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Why Do We Need Printed Pieces?
Posted By: Hollykm* on 10/4/2004 10:02 AM (CST) 125 Points
I work in the corporate center of a company with many different autonomous divisions - who pay for their own marketing expenses. I am currently in a debate with the head of one of these divisions as to why he should have a printed brochure. He thinks he can just save his technical information to a .pdf and e-mail it out as needed. I've said that having something in print adds credibility. Now he's challenging me on this. Does anyone have any documentation (research, anecdotal) as to why we should make the investment in a printed brochure?

Posted by: W.M.M.A. Member Response
10/4/2004 10:31 AM (CST)
I've had that arguement several times in my business life. And, regardless of the technology, people want a tangible...something to hold and read at their leisure, when they are receptive to the information. I know that is not proof, but it is valid. I am sure that KHE colleagues will have links to help you.

What I have done to solve this issue is:

I have created interactive CD's that look like business cards, but are electronic brochures. I individualize them to the specific persons or groups I am targeting.

The client/prospect will carry it with them and put it into their computer when they are ready to do so. This CD guides them through the plethora of information available for them, and then...(click here), and they will go to the exact point on the website that has the information that your division head wants them to read.

None of us have all the time we need to continue to attempt to change the minds of those who are set in their mindsets, anyway. We just try to figure a way around it, to achieve our tasks and goals.

Good Luck
Randall
WMMA
 
Posted by: km2000* Accepted Answer
10/4/2004 10:35 AM (CST)
Holly,

I can't necessarily give you evidence to support your stance, but I can give you some anecdotes regarding print vs. electronic.

I work for a communications company that encompasses a broad range of services (rural telephone to Internet to security systems). What we've found is that what's right for one (ie: print pieces for the telco) isn't always as appropriate for another (ie: security).

For example - Our security customers love the fact that the newsletter is available online and that they receive an email when the new edition is available. It feels 'technological' to them & they equate that feeling with a higher level of service & capabilites from the company. On the other hand, our telco customers want a printed newletter. Anything less feels 'cold' to them. They equate printed pieces with stability & caring, electronic with 'too much like big phone companies' that don't care enough about their customers.

So, it is possible that both you & the division head are both right.

I'd suggest asking your customers. (Maybe a poll on your web site, or a quick courtesy call from sales or customer service.) They're the ones directly effected, they will tell you whether print or electronic is the way to go.

Sorry I couldn't give you a full 'hurrah' for print only, but I this perspective will help in your overall decision.

k.
 
Posted by: et3dotcom Member Response
10/4/2004 10:38 AM (CST)
Crunch the numbers – he may be correct! Is he getting better bottom line results than those divisions who use printed material? Depending on your industry and the connectedness of your customers – he likely has a good point. Make HIM prove it to you by duplicating his results at one of your other divisions that is willing to try his method. If he is able to prove his point, reward him – and use his program to phase out the use of printed material in your other branches. If he fails to produce measurable proof – insist that he test the use of printed material at his branch.
daryl
 
Posted by: SRyan ;] Accepted Answer
10/4/2004 1:44 PM (CST)
Holly, you're both right.

You need product/company info that people can access from anywhere, like a .pdf on a website. One problem with that, though, is the lack of control over the quality of what people see because of differences in PC monitors and personal printers.

You MUST have some shiny, robust brochure-like pieces of info to hand to people you've met to cement the impression, or to send to people you want to meet to start creating an impression. If all you can do is say, "please download it from FlyByNight.com," then you will leave many people unimpressed.

Not scientific, but all true for MY company!

- Shelley
 
Posted by: jillm Member Response
10/4/2004 1:55 PM (CST)
Question: how do you hand a person a PDF at the end of a business meeting? At a tradeshow? If you don't have something tangible to hand off, how are you going to get your word out, and/or have peers pass your information along? With e-mail filters picking off attachments right and left, you should hedge your bets by producing both online and printed items.

We've also had this debate at my office many times, and have chosen to print a few key literature pieces for sales' use. There is a perceived value in receiving a printed item that simply can't be duplicated online. (Although, we're all making valient efforts in this arena!) While most of our literature is available online, some of it has been printed so that we can be sure to have valuable items left behind at prospect sites and for use in tradeshow booths, etc.

I hope that this helps, and best of luck to you!
 
Posted by: tjh Accepted Answer
10/4/2004 5:23 PM (CST)
Studies? No, sorry. However, my personal experience goes like this:

1. Having the brochure in both pdf and print is vital.

2. An emailed or downloaded pdf nearly always gets printed out. And usually on a bad printer at that. Need to control the quality...

3. Like it or not, people like physical things, big things. (Print a large brochure).

4. They file and/or keep interesting brochures in physical files, travel with them to read them later, etc. My experience with electronic documents is that people habitually scan them, not read them. (And I tend to like brochures that give data, not just a branding or image piece. Give them a reason to keep it to read it later...)

Just my 4¢ ...
 
Posted by: telemoxie Accepted Answer
10/4/2004 9:22 PM (CST)
A key issue will be where you are in the sales cycle. Once someone is interested in a product, they are more than happy to receive an emailed PDF, or download one from the site. But, when you are trying to create that initial interest, you often need something you can send in the mail.

... but it doesn't neccessarily have to be a brochure. It can be a CD as previously described, or a nice sales letter, or even information from your web site which has been printed on nice stock using a color laser printer...

Another question is, how large are the companies you are calling on? If you are calling on the Fortune 500, I believe you need a professionally printed brochure, period.

Another question you might ask is, "What do your competitors do?" And, "What are your target prospects used to?" If you are calling upon companies who use beautiful professionally printed brochures in their own marketing efforts, they may look down on your PDFs. If they use PDFs themselves, its not as big a deal.
 
Posted by: mbarber Accepted Answer
10/4/2004 10:28 PM (CST)
Gidday Holly. As Shelley suggested - you are both right.

There is a difference here in terms of intperetation of 'intention' of delivery. Your divisional head is comparing costs and speed. You are looking at credibility and value. So you've landed at the appropriate responses from each perspective.

As an NLP Master Practitioner let me add a trained perspective - reading is both a visual AND a tactile medium. To hold a book or page is to engage the reader on more neurological levels and thus be more likely to ensure a message is understood or retained.

Now for the 'update' -

Depending on your target audience will determine how acceptable it is for a digital only option. Is it likely that your target audience will print the brochure out themselves? If so you have transferred the cost of production onto your customers. If they accept that proposition then stay with the online only option.

Is your target audience one that has grown up with an equal or more access to electronic delivery versus printed? If so, stick with the electronic version.

Is your audience one that probably still buys a daily or weekly paper or has grown up with brochures as a means of collecting information to help them make a buying decision? If so then to fail to provide one will cost your company dearly because people will opt out of engaging with your online brochure.

Your call :-)
 
Posted by: mgoodman Member Response
10/4/2004 10:36 PM (CST)
I can only echo what others have said. A printed piece lends credibility that you can't get with a PDF for many audiences. Even if the printed piece is just a knock-off of the PDF (content-wise), it says that your company is "real" and prepared to make its promises and commitments "tangible" (i.e., in print). Everyone knows you can change a PDF in a few seconds.

Given the relatively small cost of a good-looking brochure, it would seem to be a foolish risk to not have the printed version. The bigger your average sale, the more obviously true that is. (If you're selling a $1 item, maybe you don't need a slick brochure.) How many incremental sales/customers do you need to payout the cost of the printed brochure?

My own experience is that people don't value electronic stuff the way they do hardcopy. Even if they print out the PDF, the likelihood of it being tossed is a lot greater than the likelihood the printed hard-copy will be tossed. It's just the way most of us are wired.

Hope all of this helps. Good luck!
 


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