Is Print Marketing Dead?

You've probably heard the rumor, mainly from guys trying to sell you internet, radio or TV ads, that print is on the way out. So is it true? Not exactly. This proclamation was brought to you by the same folks who predicted the "paperless office" a decade or so ago. Print marketing is different, but one look at your mailbox or office desk should be enough to tell you that print is alive and well.

The death of print advertising predictions stem mainly from the drop in circulation in major newspapers. Major newspapers tend to try to be all things to all people. That's what's dead. The "average American" is a myth and always has been. Everyone has different interests and the surge in information and communication technologies has enabled individuals to be more discriminate about the information they consume. It's much easier to find info related to a specific field, no matter how obscure.

In marketing, you don't need to choose between one medium and another. The important thing is to determine who your customers and prospects are. Give them information they can use and connect yourself to it. One should still do some "shotgun" marketing (targeted at general audiences), but a good deal of your efforts should be focused on individuals who already have some interest in what you have to offer. The medium isn't as important as the content.

People who watch TV, listen to radio and surf the web, still read hard copy. In fact the internet has actually created a boom in book sales, by making them more available at competitive prices. The internet, radio, TV and print can all compliment each other. When your company and logo become familiar, all of your ads work better. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Use any or all methods that will reach who your looking for, but make it interesting. Simply getting in someone's face and screaming "Buy My Stuff" isn't going to cut it anymore.