Since the advent of digital distribution, many traditional print publications — some venerable institutions that have been around for more than a century — have gone the way of the dodo bird. Despite the growth of e-readers and tablets, consumers continue to feel more positive toward print advertising than digital media, according to the Magazine Media Fact Book. When deciding how you should allocate your advertising dollars to best promote your product, keep in mind there are a few pros and cons to print media.

Pro: Drives Purchase Intent

According to the Readership Institute at Northwestern University, advertising is one of the top five drivers of newspaper consumption. On the magazine front, almost two-thirds of readers say they enjoy reading magazine ads, while more than half read their favorite print magazines specifically to gain information about new brands. Consumers enjoy and trust print advertising. At a time when consumers are fast-forwarding or bypassing advertising altogether, print media is considered a destination for advertising.

Pro: Cost, Lifespan, Production

Newspaper advertising can be less expensive than advertising in other media outlets. With different ad sizes and rates, even small businesses can place an ad that won’t break the budget. If your ad requires production changes, they can generally be made quickly. Ad design services are usually free. In addition, magazines and other print media enjoy loyal audiences. Magazines may be kept around for a month or longer, which gives more exposure to your product.

Pros: Targeted Audience

Print media provides opportunities to advertisers to reach targeted audiences in a local market. When you advertise your small business in local print media, you can focus your ad to fit your desired demographic. For instance, if you want to reach the Asian market, advertising in an Asian publication can generally achieve better results than advertising on other platforms because the readers are a high concentration of your target market.

Cons: Readership Decline

A decline in readership of print media has occurred as more people get their information and advertising from online sources. The firm eMarketer estimates that online newspaper advertising revenue grew more than 8 percent in 2011, while print newspaper advertising revenue sank more than 9 percent in the same year. It is generally a good strategy to spend your advertising budget where your audience is looking.

Con: Rates, Lead Times

While it’s true newspaper is a cost-effective advertising medium, when it comes to magazine advertising, especially in a national publication, the cost can be prohibitive. Furthermore, the magazine industry has long lead times, so your message cannot be delivered as quickly as with other media.

Con: Cluttered Landscape

In print media, your ad may be packed like a sardine among other advertisements, a very common practice in print media. It may be harder for your potential customer to find or read about your product.

This article comes from smallbusiness edit released

One of the basic axioms of book marketing is that it takes multiple impressions on target buyers to induce them to make a purchase. The more varied these touchpoints, the greater the impression and motivation to favorable action.

Successful book publishers market their books using an assorted mix of promotional media. The four parts to an assorted communication mix are publicity, advertising, sales promotion and personal selling. The weight of any one element depends upon the content, nature of your product lines, the author’s involvement in marketing, and the target buyers.

A strategic combination of print media and digital communication can maximize the impact of your message because print media offers benefits that digital doesn’t, and that digital combined with print media advertising is more powerful than digital alone. A strategic use of print media can most effectively and efficiently increases your sales, revenue and profits.

Technology has made it easier and cheaper than ever for small book publishers to reach their prospective buyers through advertising. Websites, social media sites and email campaigns offer immediacy and interactivity. But traditional print media advertising retains many of the advantages that made it the lifeblood of marketing communications for decades. For book publishers seeking credibility, repetition and a closer connection with their target buyers, the benefits of print media ads may outweigh even the most-used digital media.

This article comes from sheridan edit released

Overview

Print media is a form of communication that comes in many different types. Messages can be sent out and printed on fliers, in newspapers, billboards and magazines. Once the pieces are printed, they are distributed to their proper audience. The communication can be used to send information on promotions or updates on news or events.

Production Time

Over the years, print media have become a less attractive source of information because of the time it takes to produce such materials. In order to print newspapers, magazines and other media for distribution, the products must be designed, and the text must be written and thoroughly checked for errors before being sent to the printer. Once the copies are printed, they are posted for mail delivery, dropped off at newsstands for purchase or delivered to people’s homes. It can take hours, days or weeks from the time material is written until it reaches its audience.

Frequency of Distibution

The frequency of distribution is a key characteristic of print media. Some publications that contain time-sensitive information such as newspapers and magazines can be distributed daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and even annually. Other media such as newsletters, booklets and pamphlets can be distributed as needed for individuals to pick up at their own discretion.

Types

Print media come in a wide variety of options. The most commonly circulated forms are newspapers, magazines and fliers. The content of the pieces varies, and the products are distributed using different timelines and in different amounts. The content communicates the news, gossip, retail sales or whatever message the sender is trying to convey.

This article comes from smallbusiness edit released

Looking for way to break through the communication barrier between you and your prospects? In today’s digital age, it’s easy for your target market to become saturated with online advertisements and email marketing. It’s time to take a proven approach to reaching your prospects, print media.

Still not sure if investing in print media is right for you? According to Forbes Magazine, print materials and publications offer your customers and prospects a brand experience that can’t be replicated online. Below are 6 reasons that stress the importance of print media and why your print media publications will make a lasting impact on your target market.

1. Print is Tangible. Publications, brochures, posters and other types of printed materials are physical items. These items can stay in offices or homes for months or even years after they are received.
2. Print is Credible. Like the feeling you get when you see The New York Times or your favorite magazine on the rack, there is something to be said about the feeling of legitimacy that comes from print. You are able to put the printed piece down and comeback at any time to resume your reading. And print media requires “real estate”. As marketers, we like this! A  printed piece placed on the corner of a desk will be there day after day until it is picked back up to be viewed.
3. Print Establishes Your Brand. Printed publications and other branded materials is an excellent way to establish your brand. It allows you to bring the aesthetic qualities of font, colors, images and texture that helps to establish brand recognition.
4. Print Helps You Reach Your Target Market.  The design and placement of your company ads in publications, newspapers and magazines can help you reach your target audience, whether it be a niche market or the general public. By leveraging the data of demographics, you are able to strategically place your brand in the right place at the right time, in front of the right audience.
5. Print is More Engaging. Websites are often skimmed in as little as 15 seconds per visit. When a customer or prospect reads a printed material, they are more engaged for a longer period of time. On average, a consumer spend 43 minutes reading a magazine.
6. Less Print, Is More For You. With more companies taking their marketing efforts online, the old has become new again as print media becomes the new trend. But this isn’t your parents’ world of print media communications! Marketers have more information and data to make calculated decisions about content, consumption, consumers, and collateral types. Customers’ and prospects’ email inboxes are overflowing with unsolicited ads and non-worthy news, most of which is largely ignored. With this in mind, designing and sharing a great printed marketing piece should be high on your list of strategic marketing initiatives.

This article comes from modernlitho edit released