10 Reasons Why Printers Should Print Their Own Newsletters

Do you truly believe in the power of the printed word? If I were to judge by the number of printed newsletters I get from commercial printers or quick copy shops, I’d be forced to say “No.” (That number by the way, is zero printed newsletters from the more than 18,000 printing businesses with which we’ve had contact for over ten years.)

Ironically, I get numerous printed newsletters from online marketing companies and service providers.Google, the king of online, even sends me printed mail on a regular, frequent basis. Let’s throw in the monthly printed word from CPA’s, my chiropractor, church and several trade associations. The silence from the printing industry is deafening, to borrow the cliché.

The evidence that printed newsletters work is compelling and their popularity is testament to their ability to beef up the bottom line in any industry. Here are 10 ways a newsletter works for your business.

Establishes you as an expert.
Whatever your area of printing expertise, you ARE the expert for your customer. That’s why they picked you. After all, don’t you work on your specialty 50 to 60 hours a week or more? Thousands of hours per year over many years gives you a field of knowledge that no one else has. A printed newsletter reminds your customer of your singular expertise.

Keeps you in the customer’s mind.
Buyers are ready to buy when they're ready to buy. If you are in front of them on a consistent, regular basis, the chance of them thinking of you when they are ready to take action increases significantly.

Bonds you to your customer with your unique, personal communication.
People buy from people. The more they know, like and trust you, the better the customer relationship. They are more apt to try something you recommend.

Adds value for your services.
When you include something useful that makes your customer’s lives easier, it makes you more valuable. Adding value makes it easier for you to get premium pricing and removes you from the commodity trap.

Establishes new business without cold calling.
A regular newsletter communication is much less intrusive than regular, pushy sales efforts. The net result of our newsletter marketing is that we do ZERO cold calls. None. We haven’t done cold calls in years.

Generates referrals.
Customers LOVE to pass along something helpful or entertaining to their friends. There is no easier new customer to acquire than a referral and a print newsletter is an ideal pass-around item.

Instantly sets you apart from your competitors.
I can’t stress this enough! Remember what I said about 18,000 printers…and NO newsletters? Many colleagues—in other industries—point out this sad fact to me about the lack of print newsletters from businesses whose heart and soul is print.

It drives traffic to your website and social media.
Newsletters build your email list and increase repeat web traffic which, in turn, increases your search engine rankings. The more ways you communicate, the more people you reach on a regular basis.

It Uses the Power of Example to persuade your customers to buy.
As a printer don’t you want every one of your business customers to start printing a monthly printed newsletter? What better way to get that type of business than leading by example! What would an extra 5, 10 or 20 regular monthly jobs do for your bottom line? You’re selling the power of print…use it!

It opens up all-important dialogues with your customers.
A regular printed communication keeps you on top of opportunities and helps you resolve problems that you might have otherwise missed.

If you are not currently producing a printed newsletter, perhaps these ten reasons will cause you to re-consider. Great customer service and an emphasis on customer retention are the keystone of any successful business. There are many, many more reasons to print your own newsletter. Before you say“But I don’t have ______ to do a print newsletter” (fill in your own blank: time, money, talent, resources, etc.) you’ll want to check out Newsletter Marketing for Printers.

So c’mon folks, you have the power of print to stand on. Use it! We welcome your stories, comments and experiences below.