The internet is the first stop on the credibility train. But it isn't the final destination.

If you find yourself struggling to close sales and all of your marketing is online, you better start thinking ink. Nothing evokes credibility quite like print. Tangible, tactile and personal, a unique brochure, story, letter or booklet has the power to reassure an audience that you are here to stay.

Studies show that organizations with print outmaneuver competitors who only have online information and marketing. It's no surprise that the catalog industry continues to thrive. We're not saying print is better than interactive web communication, we're just saying it's essential.

Print remains the centerpiece of almost every serious marketing effort. Even with the green revolution barreling forward, important messages still find their way to paper (often using renewable resources and natural inks). For new companies, this is a fact to consider when planning that list of essential marketing and communications tools you will develop.

"Without print, I wonder about a company's staying power," I said in a recent interview. "Even the most well thought out website will have diminished impact if the company can't promptly send me some literature."

Ultimately, the web serves our current needs of immediacy and urgency, but print is frequently what secures face-to-face meetings and consequently, real business.

Some proof:
Consider the current trend in software. Even with online help services, people still request (and pay for) the actual printed manuals. There's something missing without them. We haven't evolved to the point (yet) where our eyes would prefer to read a backlit screen (lcd, crt, plasma -- I don't care). We avert our eyes from the sun for a reason. So, until somebody invents a completely non-glare display that can be tossed into a briefcase or bookbag, print is here to stay. 


Tangibility, substance and investment


Quality literature, even if it's just a single brochure (done right) underscores your organization's committment. It proves that you care and invest about your own business. Few want to work with, or rely upon, an organization with even a small degree of uncertainty. Any sign of risk and your competitors will be getting jobs you should have secured.

It always stuns me when I visit a physician's office or a professional services firm (law, finance, insurance, etc.) that has slipshod or homemade marketing materials. Many times these professionals have stellar reputations and skills. Their logic is that they don't need any marketing. And that's fine if you want to leave the last chapters of your business life to another writer. But, if you want to truly capitalize on a great reputation or a breakthrough idea, putting that story on paper is essential.


Honesty is essential. We intuitively know when a message sounds genuine. We also know when to be skeptical. When a company is brave enough to be simple and clear they usually reap rewards such as loyalty and word-of-mouth. Now more than ever, consumers are numb to flashy sales pitches and exaggerated claims. But that doesn't mean you should be boring. Entertaining messages that are interesting have proven their worth since the beginning of time. People want to hear that your products and services do what they say. They want proof. They want substance. They want quality presentations that show you invested in your company. That investment validates the quality service or product you provide. Not recognizing this is why homemade brochures and amateur designers fail so miserably at launching new enterprises. They believe that great marketing is a byproduct of success when it is actually the path to success.

We practice what we preach
Have you ever asked a designer for their brochure? Odds are they don't have one. Why then should you be convinced they know how to make one for you? You shouldn't. Designers must practice what they preach. They will talk forever about creating an integrated marketing message across all media outlets (print, web, tv, ads, direct mail, etc.), but do they do this themselves? Most don't. Imagine hiring a builder to build your home who lived in a mobile home? You'd probably think twice.