Print or Digital?

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 Written by Ray Larson

Two-thirds of consumers say they’re more likely to buy from a company that provides custom content, according to Roper Public Affairs & Media. The question is, should you use print or digital platforms for your content?

The reports of print’s death are greatly exaggerated. Despite the gloom and doom of news headlines over the past few years, magazines continue to thrive — it’s just that companies are spending money on custom magazines, not traditional B2B ones. Why the shift? A custom magazine lets you decide who receives your company’s message, helps build relationships with prospects and customers, and provides information that encourages them to use your product and services, thereby increasing your sales.

Meanwhile, the strength of digital content lies in its immediacy. Your message can include text, video, audio clips and Web 2.0 technology in one place that goes straight into your audience’s inbox and/or online — all of which the reader can act on 24/7. Also, digital products like enGauge allow up-to-the-minute updates, so if a campaign parameter changes, you can simply revise it.

These solutions are powerful tools to your marketing agenda — and thankfully, you don’t really have to choose between them. By having both print and digital components to your strategy, you’re providing content where your customers want it, whether that’s in their hands or on their screens.