Yes, it is still an important part of any marketing plan!
It is difficult to decide where to invest money when it comes to getting the word out about your horse-related business. The choices are overwhelming and you want a good return on investment. Let’s face it, advertising is expensive; especially if there’s little or no return after the money has been spent. It helps to understand the value of print advertising, and also how to get the most out of it.
The Internet has provided us with an instant, seemingly inexpensive way to market. Many have received results from the free advertising that’s available today. Resources such as Craigslist, Facebook, Twitter, and many other free or inexpensive tools have helped many businesses with little or no budget to gain some traction in the marketplace. But, is it really free? If it is, then why consider print advertising?
Here are 5 reasons to embrace print advertising:
1) Credibility: It creates a “halo effect.” This means a publication that consistently delivers high quality, relevant content will develop credibility with their readers inspiring them to think more highly of the advertisers in the magazine. Consumers trust the printed page.
2) Engagement: What makes print ads valuable is the nearly undivided attention that readers give to magazine content, rather than the multitasking they do while consuming digital content. Simply put, its more effective to reach people when you have their undivided attention!
3) Performance: Print actually provokes people to read it. If you have time to read the magazine then you’re more likely to engage with the ads. Print ads inspire you to look at them longer. Magazine advertising has proven effectiveness in increasing the intent to purchase. According to a study conducted by Dynamic Logic in 2012 the total increase in purchase consideration/intent for a variety of products showed the following results: TV 30% of the increase, online 13% increase and magazines represented a 56% increase. Magazines blew the other two media away in driving positive shifts in intention to buy.
4) Permanence: TV and Internet ads flash before your eyes then disappear. Print ads stay on the page while you’re reading the articles. How many magazines do you have lying around your house, the barn, in the bathroom? The ads in them get far more traction because they are in print. No other advertising method offers that much potential from a single investment.
5) Builds Your Brand: This is the most impressive quality of print advertising. Personal interaction, credibility and quality content insure that your brand is likely to be perceived as a leader in the industry.
Clearly, print advertising remains an important part of any marketing strategy. However, there are some important things to remember when planning for print ads. First, know your audience. What are the ages, gender, and income level? Enhance your print ROI by giving your readers a call to action that drives them to your website or use a QR code in the ad which drives them to a specific landing page on your website. Create a message that will get them to ask for more information. Make the ad impactful and relevant. Be consistent with your logo, fonts, and images. Magazine ad pages have declined so take advantage of less competition. Done right, you can use well-executed print advertising as a springboard for brand dominance.
Finally, no ad campaign succeeds without building a relationship with your client. Now, more than ever, relationship matters. Research clients, listen to them and become genuinely interested in who they are and what they stand for. Be that friendly, helpful voice on the other end of the phone they can depend on when they decide to buy your product or service. Print advertising cannot help you if you don’t answer your phone promptly, return messages, engage your customer with helpful ideas or give them your undivided attention.
Let us be your cheerleader to help spread the word about your product or service. As a magazine publisher for 20 years, I can tell you we do that well. With an engaging display ad and a strategy to track leads print advertising can launch your business to a whole new level!
Karen Pickering: (360)332-5579 or [email protected]
~ Visit our Advertise page for more info and rates ~
Sources:
http://www.oneims.com/blog/2011/07/12/is-print-media-still-important-for-marketing/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140403190830-1543783-print-advertising-is-dead-or-is-it
https://www.ama.org/publications/MarketingNews/Pages/why-print-matters.aspx
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-print-advertisements-17857.html
Owner/Publisher Karen’s lifelong love of horses began at a very early age when she wore out a couple of rocking horses before convincing her parents to get her the real thing. That ill-tempered bay gelding, Brandy, was a challenge for the young horsewoman, but it drove her ambition to become a horse trainer. After attending Canyonview Equestrian College’s Horsemanship Program, Karen realized she needed work that was a little more lucrative than training, so she took a job with Customs Brokerage to pay the bills. There, she discovered an affinity for computers and a talent for creating informative, entertaining newsletters. The Northwest Horse Source began as such a letter in December 1995, with a distribution of 1000 copies for its 12 black and white pages. Now 29 years later, it’s an online magazine and website with a reach of over 10,000 per month and growing! Not bad for the results of one woman’s dream to work with horses!
Today, Karen remains involved with every aspect of the magazine and treasures the community of thousands who share a common passion.
