The Next Big Opportunity in Print.

The Next Big Opportunity in Print is Digital.

And I am not talking about equipment.

It’s time for print and digital to reach across the aisle.

How do you like my election season pun? I think it’s relevant (and witty) because much like the gap in American politics there is a chasm between the print and digital worlds that is hurting our industry. A couple weeks ago, I attended the Traffic and Conversion Summit and feel pretty confident I was the only print industry CEO mixed in between several thousand digital marketers. (If you are in print and where there, please reach out.) While there where a few jabs at print and direct mail, the major focus of the conference was the convergence of content and direct response marketing.

In short, to build a long-term sustainable business model and generate quality leads you must dedicate resources to both building your brand and converting leads. A topic we printers are all too familiar with and in my opinion could be pretty damn good at, thus an OPPORTUNITY!

Implement A Digital Strategy Right Now

Let’s walk before we run. In an earlier post, I outlined the importance of a digital strategy in growing your commercial print buisness. If you are a commercial printer, take 5 minutes to click the link and visit that post. Make damn sure you have solutions for the three core components of a digital strategy. This is phase 1. If you don’t have those three components implemented, there is not much time left for you but you sure as hell don’t need to read anything beyond HERE.

If you feel pretty good about your digital strategy, then feel free to move on to more of the advanced bonus strategies in that post and begin to set yourself apart from your competitors in commercial printing. If you’ve reached this point, you’re at a crossroads and have a decision to make.

Do you want to disrupt or be disrupted?

There is not a right or wrong answer but you do need to make a decision because you can’t half-ass being a disruptor. You’ve created a digital strategy that is creating more print jobs and that’s great if that’s what you want to do. If that’s all you are hoping to accomplish then don’t read anything beyond HERE.

Here is the opportunity

What if you could leverage that learning and expertise to move yourself up the marketing value chain? What if you could shift the conversation from commodity-like print purchasing to a higher value, and priced, service like lead generation? The marketing world has acknowledged the convergence of content and direct-response marketing as the most effective approach to lead generation. The industry has also acknowledged that it is not about digital, print or social but integrating all three to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time.

This is your opportunity.

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