The following article of mine was published in the May, 2008 issue of ContentWise (formerly Publications Management). For more information on ContentWise, click here.

How Print Stacks Up
Printed newsletters are getting a raw deal. With social media marketing getting the lion’s share of media attention, printed corporate publications seem to be considered an “also ran.” But don’t tell that to corporate marketers.

According to Publications Management’s most recent Publishing Characteristics Study, printed newsletters are now the preferred custom publishing medium at 40%, outdistancing both custom magazines (35%) and electronic publications (18%). That means that almost half of corporate marketers are delivering consistent editorial information to their customers in the form of printed newsletters.

Even more, a recent Junta42/BtoB Magazine study found that 28% business-to-business marketers still rely on the printed newsletter to communicate with their customers and prospects.

Considering all the marketing options out there, these are pretty powerful numbers.

At first glance, the findings don’t make sense. More consumers are using the Internet than ever before, especially when making buying decisions. Forrester recently found that 92% of buyers go online first to research a possible purchase. In addition, ITA Toolbox states that consumers spend almost 10 hours per week consuming online content in the form of social media, editorial media and vendor content/websites.

Consider the Buying Cycle
The research clearly shows that the power of the Internet is growing and strong in the beginning stages of the buying cycle. Search engine optimization (organic listings) and search engine marketing (paid listings) are continuing to grow within the key corporate objectives of reach and acquisition.

But printed newsletters play a key role toward the retention and loyalty portions of the buying cycle. Especially during the current economic recession, corporate marketers need to be concerned most with retention and loyalty, as budgets continue to get cut and customers look to lower expenses by switching vendors. Newsletters deliver relevant and compelling information to customers on a consistent basis, which is valued by customers and positions your company as a thought leader.

Let’s consider some key reasons why corporate marketers are continuing to rely on printed newsletters:

Customers still enjoy print, but use it differently than the web. Both printed newsletters and magazines give customers an opportunity to educate themselves on the industry and your company’s products and services. Engagement, or the time a consumer spends with your brand message, is gaining importance as a key marketing measure.
Less Print = More Share of Voice. The trend toward less traditional magazine launches continued in 2007 – 200 less launches from 2006. This trend will continue. With your customers receiving less printed material, there is a clear opportunity to capture more attention through printed newsletters.
Integration with Online Strategies is Key. In the past, corporate marketers published newsletters, and then took that content and posted it to their online microsites and corporate websites. Today, more corporate marketers are flipping the process – putting up consistently valuable content on their websites, and then pulling key stories from the web to create the newsletter version. This is the best of both worlds, combining timely news that your customers and search engines can access immediately, with high-quality packaged editorial in print newsletter form for easy digestion.

If you currently produce a printed newsletter, odds are you’ll be sticking with it, especially during the current economic cycle. If you are considering starting a print newsletter, you may opt to begin the process by focusing on your very best customers (the 20% of the 80/20 rule). As long as you understand your business objectives and define the measurement of your print newsletter, success should be within your grasp.

5 Tips for Integrating Your Print Newsletter

Produce your web content first. Then pull the “best of the web” together for your printed newsletter.
Remember that web content should be keyword driven. You may need to edit your print stories for more search engine impact.
Company stories are fine, but industry education stories get the attention. This is especially true for the web.
Distribute a press release with every issue. This can drive prospects to your newsletter signup page since newswire sites often rank high with search engines.
Create an email “issue alert” for “opt-in” customers and prospects. This is a great way to notify customers that the print issue is there or coming soon.

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