During the initial post of this four-part series I restated the question in a way that doesn’t pit “print” against “electronic.”  It’s most productive to think of it this way: “What would be the most effective mix of print and electronic for my marketing campaign?”  This post introduces the consideration that the preferred medium may be different depending on what you are trying to sell.

What is it that you are trying to sell?

Are you selling rather inexpensive, impulse items that can easily be processed over the internet?  Or are you selling intrinsically complex and expensive services that require a long decision-making time and personal engagement in the process?  Most people offering home building or remodeling services would fall into the latter category.

If you are selling in the first category (small, quick-sale items), electronic is definitely the way to go.  The electronic newsletter comes, the recipient sees something he likes, he clicks on a  link, and before you know it the transaction is complete.

For the second category (more complex and expensive services and products), newsletters serve a different role. They are a friendly reminder that you are there and that you are capable of doing their (and their neighbor’s) project. Newsletters are a frequent, but not too frequent, reminder with the same message. While the prospective client is going through the 2 to 3-year process of deciding that they need to remodel, what they want to have remodeled, and how they want to have it remodeled, you are constantly there with the friendly, frequent reminder. When they are ready to move forward with the project, they know who to call and how to reach you.

Which medium, electronic or print, will be more effective depends on the individual and your relationship with him or her (see the first point). Because electronic newsletters are so easy to delete and generally don’t have much staying power, we find it more effective to send them more often than sending their print counterpart. In comparison to the articles written for a print newsletter, the articles in an electronic newsletter need to be limited and short. On the other hand, the recipients of a print newsletter are likely to read one article at a time, putting it aside, and then coming back to the newsletter multiple times. Each time, it is a reminder of your company.

This is why I like to talk about a “mix.” The electronic and print versions can actually supplement each other by providing frequent and friendly messages across different media, reaching a wide variety of people according to their individual tastes in media consumption. With a better understanding of the “tastes” within your population, determination can be made as to the percentages in the mix.

Want to read from the beginning?  Start with Part 1.

During the initial post of this four-part series I restated the question in a way that doesn’t pit “print” against “electronic.”  It’s most productive to think of it this way: “What would be the most effective mix of print and electronic for my marketing campaign?”  I then introduced a number of factors to be considered in answering the rephrased question.  The first of these factors is the consideration of those to whom your message is addressed.  (Part 1)

To whom are you sending it?
Are you trying to communicate with existing clients and/or friends? Or are you reaching out to prospective clients? Are the recipients of your newsletter primarily men or women? Are they 20, 30, 50, or 65 years old? What is their socio-economic and educational level?
If your relationship is very close to the recipients, electronic newsletters are more likely to be received in a favorable way, opened and read. The more distant the relationship, the less likely it is that it will be read, and the more likely it is that it will be considered and marked as spam.  Even if the recipient doesn’t yet have any relationship with your company, a print newsletter has a good chance of capturing a person’s interest through an inviting photograph or headline.  Print also has better staying power and a longer shelf life.

A major challenge in sending electronic newsletters is in getting valid email addresses.  Reputable email delivery systems (e.g. Constant Contact) in compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act don’t allow the use of purchased email lists. Because of the abundance of spam, homeowners require a high level of trust before they will release their email address. That contrasts to the relative ease with which excellent address lists can be built or purchased/rented to which printed newsletters can be sent. So your relationship with the recipients will make a big difference in whether or not you can even reach them with an electronic newsletter.

Age, gender, education, economic situation, and the local situation can all make a major difference. Among younger people it is more likely that the population will be computer literate. But many of them consider email passé. Communication with them is more likely through texting and the social media. And if you can’t break into their close friend network, print media may end up being more effective with them. On the other side, older people are not to be ruled out in regard to the electronic media. For the most part, they have come to terms with the fact that computers and the internet are here to stay, so have gone ahead and learned the basics.  While doing that they have found it is a wonderful way to communicate with friends and family—and even contractors who are providing them with fascinating ideas and trends for their homes!

Want to read from the beginning?  Start with Part 1.