Should You Do Print Advertising?
With all the marketing options out there - from content, inbound, outbound, print, radio, tv, it's hard not to depend on the tried and true advertising options that have existed for what seems like forever. It's probably easier to choose an approach that you know has been around and is familIar to you.
Still, no matter how familIar, with all the industry changes as well as marketing changes, now might be the perfect time for you to evaluate print advertising.
To help with your decision, you should do print advertising if:
1. You want to increase traffic to your construction or landscaping website.
Ok, first, let's clear up this myth: print advertising will not directly generate more calls to you. Thats simply not how today's buyer shops. Your prospects will spend an average of 79 days researching and will certainly be looking at your site as well your competitors - all before you ever talk to them. Print advertising helps remind or introduce your business to your prospects. It adds your business to their "businesses to research" list. Maybe it even prompts them to consider your service whereas they didn't before... still leading them to the digital research world. Hence the question of, "where did you find us?," the answer will likely be online (and most of the time that is indeed where they first came across your company) - but it could've started with that print ad.
Related: Win More Bids By Selling According to the Buyers Journey
2. You want to increase leads as a result of your website.
Print advertising can help bring you more traffic to your website. If it's the right traffic, it can help you bring in more leads. Advertising in print magazines can get your business in front of a perfect reader/target customer. The trick is in the magic of the ad and the magazine. Consider experience driven selling (read more here) and niche magazines that focus in on your target customer (e.g. Outdoor Home Magazine). Don't get lost in the numbers. More readers doesn't always mean better - just like more traffic doesn't always mean better! You want the right reader, the right visitor, to turn into the right lead... which turns into more revenue.
3. You want to share content.
Print advertising has evolved to offer a variety of advertising options. Some are traditional ad spaces. Then there's the sponsored sections, occasionally offering multiple pages. A trending one now is native advertising. This is a great way to combine content marketing with your outbound efforts. An article with information to help solve a problem is a great way to attract the right attention from the right readers. Keep in mind, if the article is all about how wonderful your business is, you lose points. Stick to solving problems. Allow the reader to then go research who you are!
4. You want a specific call to action that doesn't involve calling you.
Perhaps it's an event or something related to the season. Whatever it is, you want the reader to do something other than directly call you. Maybe it's even to search you! Why can't print advertising be for the purpose to call you? Simple. Would you want to be closed into buying a car upon seeing a car ad? Likely not. You want to research the car first! And you likely don't want to call up the nearest dealership right away! Chances are your target customer feels the same way. Therefore, set the right expectations with what you want your ad to do.
5. You want to introduce a new service or product to a specific market/reader.
Not necessarily to sell more of the product (go back to previous steps to find that your website sells it!). Just to introduce it; to be considered for the service purchase when your target market needs it. In other words, to create brand awareness.
Learn more about making sure your home improvement website is helping you drive more traffic with this free download.
