Print is alive - if you use it correctly
I'll be the first to brag about WA Military's new (ish) website, app, social channels and other 21st century, tech-friendly systems. And why wouldn't I? They get resources into more military members' hands, grow our following and help us connect with Washington's military community in ways that our print hasn't been able to.
Here comes the but... we aren't moving away from our print directory like many other companies. Our's is still alive and well, and here's why:
We understand a few key concepts:
- Consider your target audience. We've looked at our audience, studied the community and can report that with the wide range of ages, backgrounds and job types within the military community, there still is a need for print. If we were marketing to 18-year-old hipsters, probably not. But between older vets who just prefer looking through a book and on-base jobs where soldiers can't have their cellphones, our printed resources are a game changer.
- The audience is engaged. Studies show that people interacting with a print product are more engaged, on average, compared to an audience online. If they're picking up your product, they're going to look at it. They wouldn't pick it up just to put it down again like someone who is swiping through a search result or social media.
- It needs a purpose. We don't turn out copies of Washington Military Resource Directory just because we like to make books or because we love the smell of fresh ink - no, we print copies and provide them to the military community for free because we want to serve our soldiers and vets and this is another way to engage. We don't want to leave a soldier without resources he or she might need and if the print product reaches one more soldier in need, it's done its job.
A bit about our distribution...
More than 270,000 copies of our resource directory are delivered across Washington State. They're taken to major military and family events, trade shows, sporting events, banks and credit unions and at all major base locations, medical centers and clubs.
Of course there is much more going on behind the print between the website and mobile app. But it's important to tip your hat to print media every once and a while. For more about what we do, the community we serve and our mission, check out our website.