Need Advise on Advertising

Continue with print or switch totally to internet

[Dogza]

We’re working out next years advertising budget and I’m stuck with a real problem, how much do I continue to spend on Print (catalog) advertising?

Here is a perfect example: We have a publication that we spend $2000 per year to advertise in. Because of the very nature of print, it is almost impossible to tell if that money has actually converted to sales. I really feel if we were to eliminate the publication and spend that extra money on Google or Overture, we would see much better returns.

I’m really stating to feel like print advertising is dead. We don’t really care about “Brand Awareness”. My only concern is converting eyeballs into sales.

What say you?

[krod]

I find advertising on the net is much much more effective, due to its very nature. All a user has to do is click, then he/she is there. Unlike print catalogue where something has to be very appealing for them to remember it.

[ann]

Take store sales papers for example.

I find something I like and flip my chair around, look it up on the comp and order....quicker than getting (horrors) dressed and trekking downtown. :)

[Syzygy]

I’m really stating to feel like print advertising is dead. We don’t really care about “Brand Awareness”. My only concern is converting eyeballs into sales.

Hmmm... response tracking is so much more difficult with print advertising. Your potential customers do not care about this fact though - only you do. "Eyeballs into sales" is exactly what print advertising does - if your advertsing is sufficiently targeted.

Syzygy

[weeks]

The answer is that it just depends. If you disappear from the market, you open the door to competitors. That is a big part of "brand awareness." The consumer is going to be aware of something, you want to make sure that something, when it comes to gizmos, is you.

As the same time, if your field is crowded (financial planning is one that everyone and their brother is marketing now), then maybe all you are doing is adding to the noise and going web with a targeted message would be better.

What does your catalog message say? Does it allow someone to read the listing and turn to the web and find you? If so, could you tweak it so that readers looking at the catalog would go to a web site tied only to the catalog so you could track sales? How about a special phone number (they're cheap now, you know) just for the catalog? (I know many catalogs will not allow this, but if you can then you could track sales from the print.)

You only have so much money for marketing. Spend it where it does the most good. Even pencils with your website on them can be effective in some markets.

[Leosghost]

Because of the very nature of print, it is almost impossible to tell if that money has actually converted to sales.

not at all ..just include "produce or send this add with your order for a 10% discount on your puchase" or some similar such in your print ad ..then you'll know how your ROI is for print.

folks love vouchers ..they are only there for the tracking ..think of them like a printed cookie ..or maybe that should be think of loyalty cards like a printed cookie..
but whichever ..you get my meaning ..tracking is all ..