Sell More Printing, where we explore real-world sales and marketing strategies that you, as a printer, can adapt to boost your business. This month, we dive into the powerful role of creating a welcoming environment in your shop, inspired by a modern banking experience and a cherished memory from my early days in the printing industry at Express Press in Fargo, North Dakota. The allure of complimentary cookies and coffee might be why some customers, myself included, prefer visiting their bank in person rather than speeding through the drive-through. This simple yet effective approach to customer care can transform a routine errand into a pleasurable visit, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty. Now, imagine applying a similar strategy to your print shop. How This Helps You Sell More Printing Reflecting on the early ’90s, I recall the innovative spirit of Mike Stevens at Express Press. Mike often credited his father, Jerry, as his “secret weapon.” Jerry was known for his humor and friendliness, and he introduced a unique way to welcome customers—by baking bread right in the lobby using an automated bread-making machine, a cutting-edge technology at the time. The delightful aroma of fresh bread

The Cambridge Dictionary defines a dead-end as a road with no way out – or a situation without hope of forward progress. Your print business invests precious resources to drive people to your website. But are you “wasting” this inbound traffic without offering visitors an actionable next step? Like real-life dead-ends, website roadblocks are a joy killer. Dead-end pages or content pieces are those with no connections leading further. As a wave foams out on the shore, these pieces put a hard stop to existing momentum. Connections Build Commitment If you want print prospects to marry your printing company, first you must “court” them with customer engagement strategies. Customer engagement is the sum of all interactions between a business and a client. Touchpoints occur through many channels, but ultimately, they increase the amount of time and attention people give you, which builds their confidence and motivates them to buy. If website viewers are prospects considering your print company, it’s your job to woo them toward a purchase decision. Here are several ways to move people forward. Audit Every Page for a Next Action Print buyers should never get to the end of one page or ad and not know what

Welcome back to another edition of “Sell More Printing,” where we consider sales and marketing strategies that can significantly boost your printing business. In this issue, we’re spotlighting how your Management Information System (MIS) can be so much more than just a management tool; your MIS can also be a key element of your sales and marketing framework. Keep reading below, but also watch the replay of the Your Marketing-First Blueprint for Website & MIS Success webinar to discover how this strategy unfolds in more detail. This all-in-one solution, with its one-of-a-kind approach, specifically addresses the challenges of running a print business. In today’s competitive market, integrating your MIS with your marketing strategies is not just innovative; it’s essential. If your marketing strategy is designed to lead your prospects and customers to your website’s order forms, why can’t your website ask for the sale when they arrive, “Ready to make a purchase?” Why can’t your MIS tell your website to say to your customer, “Thanks for your order!” and then turn to your production team and say, “I’ve got a new order for you to print!” Odyssey Connects Marketing to MIS That’s exactly what happens with Odyssey, the Print MIS that lives

Welcome back to another edition of Sell More Printing, where we explore real-world sales and marketing strategies that you, as a printer, can adapt to boost your business. This month, we’re diving into a topic sparked by a conversation with my daughter, Tessa, about an unusual traffic marvel – England’s 7-circle Magic Roundabout – and how its principles can revolutionize your marketing approach. The Magic Roundabout: A Complex Dance of Traffic Imagine navigating a roundabout. Now, multiply that by seven interconnected circles! That’s the Magic Roundabout in Swindon, England. Click here to see a short video of this unique system in action. Initially confusing, this roundabout efficiently manages heavy traffic from multiple directions. Each mini-roundabout within the larger system requires drivers to adapt, observe, and react quickly – much like the multifaceted world of marketing. How This Helps You Sell More Printing The Magic Roundabout’s complexity mirrors the challenges you face in marketing your printing business. Just as drivers must choose the right path through the roundabout to reach their destination, you must navigate various marketing strategies to reach your target audience effectively. Steering Through the Marketing Maze: Practical Steps To adapt this analogy to your printing business, consider these key

Birchbox is a beauty subscription service that revolutionized the way consumers discover and experience cosmetic products. Launched in 2010, Birchbox introduced a unique concept of delivering monthly boxes with a selection of sample-sized beauty products to subscribers for a flat rate of $10. This approach eliminated the need for customers to invest in full-sized products, growing customer confidence in the products and loyalty to the company that delivered them. After realizing its colored outer packaging gets damaged in transit to customers, Birchbox added a pristine internal box with the company name featured in foil print. Recipients loved it, and shared unboxing photos and videos widely on social media. This amplified the Birchbox “experience” of unwrapping luxury, value, and convenience each month. The momentum certainly paid off: Birchbox grew to 850,000 subscribers in just three and a half years. The Undeniable Power of Packaging As tempting as it is to think of ourselves as rational, logical individuals, the truth is that human beings make snap judgments, and quite often, this is due to packaging. Printers know this, but print buyers may need some reminding about why investing extra resources into packaging is worthwhile. Why is this avenue of marketing so important?

Diving into the online print market is no walk in the park. Giants like Vistaprint and Shutterfly dominate the scene with their vast offerings and savvy marketing, setting a towering standard for smaller printing companies aiming to establish their spot in the market. Yet, there’s room for the David’s in this Goliath’s world. Smaller print businesses can carve out their niche by crafting a standout brand identity, offering tailor-made services, and mastering digital marketing that offers a human connection with their audience. Let’s unpack some strategies to transform these challenges into golden opportunities for printing businesses of any size to stand out and excel in the bustling online print market. Taking on the Online Print Giants: What Are You Up Against? Price Wars Smaller printing companies find it challenging to compete on price with giants like Vistaprint and Shutterfly. These titans can afford to slash prices and offer irresistible deals, making it tricky for the little guys to do so. But it’s not just about the price; these big names also have a marketing muscle and brand recognition that can be daunting. Building Trust and Recognition Gaining a foothold against well-known online giants is a steep climb. These established brands

“A beautiful lady dressed in shining blue appeared. She raised her wand and said: ‘Wake, Pinocchio! Good Geppetto needs a son!’ ‘I can move!’ cried Pinocchio. ‘I’m a real boy!’ “‘No,’ the Blue Fairy said sadly. ‘You have life, but to become a real boy, you must prove yourself brave, truthful, and unselfish.’” There’s just nothing like that infamous magic wand. The magic wand sparkles as an eleventh-hour blessing from Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother, as Glinda’s glimmer of grace in Oz, and as destiny personified when the wand “chooses” Harry Potter to be the unexpected hero. Magic wands echo through literature as the muted cry of every road-weary soul. “If only . . .” we sigh, “there was an easier way.” With a Wave of the Wand If you had a magic wand – even just for a day – would you use it? Wouldn’t EVERYONE? Well, of course! Just poke the words “Life Hack” into a YouTube or Google search, and you’ll be pummeled by thousands of results. Why? Because life hacks are all about eliminating humanity’s manifold frustrations in simple and deliciously clever ways. Fast and easy? Um . . . yes, please! If you’re like the average American