Everything’s Rosy When Print Stars in your Email-to-Print Campaign
When combining print with email in a marketing campaign, email as the door opener and print as the sales closer. Print becomes the conversion mechanism. It infuses the recipient with your sales magic. (I address the sales aspect of email marketing in my previous columns.)
For best results, your printed piece should be presented like a fragrant bouquet of roses, not like something you tracked in on your shoe.
I see printers and marketers spend thousands of dollars to set up and implement a beautiful email or drip marketing campaign. Then they will hem and haw and pinch pennies on the creation, implementation and delivery of the print side of the campaign.
Address these 5 common problems so print can do its job in your email-to-print campaign:
1. The print collateral is BORING!
As a printer, your printed work should be the star. Yet I see bland brochures, washed out color, few special effects, and cliche stock photos. Often the paper is chosen because it’s what’s left on the printer’s shelf. There’s no sparkle or fun in the finishing techniques or packaging because “it’s too expensive to mail” and “we want to test the market first.”
This IS the test! THIS is your chance to make a bold first impression!
2. The print collateral is OUTDATED!
The worst is when you get a brochure, and on the back someone has pasted a change of address sticker over the old address. Yes, I see this from printers! What does this say to your prospects when you can’t even print something up to date? Equally bad but less noticeable? Outdated copy, old fashioned terminology, outdated layouts, and unfashionable sales verbiage.
A fresh, sassy and colorful printed piece is memorable and heightens engagement.
3. The call to action is WASTED!
Why are you asking recipients to call you? “Call us today!” Why? So your prospect can get dumped into phone tree hell or get connected with someone who has not the first idea about how to convert this person to a customer? Are the people who answer your phone trained to create a customer? This prospect has already responded to your email campaign or you wouldn’t have sent them the printed follow up. They’ve opened your print materials. And all you can do is ask them to CALL you?
You are the hunter. Don’t expect them to do all the work.
4. The printed follow up is not mailed PROMPTLY!
You earned their valuable attention with your email campaign. They opened your message. They clicked through to a landing page. They ordered or downloaded something from you. Or maybe you are sending them something unsolicited, because they responded in the right way. Either way, you had their attention for about 7 seconds. They might remember you for 7 seconds more. If your printed follow up doesn’t arrive the next day or the day after, you’ll be a hazy memory.
This person could be a lifetime customer who will spend tens of thousands with you over the course of your business together. Spend the money on priority mail, special delivery or hand delivery.
5. The printed follow up is the last one your customer will ever SEE!
Once someone becomes a customer, don’t shuffle them off to the Bermuda Triangle. Graduate them to an email-to-print program designed specifically for customers. Keep your brand top of mind, encourage them to share your emails and posts, and keep sending fantastic printed items that they can show others.
>>> Remember: Your Customer is Your Best Salesperson!
Email-to-print is a way to showcase jaw-dropping printed materials and create a customer who will sing your praises and share your samples. If you make print the star of your email-to-print campaign, you’ll come out smelling like a rose!
Sandy Hubbard is a marketing strategist who specializes in print and publishing companies that are growing quickly and need to adapt on the fly to new sales and marketing conditions. She helps moderate Print Media Centr’s weekly #printchat on Twitter.
