How to Sell Print to the “Digital-Only”

Print can be a tough sell to those prospects who say, “We only do digital”. But fear not! There are ways to overcome that obstacle.

It all starts by telling your print story. How do you do that?

Start by emphasizing the direct link between your own website data and ROI. Be sure to regularly share this valuable data with your clients so they can better target their messages–to the audiences they want to reach. Then show your clients how a healthy mix of digital, print, and other channels can truly reach their best customers.

Seven tactics to sell print to prospects who think only digital works: 

1. Work with your marketing peeps to get real data on the pass along rate, most popular topics and renewal rates. Then make the print sale by providing reader stats to prove your audience will engage and see your client’s advertising.
2. Incorporate lower cost or “trial pages” within the digital package.
3. Make sure your clients design ads with engagement tracking. Think of a specific promo code, QR code or phone number to ensure they see print action.
4. Coach clients on the effectiveness of a multiple-product strategy, that includes digital ads, webinars, video, mobile AND print.
5. Armed with your digital data, you can sell ad renewals by showing clients the peaks and valleys in customer engagement after each print+digital campaign.
6. Offer free print advertisements with a substantial digital buy. It keeps the print product healthy and rewards the advertiser who has a tangible value add.
7. Provide solutions to increase the conversion rates by looking for new verticals within their niche as a way to pump up online and print revenue.

Finally, the key is to help your clients understand the bigger ROI picture. Then they will see better results in your magazine with a combination of digital, print and more!

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About this blogger: Diana Landau is the Content Wrangler for Niche Media. A former sales director and corporate marketing hack, she has now found nirvana in writing and wrangling quality content. Diana is a food, wine, art and SF Giants enthusiast…who sometimes gets carried away.

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Niche Media has the best events, education, and training in media! Our super niched-out events & content give target-audience publishers in the B2C, hobbyist, B2B, city & regional, and association markets the tools they need to build revenue, audience, and more.

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