Tips for Graphic Arts Providers Seven Tips for Selling to Direct Marketers Seven tips for selling to direct marketers Direct marketing delivers the growth graphic communications providers need and the results marketers crave. Here are seven tips to help you win the business, supported by stories of graphic communications providers who are growing by attracting new customers and building loyal followings for themselves and their clients. 2 Tips for Graphic Arts Providers For years, it was enough to simply deliver attractive printed collateral pieces and/or advertising promotions. However, the economy has changed the landscape. Today, there are higher expectations and a confusing array of media choices for marketers and their customers. One trend is clear. The momentum has dramatically shifted from budgets allocated All Media Spend to general advertising to budgets that are allocated to direct marketing. According to the Winterberry Group, a provider of 200 General Advertising syndicated research for the direct marketing Direct Marketing community, investment in direct marketing 180 continues to rise from 2009 in comparison to $163.9B general advertising year over year. 160 The economy’s effect on marketers has required them to be more efficient, 140 presenting wonderful opportunities for graphic communications providers who provide data-driven marketing programs. 120 $112.6B However, marketers are vastly different from traditional graphic communications 100 contacts. Winning their business requires 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011E understanding their business objectives and personal motivations. The best opportunities 2010 DMA Statistical Fact Book; Winterberry Group Outlook 2011 come to those who can establish a consultative relationship, in which the graphic communications provider helps to develop The tips are: campaign strategies. 1. Target the right prospects 5. Leverage data to drive results This brochure offers seven tips for 2. Demonstrate your market knowledge 6. Capture powerful synergy by integrating developing successful relationships with multimedia campaigns marketers—and examples of graphic 3. Communicate your value proposition 7. Build windows of opportunity communications providers who have had 4. Overcome objections from success applying them. prospective customers Tips for Graphic Arts Providers 3 Current trends present new opportunities The marketing department and its surrogate creative agencies have long been the greatest source of corporate opportunities for graphic communications providers. While that’s still true today, the marketer’s needs are changing, due to three converging trends. • More consumers use “always-on” electronic media. • The media landscape is increasingly varied and complex. • Marketers have an increased need to show return on their investment (ROI). The upshot: Today marketers need to engage of Direct Marketing Report, every $1 spent in However, working effectively with customers in a broad array of sometimes direct marketing delivers almost $12 in sales marketers requires not only the print and confusing and unfamiliar media—as well as revenue, compared to a little more than $5 design problem-solving skills graphic in traditional media—and to do it on a tight delivered per dollar of advertising. communications providers are known for but budget that is squeezed by the challenging business problem solving, as well. The top Direct marketing campaigns that use digital economy. More than ever before, they providers understand their customers’ sales media, such as e-mail, the Web and social need to justify their spend—or suffer the and marketing programs, and recognize areas media, play well in this world. Not only are consequences. The average tenure of chief of opportunity from their customers’ point they trackable, but with the right tools, results marketing officers hired at the largest U.S. of view. Often, their involvement in projects can be presented in real time. What’s more, advertisers since 2005 is just 22 months, begins with strategy discussions, further digital media—including pieces printed on according to a 2010 Adweek report. upstream from traditional print procurement digital presses—can be highly personalized at the end of the creation process. In this environment, marketing budget with relevant messaging that has been shown allocation has shifted dramatically from time and time again to boost results. The following are seven tips to help graphic general advertising to direct marketing. One communications providers succeed working For graphic communications providers, reason: Because direct marketing campaigns with marketers in today’s dynamic direct these trends present new opportunities seek responses, they are measurable at the marketing world. to establish sustainable differentiation by individual ad unit, enabling marketers to track becoming trusted advisors on new media, ROI and justify their spend. And according to on effectively mixing new and traditional the Direct Marketing Association 2010 Power services, on optimizing ROI and on reporting results in boardroom friendly ways that justify the programs. 4 Tips for Graphic Arts Providers The Brief—but Rising— Today’s CMOs are expected to oversee a Average Tenure of CMOs much wider range of integrated marketing and communications functions than in The average tenure of CMOs is 22 months the past and to lead corporate strategy, according to a 2010 Adweek report. not just communications strategy. And for CEOs, the average tenure is 53.8 months according to Spencer Stuart, In adapting to these new roles, failures executive search consulting firm. to establish shared expectations or to fit into corporate culture are frequent CMO tenures are shorter than those contributors to early CMO exits. The of other senior executives because recent longer tenures, Spencer Stuart “over the last decade, the overall notes, are partly due to more effective complexity and sophistication of the CMO performance and partly to the down marketing function have grown by economy, which has slowed the job market leaps and bounds,” according to a and reduced marketing budgets. Spencer Stuart “blue” paper. Tips for Graphic Arts Providers 5 One: Target the right prospects A wide range of business-to-business marketers, consumer marketers and non-profit and membership organizations use and benefit from direct marketing programs. How do you decide which targets are right for you? First, be clear about what direct marketing Know your customers Sell more to your customers can do for an organization: Which customers are your most profitable? Selling more to current customers is almost • Drive measurable results in the form of Which generate the most revenue? Which are always easier and less expensive than sales (orders, donations and subscriptions), your least profitable—the ones that regularly initiating a new relationship. By taking good sales leads or traffic to a Web or social eat up an unjustified share of your resources? care of customers and becoming experts in their markets, you give your firm the strong media site. Ranking your customers in these easily reputation that often leads to referrals. • Extend the reach of a sales force to tracked categories provides a fact-based cost-effectively service lower-value means for prioritizing them as targets for Take it to the next level by sitting down customers, cover orphaned territories or new services. It may also lead you to scale with your top customers to learn more markets, help nurture or shorten long back relationships with your least profitable about them. Ask them what their business sales cycles or simply produce more clients, freeing resources for the more objectives are and where they want to take qualified leads. profitable work you seek. the business. Work on solving their problems to help them get there. • Develop a relationship with the customer to Knowing your customers also means nurture that customer’s loyalty and lifetime understanding their world—their industry, Your current customers also are the most value, while growing “share of wallet.” their challenges, their competitors and the logical targets for beginning sales of new ways their competitors communicate with services. Offer incentives to segments of your Then begin to think about how these services the targeted audience. Joining an industry customer base to make them feel “special.” can be applied on behalf of your current association can help you to better understand This is a great way to test and refine your customers—and prospects. Four guiding rules their industry, making you more valuable offerings, based upon their candid feedback. can help you through this process. to them. 6 Tips for Graphic Arts Providers Direct Marketing Advantages • Drives measurable results • Extends the reach of the sales force • Develops and nurtures customer relationships Tips for Graphic Arts Providers 7 Target prospects like your Also consider your company’s resources. Do Among trade magazines, Target Marketing high-value customers you or your staff have contacts in particular Magazine publishes an annual list of the top When you begin targeting new business, industries? Does work you currently perform 50 mailers other than catalogs. The leaders try to find prospects that resemble your have any similarities to work done in in 2009 and 2010 came mostly from financial highest-value customers. With them, you can other industries? For example, if you ran a services (Citigroup, Mutual of Omaha, etc.), leverage your good reputation