Canvas Magazine | Good Revenue vs. Bad Revenue by Conduit, Inc.

Empowering Marketing Service providers

November 2012

Good Revenue versus Bad Revenue Critical Thinking Imagery Talks Why integrate print with online marketing?

The ability to say no to a prospect or customer is important – maybe even essential – to delivering long-term sustainable value and profits. Publisher mark potter Marketing Manager brandon clark MANAGING EDITOR

Publisher’s Thoughts Critical Thinking

michael j. pallerino

ART DIRECTOR

Make Up Your Mind

brent cashman

Editorial board

November 2012

Best of Canvas Notes P6

Marketing Insights

chris petro GlobalSoft

P10

tom moe Daily Printing

The printing industry is revolutionizing communications – again

dean petrulakis Rider Dickerson david bennett Bennett Graphics tony narducci O’Neil Printing

Imagery Talks P16

Good Revenue versus Bad Revenue P22

Why integrate print with online marketing? Hint: max sales growth

CANVAS, Volume 4, Issue 6. Published bi-monthly, copyright 2012 CANVAS, All rights reserved, 2180 Satellite Blvd., Suite 400, Duluth, GA 30097. Please note: The acceptance of advertising or products mentioned by contributing authors does not constitute endorsement by the publisher. Publisher cannot accept responsibility for the correctness of an opinion expressed by contributing authors.

CANVAS P1

Publisher’s thoughts

Critical Thinking As we turn our attention to 2013, we find ourselves thinking more and more. It seems as if we can’t go down our “to–do” list and check the items off when they are complete. In other words, the world feels a bit uncomfortable right now, and that demands some quick moves and deep thinking. For several years now, printers across the country have been told print is shrinking and that they must embrace new offerings. At the same time, our clients have similar issues. We’re all trying to provide value while providing for our families. That makes it difficult to be strategic, and many times forces us to the lowest common denominator. Prices drop and margins shrink when we sell “whatever we can.” It takes some serious backbone to step back and think. You may

It takes some serious backbone to step back and think.

question what value you bring to the equation or what clients you should pursue. If you sell something at a bargain price, do you believe that it is sustainable by itself? I hope not. If it’s to get your foot in the door or simply help you hold on while working on something more elaborate or sustainable, I can live with that. But if it’s a “take-whatever-you-can-get-and-you’ll-deal-with-ittomorrow” strategy, then you have issues. Our cover article, “Good Revenue versus Bad Revenue” focuses on the kind of business you should pursue. Gregory Coticchia tells us that being thoughtful about our clients, the products we

sell and the value we place on them has never been more paramount to our success. This environment demands a different type of thinking. In turn, making tough decisions doesn’t always feel good in the short term. It takes real guts to step back and think. In our second feature, “Why Integrate Print with Online Marketing?” Ron Strauss weighs in on the importance of that strategy. While we have heard a steady drumbeat on this philosophy, many of you are struggling to take that step. It takes an in depth knowledge of your client base and some major strategic thinking to be able to pull it off. Ron shows us how. I hope you enjoy our final digital issue of 2012. It has been an interesting year to say the least. With an ugly campaign behind us, and an uncertain future, the time for thinkers is upon us. Now, don’t get me wrong, you can’t just sit around thinking all the time. Our industry has a history of tremendous engagement and camaraderie. Personality, work ethic and service have been characteristics of success, and they’ll be in even higher demand as we move forward. A little thinking will catapult you even further. Wishing you happy thoughts,

Mark Potter, Publisher P2

CANVAS November 2012

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you. ybe it’s a M . it a d ha b s ome ha s a b b onto a o r h g w e are. W ebod y habit is u a l we if that ow s o m it n n b k e a v h u e o , w o ey s ee ho ’t let g I’m sur we c a n zing to a d n m a a ’s to disr t te r m way, it or you the s ho f . Either y in e it r k s a e u t ilsp es it your ab u r e p ro t satisfi would t a g u t h f a t in r h d g u e W o p thin ntal to at’s im ? Don’t etrime abit th h d a ly u wea k d ib r o d a y c e r e r c A in be, ? May cce e d ? e u r s u t o u t f it y ert your p e of p e a bou r y t a c ” w u o yo n eve e and n’t beli a “her s e e o ’r d u o y d y w ho rm. ome bo s – n long te o s e h t o t pain. er and mit ting w m o o p c l il in w want things: . If you re two n u d io n t a e r t o t s cise. ’ll have and fru of exer ak, you e pain in e r m a b o p s o e t e r u want e on th ision. o endu and tak habit yo e a dec going t t k e a a k e h li ’r m w u y r o ll o tte ords, ou rea king, y g you t No ma foods y uit smo e askin ot h e r w q ’r p y In u o e t e .” h t f t iv n f , a o ed to g r mind inue a to cut If you w u co n t up you ou’ll ne e” is “ o y e y id , k t c a n h e e m d ig h o we n of “ r life. . So, w s you t to lose pretatio healthie hoices r ne a s k c r, e o t e r e e g in h m n t o lo o s atin s fo r a of f all W hen , the L c h a n ce ut ting noug h c r e u e o ly ’r y g u ? tin ath, yo reasing u cce s s Interes se a p te r m s ’re dec o u g o o n h y c , lo g aou in m rint. An e s mok w hen y you fro k p li g ll it in e s b p a e n just are ke ellating h o re t h a ice. debilit s t ha t odel. S m o s h e m o c s d in a s s t e u s busin int making o u mu your b ea n s y kind of ting pr You’re within t o m s n u e it e q r r b u e e a t f il e re h re, wh tr y’s fu er a dif A re t h hy futu te u n d r indus lt a u r a o e e t h p a o a h l h ow s t ealth. om ers wil path to Da t a s me s f r any’s h ’s print o b e the p w c l m il o r n o w r c io o t t d. y tom marke o your disrup get fire e nt a l t lyst s sa g your Of ten, in le im r v . p t r s o s e e e s e d P c e o s ed on lly up. the pr s will b ing ba oes be r price isrupt g e d y w t n s a lo u p r and ame h e co m , you m at lowe o the s e nt s . T d d habit v . a e o e t b k ic a e a h ak continu s you m tastrop To bre ecision s or c a it s and you. e d b c a e n h h e t d u is up to k ba efine e infl e a d e ic id r s s o t t b h n u e o tc u don’t ese ev d. Tha hen yo ur min way, th w o r t y e a h h p t it u E th is aking ple tru e still m ’r u o The sim y d over, over an s g in h t

you t i b a h t r wha u’ll have e t t a m No , yo k a e r b gs: o n i t h t t n a o w re tw ower. u d n e to ill p w d n a pain

r e t t o P Mark

All the

b e s t,

Follo

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marketing insights

Why email still matters Don’t throw away that “Email Rocks” T-shirt just yet. New data suggests that email remains a critical weapon for many marketers. For example, research by the CMO council found that 67 percent of marketers worldwide rate email as their most successful digital marketing tactic. In addition, a Directing Marketing Association (DMA) study – the “Response Rate 2012 Report” – showed that the average open and click-through rates for e-mail campaigns have risen significantly for both in-house and prospect-intended emails over the last two years. For house lists, which DMA defines as an email list of both past and present customers generated from a company’s own database, the average open rate for 2012 was up 2.6 percent over 2010. Click-through rates were up 1.1 percent over the same time period. Meanwhile, the open rate for prospect lists increased only slightly, while the click-through for these emails nearly doubled in the two-year timeframe. The findings point to an increased ability to resonate with prospects once they open an email.

Meet the new boss The percent that BtoB media revenue rose in the first half of this year ($12.49 billion), compared to the same period last year, according to Business Information Network (BIN) data released by American Business Media. The digital revenue category gained the most, growing 14.2 percent to $1.94 billion in the first half of 2012. In addition, data and business information increased 7.4 percent to $1.09 billion, while trade shows grew 4.4 percent to $5.71 billion. Print advertising declined 4.2 percent to $3.74 billion.

That’s what he said P6

CANVAS November 2012

This just in: People really like tablets. According to a Monetate analysis, e-commerce sites received more traffic from tablet users than from smartphone users during the first part of 2012. This marks the first time tablet traffic surpassed smartphones for the sites. In total, tablet traffic accounted for about 6.5 percent of commerce-site traffic, versus about 5.4 percent for smartphones. In the last year, tablet traffic increased 348 percent, while smartphone visits grew by 117 percent over the same period, the study found. Almost all of the traffic (95 percent) was from iPads.

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marketing insights

There’s a new sheriff in town Just how serious are companies about this whole custom content revolution? According to a study by the Custom Content Council (CCC), organizations are spending an average of $152,850 in wages related to producing custom content this year, up 15.7 percent over last year. The study – “Staffing and Compensation Study: How Organizations Staff Their Content Marketing Endeavors” – also found average staffing hours devoted to “electronic” and “other” content were more than the hours devoted to “publications.” That is the first time this happened since the study was undertaken in 2000. Additionally, the 2.51 full-time employees dedicated to working on custom content at each organization represent an increase of more than 20 percent over last year.

The expected percent increase of worldwide ad revenues that Twitter anticipates in 2012, according to eMarketer

Can’t we all just get along So, you want to connect with your customer across new channels such as mobile devices and social networks? Easy, right? It’s just a matter of aligning your marketing and IT departments. Well, according to IBM’s “State of Marketing 2012” study, while 48 percent of respondents believe that improved technology infrastructure or software would enable them to do more, nearly 60 percent say the lack of IT alignment and integration are significant barriers to the adoption of technology.

CANVAS November 2012

research. Driven by its efforts to sell outside the United States, and a growing domestic ad market, the social media site is expected to boast 12.7 percent of total social-ad spending by 2014.

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business insights

Imagery Talks

The printing industry is revolutionizing communications – again Johannes Gutenberg’s “printing” press rede-

By Mark Grace

With words, we print; with images, we “connect.” The new

fined and revolutionized communication. By

“connect” press is redefining

creating word type, he enabled the mass distri-

the printing and communications landscape. It is a unique

bution and use of words. Now get this – images

complement

and pictures are the new words, the new type.

and

enhance-

ment to your “printing” press equipment. It’s your visual

editing software, your web connectivity and your visual display

Studies show that if you use images, you can communicate faster, nearly doubling comprehension and recall capabilities.

access on mobile devices, tablets and PCs. Your new “connect” press is your communications service creating, sending and, of course, printing your customers’ visual messages. You can manage all of the visual communication flow for your customers. This new “connect” press stamps out visual messages of sequenced images, immediately cascading them across the web electronically to millions of users. On the “connect” press, users scroll through trillions of image types, selecting and inserting them in their visual message. Next, they hit the “connect” button to send their message. Later, they receive a reply, respond, and so on. Your “printing” press al-

FR AV E AIL SH AB LE H TO O DA T Y

ready has the “copy,” “scan” and “fax” buttons linking you to the web. You just add the “connect” button to enable visual communication and messaging, and create your “connect” press. Why are companies and people rapidly moving to visual messaging?

!!!!

We live in a fast world that’s getting faster every day – one that is rapidly evolving from email to texting to tweeting. We communicate fast. But the faster we use words, the less dense the message, the less ability to comprehend and recall. If you misunderstand the quick word message, it won’t fare well for anybody, especially your advertisers. So, what’s next? What’s better and faster? Studies show that if you use images, you can

communicate faster, nearly doubling comprehension P10 CANVAS November 2012

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business insights

If Gutenberg had used millions of images to typeset, we already would be using images more than words.

and recall capabilities. That’s a

the flow of documents. Now

good thing. Advertisers already

you’re adding pictures to the

know that better recall leads to

text, making the images the

more actions, like buying. So,

central type and adding text to

use sequenced imagery as your

supplement the message. You

messages. There’s nothing to-

may only be a few steps away.

tally new here, except that we’re

Food distributor Fine Ital-

making the sequence of the im-

ian Foods recently sent visual

ages the actual message and

messages electronically (and

reducing the need for words.

printed and distributed) to

When your printing press

their customers. The first visual

prints flyers, ads, brochures,

message highlights the top 15

catalogues, etc., you’re at the

products their customers like,

beginning of the visual com-

excerpted from a catalogue of

munication chain. If you build

hundreds (which also can be

on that, you can grow your vi-

sent visually). The second visual

sual communication and mes-

message shows its customers

saging business. In addition

how to use one specific product,

to printing, you electronically

dramatically increasing sales.

send and manage the visual

The goal is to have the custom-

messages. You already manage

ers print the messages.

As a printing company, you always have been in the communication business. You have been able to unite words and images for distribution. Now you have the technology of the “connect” press. Your “connect” press can: 1. Create and

2. Dynamically

3. Enable you and

4. Marry document

manipulate all

manage the

content creators,

flow to visual

images and visual

flow of visual

product brands

message flow

messages

communication,

and agencies to

electronically and

sending and

manage the visual

print everywhere

replying

message flow

Think of this. If Gutenberg had used millions of images to typeset, we already would

beyond “machines,” you can evolve beyond printing to “connect”ing.

be using images more than words. Today, you

Next time, we’ll discuss better decision-

have millions of images to typeset and move

making – where you use real time information

digitally, so the printing industry is revolution-

to move your organization and your customers

izing communication again. If IBM can evolve

forward to the highest levels of effectiveness.

Mark Grace founded Beyondvia.com, where his visionary leadership transforms industries such as oil and gas, utilities, industrial products and consumables to dramatically grow profits using the Better Way and its five approaches: Better Progression, Better Closing, Better Communication, Better Decision Making, and Better On-line Operations. You can reach him at 656-595-6760 or via email at markgrace@beyondvia.com. P12 CANVAS November 2012

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e u n e v e R d o o G s u

d a B s r e e u v n e v e R

P16 CANVAS November 2012

By Gregory Coticchia

here used to be a Toys “R” Us commercial that featured the jingle,

“I don’t want to grow up.” As you look for revenue to meet your goals and objectives, remember that most companies – of any size – sing that song at the end of each month or quarter. Okay, so what do I mean? I call this the “all revenue is good revenue” syndrome. That’s the one where you sell things you don’t make (or kind of make). But hey, you need to get a deal, so “all revenue is good revenue,” right? For starters, let’s define the difference between good revenue and bad revenue? Good revenue is aligned with your company’s strategy. It is revenue derived from prospects you’ve identified in your target marketplace. Your prospects seek little or no changes to your product, and the enhancements they want are the ones you recognize because other customers and prospects have asked for them. In short, they “fit” where you are and where you are going.

CANVAS P17

Good Revenue versus Bad Revenue

Good revenue is aligned with your company’s strategy. It is revenue derived from prospects you’ve identified in your target marketplace. Bad revenue is the exact oppo-

When you take business you know you can’t deliver

site. It is from a market segment you

profitably or that doesn’t help your business, you must

don’t sell to or rarely do. Even if it’s

do business regardless of what your prospects want. This

from the right segment and title, the

causes damage that might not be evident immediately.

changes your prospects must make to your product or service fit are ones

How does this happen?

you’ve never heard of before. Or, the

The pressure to perform is exaggerated when you

changes appear as if your prospects

haven’t aligned your product management/marketing,

are trying to make your product solve

marketing communications and sales. With business-

a problem it wasn’t intended to solve.

to-business (B2B) marketing and sales cycles usually

In short, your prospects take you

measured in months, and the inability to replace deals

off your track and you are not aligned.

easily as quarterly or annual goals approach, those

Unfortunately, the “all revenue is

deals lost or delayed create extraordinary pressure to

good revenue” rule is a corollary to

be replaced.

the rule that states there only are two

So you find yourself taking on deals that don’t ex-

problems in business: “not enough

actly fit your “investment thesis” or “product strategy.”

sales and everything else.”

Now you’ve forced yourself to rationalize in some form

Well, it is true. You all believe that

or another.

when you “hit” your num-

First, you must understand and agree that

bers you’re successful and

there is no perfect product. None. Each has

you’re running a good busi-

deficits – some are very real for any particular

ness. Unfortunately, how you

prospect or customer. These deficits will sur-

reach your “numbers” and

face in any market, against any competition,

with “what” you have to de-

and can prevent marketing and sales execution

liver have some ramifications.

(Read: It prevents sales.).

P18 CANVAS November 2012

Second, you must understand that some crazy perceived “one off” actually may have strategic value that translates into game-changing market traction and sales – something your customers see that you and the rest of the market doesn’t yet. But these are very rare. Finally, you must understand that you can better the odds. Create more defined marketing (think product management/marketing, marketing communications) with which you are selling to, and then attract that market segment and title. Better sales can sell “what’s in the bag.” Those definitions and handoffs are important, and they transcend simply agreeing on what a “lead” is or how qualified a lead is. But remember, you have another alternative when you’re faced with the product revenues you fear is bad revenue. You can say no. Okay, I can hear you grumbling: “You don’t understand the pressure I’m under,” “My investors expect me to hit these numbers”

The ability to say no to prospects or customers is important – maybe even essential – to delivering long-term sustainable value and profits.

Good Revenue versus Bad Revenue

or “I will lose my job if I cant

first consultative selling skills

produce these numbers,” etc.

methods, complete with open

What

you

take

the

and closed questions that led

bad revenue?

the prospect to agreement.

You’re delaying the inevi-

Of course, there was a section

table. You’re buying time and

on “objection handling.” I still re-

worsening the situation. And

member all the techniques that

when you hit the wall, and you

taught us how to reduce and

will if you continue to take on

minimize objections. The back-

bad revenue, the situation that

stop to a big objection: Your

remains will be worse.

customer wanted to review all

The ability to say “no” to pros-

the features and benefits that

pects or customers is important

met his needs, and then hold

– maybe even essential – to de-

the one thing that you couldn’t

livering long-term sustainable

deliver over your head.

value and profits. Who loses if

While it didn’t always work,

you don’t say no? Try your com-

it worked some of the time. As

pany and your customers. Your company because of its lack of discipline and focus. Your customers eventually will realize they’re using some version of your product that no one else has. This makes it more difficult for you to support, maintain and even enhance. Saying “no” is an underestimated capability in both marketing and sales processes.

How to handle objections When I first learned businessto-business sales and marketing, we were all educated in a method used by Xerox called Professional Selling Skills or PSS (later called Learning International). It was one of the

P20 CANVAS November 2012

Unfortunately, the “all revenue is good revenue” rule is a corollary to the rule that states there only are two problems in business: “not enough sales and everything else.”

solution selling became more popular and sophisticated with SPIN Selling, Strategic Selling, Solution

Selling,

Customer

Centric Selling, etc., the techniques to match your prospects’ needs and to minimize objections became more sophisticated and effective. It is important to remember that marketing plays a role. The selection of key features and enhancements is essential to meeting your customers’ needs. Product

management

must

have a system that works with your customers to communicate what can be added to the enhancement/feature backlog. This cannot be a black hole. It must be a transparent process

that can enrich the relationship between your

So, remember, there are

customers, your company and your product/ser-

serious consequences to not

vice. Marketing communications also must clear-

saying no. Many prospects

ly provide the right awareness, lead generation

and customers will thank you

and sales support materials, so that sales doesn’t

for pushing back, and actu-

“stray” to other prospects outside of the defined

ally respect you for discussing the

market in their need for sales revenue.

issues of not doing something just

Not having these sales processes in place allows your prospects to go where they need to go to bring in a deal. Those are places you don’t want them to go.

for them. And

sometimes

you

still

get

the deal.

Greg Coticchia is an award-winning technology executive with more than 25 years experience in high tech products and services. Recently, as CEO and co-founder of eBillingHub, he grew the company from inception to establishing it in a leading market position that led to its sale to Thomson Reuters. He currently teaches both business-to-business marketing and entrepreneurial leadership at the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business.

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Why integrate print with online marketing?

hen it comes to creating greater brand awareness and sales leads, it’s all about how you combine online with print solutions. If you do, you’ll not only help your customers maximize their sales growth, but you’ll help maximize your sales growth as well.

Hint:

max sales growth

By Ron Strauss

P22 CANVAS November 2012

Why is combining online with print such a good idea?

CANVAS P23

Why integrate print with online marketing?

We don’t live in a virtual digital world. We live in the real world. Retail and point-of-sale aren’t going away. Face-to-face meetings, training and selling aren’t going away. The value of print to reinforce the buying decision after the sale isn’t going away. To truly appreciate the value of integrating online with print, consider the two ways your customers generate business: 1. Outbound marketing/lead generation 2. Inbound marketing/lead generation Outbound marketing and lead generation is where marketers “push” their messages out into the market, using “media” such as trade shows, seminars, emails, a purchased list of prospects, outsourced telephone calls, and the many forms of advertising that include maga-

Examine the history of sales and media, and you’ll see that the claim of inbound marketing’s adherents may not be quite as absolute as its believers would like you to believe.

zines, direct mail, etc. Many industry pundits claim that outbound marketing is getting less effective due to the high number of messages competing for your customers’ attention and the ability they have to “block” those messages by using methods such as caller ID, spam filtering, Tivo and subscriber-based ad-free media. Compared to the above, inbound marketing and lead generation is where your prospects “find” the marketer, using search engines, blogs, social media, etc. Industry pundits claim these methods are “self-directed” by your prospects, which result in reduced costs and higher conversion rates.

History repeats itself Examine the history of sales and media, and you’ll see that the claim of inbound marketing’s adherents may

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Why integrate print with online marketing?

not be quite as absolute as its be-

of overall dollars, the size of the overall media spend

lievers would like you to believe.

grew rapidly.

For example, there has been a

Plus, if you truly examine the relationship between in-

rich history of new media coming

bound and outbound marketing, and lead generation,

along: starting with face-to-face,

you’ll find they work hand in glove. An outbound mar-

then by adding marketplaces, trade

keting program is designed to create awareness and,

routes, events and trade show

ideally, response. The response often is in the guise of

meetings, books, printed flyers and

inbound marketing via a search engine and/or the com-

posters, coupons, mail, telegraph,

pany’s web site. So, each approach can work well when

newspapers, outdoor, telephone,

combined with the other.

transit, magazines, radio, TV, cable,

But it’s important to understand that leads generated

satcom, the internet, social media

by inbound marketing is at a different point in their buy-

and mobile media.

ing cycle than those generated by outbound marketing.

Each enlarged the market for in-

It’s crucial to understand where in the buying cycle the

formation, and wound up working

leads generated by each technique are, how you qualify

with pre-existing media to redefine

them, and how you convert them to sales.

the media mix and how information

Some studies have shown that up to 12 separate

was provided. Although each “me-

searches may be made before a purchase, depending

dium” had to compete for the share

on the value and complexity of the product or service

Marketing Campaigns

ent rem asu Me

Interest

Evaluation

Commitment Referral Repeat

Classic Outbound Sales Funnel P26 CANVAS November 2012

Me asu rem en t

Awareness

being bought. This process may “cross over” several different media. The eventual sale can come from a phone call, in-store purchase or online.

Implications for your company Let’s examine how customers use information. How many customers use inbound marketing such as search engines to find product information, but end up going to a retail location to view and buy the product or service? Your challenge is to view your company as a combination of a demand generation company and a sales conversion one. Learning how to use the power of printed communications can help and abet your sales conversion and loyalty cycles.

Focus on your current valuable customers. Examine every served market niche for clues on what can add value for your customers and how they BUY.

Start by examining the new customer sales cycle, the one that has replaced the old sales funnel. Here’s an example drawn from consumer goods: Your challenge is to examine how traditional media-based and delivered products can reinforce the Loyalty Loop at the BUY, ENJOY, ADVOCATE and BOND junctures. For example, Starbucks has a brand community to ENJOY, ADVOCATE and BOND at mystarbucksidea.com, where they listen to customers and ask for ideas about new coffees. In the stores, you’ll find printed signage and brochures that direct their customers to the brand community. Using both inbound and outbound marketing in a synergistic manner helps overall marketing effectiveness. In the distant learning space, how can online, webbased instruction be combined with printed matter delivered “on demand?” Properly done, this will strengthen the Loyalty Loop for online educators and help them cross-sell more courses. In the automotive space, how can online and print be combined to create higher levels of service participation and brand loyalty when it comes time to buy a new car? After the sell, you must reinforce the purchase decision via brochures the owner can share with his family and friends. This helps the Loyalty Loop, while stimulating friends and families to the CONSIDER and EVALUATE junctures. In response to listening to social media posts, marketers can recognize loyal buyers and users with offers, incentives and new product information delivered via traditional media such as direct mail. The combination of inbound and outbound marketing can be very powerful and cost effective, since it’s highly targeted and often can be personalized.

CANVAS P27

Why integrate print with online marketing?

Combine this with digital printing

Challenge Your Organization

technology that’s “married” to cus-

Ask your marketing and sales organization to study cur-

tomer web sites and databases as well

rent and potential market segments for new ways out-

as production automation techniques,

bound and inbound marketing can help your custom-

and you can offer greater value via

ers’ help their customers BUY, ENJOY, ADVOCATE and

more, better, faster communications.

BOND with products and services more effectively.

The combination of inbound and outbound marketing can be very powerful and cost effective, since it’s highly targeted and often can be personalized. Focus on your current valuable customers. Examine every served market niche for clues on what can add value for your customers and how they BUY. Every product and service and the unique ways in which customers CONSIDER, EVALUATE and BUY them are important. Next, develop tools for your customers to use that support their outbound and inbound efforts to create trial, purchase and brand loyalty.

Harvard Business Review, The Consumer Decision Journey

CONSIDER EVALUATE

THE LOYALTY LOOP BOND ADVOCATE ENJOY

P28 CANVAS November 2012

BUY

Why integrate print with online marketing?

The consumer decision journey 2 1

Consumers add or subtract brands as they evaluate what they want.

Active evaluation

The consumer considers an initial set of brands, based on brand perceptions and exposure to recent touch points.

Information gathering, shopping

Ultimately, the consumer selects a brand at the moment of purchase.

Loyalty loop

Initialconsideration set

Moment of purchase

Trigger

Postpurchase experience Ongoing exposure

After purchasing a product or service, the consumer builds expectations based on experience to inform the next decision journey.

Become an expert at understand-

technology and document personalization to strengthen the

ing the relationships between these

Loyalty Loop. You can focus your organization to improve

stages and junctures in the custom-

throughput and velocity so that every customer becomes

er relationship process.

more valuable.

McKinsey & Company has taken the Loyalty Loop’s junctures (see the

Look to the Future

chart, Harvard Business Review, The

As you lead your organization into a better understand-

Consumer Decision Journey) and

ing of how to coordinate inbound and outbound mar-

described some of the opportuni-

keting techniques so as to create competitive advan-

ties that add value at each juncture.

tage for yourself and for your customers, keep in mind

This will help you move from being

that this is not a destination.

viewed as a commodity-like print sup-

The media and marketing landscape will continue to

plier evaluated on price, to a trusted

change and evolve. Yes, some industries will be hurt by

advisor who provides print products

this change, but even in those industries there will be

designed to create competitive advan-

those who see opportunity and adapt, versus those who

tage for your customers and better out-

want to return to the good old days.

comes for your customers’ customers. Now, you can use “print on demand”

As always, you get to choose which end of that continuum you want to be on.

Ron Strauss is founder and senior executive officer of Brandzone LLC, an Atlanta-based brand-guidance firm. He also is co-author of “Value Creation: The Power of Brand Equity.” Strauss works with CEOs and their staffs in deploying the unique power of brands to motivate employees, suppliers, customers and other network partners to create meaning and purpose for all, sustainable competitive advantage, and economic value-added outcomes. Visit his Linkedin page at www.linkedin.com/in/ronstraussbrandzone

P30 CANVAS November 2012

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