Resources for Printers & Mailers

Sorting through old files, I recently came across a copy of my January 2004 Marketing Briefs newsletter to printers. I was struck by how different (simpler) things were then. No mention of SEO, social media, content marketing or even email (we launched that in the Spring of 2004). At the same time, I was struck by how much things had not changed. These are the same fundamental ideas that need to be at the core of your marketing strategy today. Planning and commitment to execution have always been the keys to marketing success.

This is a copy of the end-of-year letter I recently sent to all of my clients at Great Reach Communications. I wanted to share this with everyone because I think it contains valuable, actionable advice that can be utilized regardless of whether you are a client or not.

Take the challenge and be the catalyst for change in 2014. Try at least four of these ideas for six months and see what happens. I'd love to hear your results and get your feedback. We can help you implement several of these if you choose.

Most printers are seeking additional sources of customers these days and a search optimized website may provide the solution. A month after implementation, Google announced that it has replaced their search algorithm. 'Hummingbird,' as it's known, is not merely an update to their previous one. It's a complete replacement. 90% of search results will be affected. Some claim it's their biggest change in a decade.

Brand is simply a mental creation to help people understand one company and its services over another. How aware are people of all your services? If you still hear 'I didn't know you could do that', chances are your branding efforts are failing.

When it comes to SEO, it's my practical belief that most print providers should focus on producing (sharing, posting, mailing, etc.) well-written, engaging content and let the SEO take care of itself. That being said, here are some things to consider: