Meaningful messaging is the print marketing metric that matters most.
We don’t need to talk to everybody.
We need to talk to somebody.
The right somebody.
Because in times of economic uncertainty, marketing and communication budgets are cut. Volume isn’t value. Reach isn’t results. And “spray and pray” isn’t a strategy; it can be a waste of money and a results crapshoot when ROI is critical.
Whether you’re a printer, a marketer, a brand, or wear all three hats, the name of the game is relevance. Relevance starts with knowing your audience and crafting messages that mean something to them.
PRINT MARKETING CAN BREAK THROUGH THE NOISE
Today’s consumers are surrounded by marketing messages every second of every day, and most messages are ignored as fast as they come in. They fly past a screen when you surf or scroll, get skipped, deleted, blocked, and relegated to spam in inboxes and texts, tossed in the trash from the mailbox, driven by on the highway, and you get my point.
There is no reason to give meaningless messaging any attention. It’s not personal, timely, or relevant for the person receiving it. According to McKinsey’s 2024 personalization report, 71% of consumers expect personalized communication, and 76% get frustrated when they don’t get it.
That frustration leads to disengagement and lost opportunity.
People don’t want more content. They want content that speaks to them.
Email campaigns should make customers feel understood.
Direct mail should make them say, “This is for me.”
Relevant communication isn’t tied to a channel. It’s tied to a commitment to listen, learn, and respond with meaning. It’s about using every tool we have to communicate better.
It’s also about helping your customers maximize their return through data-driven print marketing and personalization. Printing less and generating more results with targeted messaging at the right time is a winning strategy. Here is an example.
A home improvement retail business can get a list and send an offer for lumber to every contractor within a reasonable driving distance and hope someone needs it at that time … OR … they can track purchase activity of contractors and send a relevant offer for items they need NEXT when building a home. With some basic knowledge of how long the construction process takes and the steps required, a contractor who bought a large amount of cement to lay a foundation will next need wood to frame the house.
Through customer communication and collaboration, printers and marketers can help the business get a relevant offer for wood, screws, nails, drills, saws, hammers, etc. into the hands of the contractor who needs these things for the next stage of the build. Then comes the plumbing and electrical work, cabinets, and finishes. The print marketing and messaging plan writes itself with sales practically a given in this situation.
STEP OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE
If you have customers with tight budgets and/or cutting back on print marketing spending until there is more stability with the global economy and supply chains, set up meetings and talk to them about a targeted messaging strategy. Be prepared to talk about data collection and security, share case studies that show results from print marketing are improved with personalization, and lay out a plan for reaching people before their decision-making process.
Many businesses have this information, or they can figure it out, but they don’t know how to use it to create meaningful print marketing messaging and timely, relevant offers. HELP THEM!
The best marketing message isn’t the one that reaches the most people.
It’s the one that resonates, drives results, and keeps print marketing customers coming back for more.
PRINT LONG AND PROSPER!
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See Deborah’s recent post: 5 Critical Questions That Can Save Your Print Business from Tariff Chaos
Deborah Corn is the Intergalactic Ambassador to the Printerverse at Print Media Centr, a Print Buyerologist, international industry speaker, and blogger, and the cultivator of Print Production Professionals, the #1 print group on LinkedIn. She provides printspiration and resources to print and marketing professionals through education, events, Podcasts From The Printerverse, ProjectPeacock.TV, and an array of community-lifting initiatives, including International Print Day and Girls Who Print where she serves as the Executive Director of the global Nonprofit Organization.
Deborah also helps companies create more meaningful and profitable customer relationships by utilizing 25+ years of experience as an agency, brand, and corporate print buyer who has assessed, hired, and worked with hundreds of printers and service providers.
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