Customer Retention

Most commercial printers know they should stay in touch with customers. The questions are: how often, through which channels, and what happens if you stop? When J. Jill cut direct mail to push digital, sales dropped 2.8%. When Nordstrom did the same, revenue fell 3.3% and they reversed course. Here's what an effective multi-channel cadence looks like for a print business.

In an increasingly digital world, direct mail postcards might seem like an outdated part of a printer's marketing strategy. But the opposite is actually true. Let's look at why, as a printer, postcards should be part of your strategy to strengthen customer relationships and drive repeat business.

Maintaining a connection with your customers is paramount in the business world. Newsletter marketing stands out as a powerful tool for this purpose. Producing a print newsletter can significantly boost customer retention and acquisition, particularly for printers. Newsletters are not just a means of communication but an opportunity to engage, inform, and build a loyal customer base. Let's explore why printers should consider incorporating newsletters into their marketing strategy and how they can yield substantial benefits.

Commit to growth in 2019! In many cases, this also requires a commitment to being a change agent. The following are three things to consider as you plan for a successful 2019:

Don't rely on business growth to come from an improving economy or from finding the next great salesperson. Print providers need to be the catalysts for growth. They need to utilize marketing to differentiate themselves and give their sales staff a competitive advantage.

A new year ushers in new opportunity. Be the catalyst for growth. Embrace, refine and rejuvenate your sales and marketing efforts.

Did you notice the heavy focus at Print 17 on selling multi-channel marketing campaigns? It's no wonder. These campaigns offer a great opportunity for growth. Unfortunately, I've seen more companies fail than succeed at doing it. Why is that? Lack the knowledge and confidence. It's far too easy to stick within one's comfort (knowledge) zone. To most companies, that's ink on paper.

Commercial printing has always had a sales-focused culture. When it comes to growing their businesses, printers have always invested heavily in sales training focused on prospecting and closing techniques. While these skills are important, the ability to retain existing clients has a much greater impact on your ability to grow sales.

Happy New Year! We are almost ten days into the new year. What changes have you instituted to increase sales effectiveness and grow your business?

Sell your customers on the role print plays in an effective marketing strategy. Print companies that had double-digit growth last year supported their sales efforts with marketing collateral. Content is king. Sell client retention programs for a truly unique selling proposition.

Here are 5 things to consider halfway through 2017. Summer is a great time to plan for growth! Millennials love direct mail, as do others. Are you using it as part of your marketing communications? Existing customers cost less and spend more.

My colleague, Matt Hunt, recently attended the Email Innovations Summit. It featured a number of dynamic speakers from well known companies to small startups talking about their experiences with email marketing and customer communications. Email marketing can be a powerful sales tools but only if done right.