Web or print or both?

Thinking about the difference between the Internet and print, I would say the Internet has vast, virtually unlimited, amounts of information, but searching, sorting and evaluating information is the job of the user. Print media presents a much smaller volume of information in each issue, but content has been selected, evaluated and formatted to meet the needs of an identified community of readers. That is what editors do.

While there are a number of web-based publications that select and tailor their content to an identified readership, they are relatively few. There are also specialized search engines that help users navigate in specific subject areas. Still, the volume of information can be daunting.

Print publications have the duty to be compelling, useful and current sources of information to lead the way to finding additional, related and supplemental information on the Web. Almost all have online editions along with searchable archives. They may also include directories of suppliers, forums, blogs, late-breaking news, tutorials and more. Whatever the specific functions, the aim is to assist visitors to find more in-depth information first found in the print magazine. In fact, the benefits of print are to draw readers to visit the Web.

A print magazine plops down on your desk, fits into your briefcase and beckons readers to peruse with focused, constant content. Print helps to take that same focus onto the Web to save time and confusion searching for related information. The value of print media is then increased by the Web, not challenged.

Pain Relief

Many times in a buy/sell situation, the buyer does not know what his pains are, just symptoms of the pain. Typically, he knows he wants to rid himself of the pain but needs more information to determine what it will cost him to do that. Cost comes in many forms: time commitment; effort to be made; or monetary investment to solve the problem.

Our inate drive to maintain our compfort zone directly effects how and what we purchase. Pain versus pleasure, similarity versus unfamiliarity, are feelings and emotions that impact most facets of our lives. How we deal with such emotion directly affects our motiviations to buy things that make us feel better.

A skilled sales person must systematically qualify the prospect to find answers to the following questions:

What are the prospects pains?

Can my product or service effectively eliminate the defined pains?

Is the prospect truly motivated to eliminate pains?

Does he have the financial resources to proceed?

Does he ultimately make the buying decision?

Many sales technique training programs emphasize product or service features. Potential prospects want to know about the features but first want the sales person to understand their problems, how long they've had them, what it's cost them and what they've already done to try to fix them. A prospect needs to do this before they can full digest any form of potential pain relief.

Finding The Pain

Earlier this week, I met with a marketing pro for a sales call. As we started our meeting, he talked about tough times for their telemarketing people. While they have been able to reach buyers, they're rarely able to find a pain threshold to grow interest in their product.

No doubt, our rough economy is part of the problem. I wonder too, if they don't know their prospect needs, how can they make a compelling offer?

Needs assessment is the part of the selling process in which you learn in detail what your prospect needs that your company may be able to provide. Needs assessment is a central and critical part of making the sale.

Qualifying a prospect is about identifying the pain. It uncovers details about the pain, the source of the pain, and the elements of the solution that can eliminate the pain. Many prospects have pain but do not know the source. It is also possible that they think they know the source but are wrong.

If you ask the right questions, you may be able to help your prospect find better solutions to their probems. If you do, chances increase that they will buy from you. In this case, you are no longer a salesperson but a problem-solver, a consultant, a real asset for the prospect. You are not only offering a product or a service but you are helping the prospect understand how to apply your product or service to meet the pressing need and to relieve the pain that may not have been fully understood before you came along to help.

Selling is really a painful process.

We surf the Internet. We swim in magazines.

If you haven't already seen this ad message, it's recently published in Sports Illustrated and will soon appear in many other magazines created by the Magazine Publishing Executives. The message is compelling. I couldn't resist adding it to my blog.

The Internet is exhilarating. Magazines are enveloping. The Internet grabs you. Magazines embrace you. The Internet is impulsive. Magazines are immersive. And both media are growing.

Barely noticed amidst the thunderous Internet clamor is the simple fact that magazine readership has risen over the last five years. Even in the age of the Internet, even among groups one would assume are most singularly hooked on digital media, the appeal of magazines is growing.

Think of it this way: during the 12-year life of Google, magazine readership actually increased 11 percent.

What it proves, once again, is that a new medium doesn't necessarily displace the existing one. Just as movies didn't kill radio. Just as TV didn't kill movies. An established medium can flourish so long as it continues to offer a unique experience. And, as reader loyalty and growth demonstrate, magazines do.

Which is why people aren''t giving up swimming, just because they also enjoy surfing.

My conclusion: Don't drown yourself in the Internet.

Long Live Print

If you're like me, you've probably noticed that some magazines are getting thinner. They have fewer editorial stories and ads. Some companies are moving out of print to online. Online, with the ability to track impressions and clicks, seems to be the holy grail of advertising. You only pay for what you get. Google even allows you to pay only when someone clicks on your ad.

Actually, print is where words go to live. The Internet is wonderful when you already know what you're interested in. Print, however, is the perfect introduction to an informed debate and to the deep resources of the Web. The words and pictures in print or on the same magazine's web site become the basis for searching, linking, talking and ranting for those with the time or inclination to do so. The Web is the friend of print, not its killer.

With that said, I believe print is a viable advertising medium, especially when considering a business to business audience. So here goes, my top five reasons to continue using print.

1. Audience - There is a business magazine for every industry and job function. Publishers spend a ton of money developing and auditing a targeted circulation. They continue to be one of the best sources for reaching a targeted audience.

2. Editorial - Publishers still provide great editorial and have credibility with their audience. This editorial is where your targeted audience turns to for insights and knowledge. Much of this editorial can eventually be found online, but print is still the initial source for quality editorial.

3. Availability - Many companies limit their employees' use of the Internet. Your prospect may not be able to go to web sites where you are running your banner ads. However, they are free to read business magazines.

4. Brand Awareness - The print platform still builds brand awareness. Studies continue to show that ads in magazines actually boost search engine traffic. Seeing a print ad often prompts prospects to visit web sites, or do searches for products or services offered in an ad.

5. Mobility - People still like to take paper with them. Just look around the next time you're on an airplane or at the doctor's office. You'll see people reading magazines.

In 20 years, ink on paper will survive as trust is still king.

Seven Basic Tips To Improve Your Web Site

Web navigation should be flushed out during the design phase.

The back button is a huge indicator of bad design.

Don't be too proud of the amount of time visitors spend on your web site. They might simply be lost.

Users don't read web sites. They scan. Words are not as important as visuals.
Images, from photographs to videos, can bring your company's values to life.

Never say you've finished your web site. It should evolve. Remove anything redundant, outdated, or trivial on an ongoing basis.

Fixing problems in the development phase or redesign process costs ten time more in the design phase. Addressing problems after the release can cost 100 times more than in the design phase.

Finally, get top management buy-in to your web site by having them participate in the usability testing.