Is a Custom Magazine Right for You?

When you think about adding new channels to engage with your customers, starting a custom magazine is probably not high on the list. It may never have crossed your mind. But it might be something you want to consider.  The use of custom magazines as a customer engagement tool is growing.

“Hold up!” you might say. “Aren’t magazine subscriptions on the decline?” Traditional magazines, yes, but not custom magazines. Custom publishing is on the rise, and these publications often become the glue around which other marketing elements—personalized direct mail and email, social media, mobile marketing—are built.

Here are three companies that have been successful using custom magazines to enhance their brands:

Lowe’s: This DIY giant offers both an e-zine and a print version of its “Creative Ideas” magazine, which provides solutions for everything from hidden bedroom storage to painting a faux brick wall. This content drives readers back to Lowe’s stores for supplies. The magazine’s design style mimics DIY pinboards and online communities, creating a sense of being an integral part of the larger DIY family.

Airbnb: There is certain kitsch to being part of the Airbnb community and hosting travelers from all over the globe. To reinforce this identity, Airbnb’s magazine, “Pineapple,” features stories from San Francisco to London told by Airbnb hosts. Since travelers often return to the same hosts over and over again, the goal is to keep hosts engaged so that travelers can build long-term relationships with them and with the Airbnb brand. 

Uber: Being an Uber driver is like being part of your own world. To keep drivers connected, Uber created a magazine, “Momentum,” just for its drivers. Topics range from stories from the field to tips on how to keep your back from hurting when constantly on the go. The goal is to build a broad base of connected, brand-engaged drivers that drives the mission forward. 

So why invest in a custom magazine? It is not to make money through advertising or subscriptions. It is to enhance customer engagement and enhance and solidify your brand in a way that creates long-term profitability.

Want to build a community around your brand? A custom magazine might be just what you need.

Please give us a call at 440-946-0606
Or visit our website here for more information.



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For Better Results, Follow Your Curiosity

Do you have curiosity? If you’re doing personalized print marketing, a little can go a long way. By asking questions of your customers, whether in print or digital surveys, you can uncover valuable information that can improve your sales. 

One governmental agency shows us how it’s done. When the agency began implementing a new set of regulations, it set up a compliance program to help affected businesses. It also scheduled an educational event to let companies know about the changes and help them get on board. In advance of the event, it surveyed attendees about their knowledge of the new regulations and compliance initiative. To encourage them to respond to the survey, it offered a guaranteed prize plus a chance to win a new iPod. 

The survey provided critical insights, including: 

• More than two-thirds of attendees did not know whether or not they were in compliance.

• 54% had never visited the agency’s website designed to educate them on the regulations.

• 48% did not know how the compliance program would help them.

Imagine how this information helped the agency tailor its message during the event!

In another example, one mid-sized marketer used personalized surveys to improve its prospecting efforts. It asked customers to indicate where they needed the most help in critical areas of their business, what services would make their jobs more manageable, and what their pain points were. This information helped the salespeople create highly targeted presentations directed at the individual needs of each prospect. The result was a whopping 73.9% conversion rate. 

Are you doing regular customer and prospect surveys? If not, there are many ways to work them into your marketing projects, from personalized URLs to pre-filled tear-out forms, to online and email forms. 

To create these surveys, ask yourself what information you do not currently have that would help you open doors, increase the relevance of your messaging, and ultimately help you close the sale. Once you know what information you need, we can help you craft the surveys to get the best results. 

Please give us a call at 440-946-0606
Or visit our website here for more information.


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What’s Another Name for Personalized Print Marketing?

What’s another name for personalized printing? Relationship marketing! This is an approach that uses personalized printing to focus on nurturing long-term customer relationships rather than pursuing just the short-term sale. How does this work?

Say you are a family-owned hardware store. Typically, a customer walks in, does his shopping, and you are available to answer questions and recommend products. You hope that your excellent service, quality merchandise, and expertise will maintain the customer’s loyalty. You might have special promotions or discounted merchandise in a bin at the front of the counter, as well.

What might this look like if you decide to add relationship marketing?

It looks a little different. Each time a customer walks in, you smile and greet them, but you also ask if they would like to be on the mailing list for your newsletter “Tips for Shop & Home.” If they say yes, you collect their name, address, and additional information, such as whether they rent or own, have children and their ages, and any specific home needs such as a garden, pool, or workshop.

Once a month, you send out a personalized newsletter addressing each customer by name. You customize the content, providing weatherizing tips, suggestions for ongoing home maintenance, and relevant offers based on what you know about their property. If they garden, for example, you might offer planting tips and discounts on seeds, berry bushes, or garden mulch. If they have a pool, you might offer winterizing or seasonal opening tips.

To deepen the relationship, you find other opportunities to engage your customers, as well. This might include an occasional customer survey, feedback form, or contest (such as best recipe using home-grown vegetables or DIY project). This makes each customer feel valued and more deeply engages them with your store, while at the same time giving you more information to further personalize future mailings.

That’s relationship marketing—and it’s one of the opportunities that make 
personalized print so powerful.

Please give us a call at 440-946-0606
Or visit our website here for more information.


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