subject: The Latest Craze: Traditional Advertising [print this page] The Latest Craze: Traditional Advertising
Snowfall lets me know that winter has begun, and windows of local shops showing heavy coats and scarves tell me that we're getting closer to the holidays.
But, the one big thing that tells me it's that time of year is the day I come home to find my mailbox overflowing with flyers and catalogs.
We're talking encyclopedia-thick flyers in full color. You name it, it's in my mailbox and shortly after in my recycling bin out back.
If the world is supposedly in the "digital age," then why is my mailbox stuffed to the point of exploding with flyers and handouts of all shapes and sizes?
Well, the answer is quite simple. They work.
It's not a conspiracy by the post office and it's not something designed to annoy the average person. These flyers all hold information that many, many, many people will see and then act upon.
Line-ups at shopping malls on cold morning are created by flyers. Shopping lists are written out based on the sales promoted in these flyers. There's money made by flyers and you'll continue to see them until they stop bringing in customers.
In a move to expand their reach to new customers, online retailer Zappos introduced their print catalog last year. Offering the same brands they sell online, this catalog is intended to introduce their business (and bring in sales) from people who may not find them online.
Early reports even suggest that the retailer is averaging orders for more than twice what the online customer spends. While the cost of sending out hundreds of thousands of catalogs can be quiet substantial, it appears to be bringing in new customers who aren't afraid to spend more than their online counterparts.
Even though a lot of business experts are singing the praises of the latest digital craze, there's still money to be made in more classical ad efforts. The key to success is understanding your customers' wants and targeting those only. Few flyers offer products geared to appeal to everyone. With just a few weeks left for pre-holiday shopping, it may be worth a trip to a print shop in the next few days.
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