This issue first appeared in the July 2025 issue of Australian Printer, authored by Deborah Corn

We don’t need to talk to everybody; we need to talk to somebody – the right somebody.

Because in times of economic uncertainty, marketing and communication budgets are cut. Volume isn’t value. Reach isn’t results. And ‘spray and pray’ isn’t a strategy; it can be a waste of money and
a results crapshoot when ROI is critical.

Whether you’re a printer, a marketer, a brand, or wear all three hats, the name of the game is relevance. Relevance starts with knowing your audience and crafting messages that mean something to them.

Print marketing can break through the noise

Today’s consumers are surrounded by marketing messages every second of every day, and most messages are ignored as fast as they come in. 

They fly past a screen when you scroll, get skipped, deleted, blocked, and relegated to spam in inboxes and texts, tossed in the trash from the mailbox, driven by on the highway… you get my point.

There is no reason to give meaningless messaging any attention. It’s not personal, timely, or relevant for the person receiving it. 

According to McKinsey’s 2024 personalisation report, 71 per cent of consumers expect personalised communication, and 76 per cent get frustrated when they don’t get it. That frustration leads to disengagement and lost opportunity.

People don’t want more content. They want content that speaks to them.

Email campaigns should make customers feel understood.

Direct mail should make them say, “This is for me”. 

Relevant communication isn’t tied to a channel. It’s tied to a commitment to listen, learn, and respond with meaning. It’s about using every tool we have to communicate better.

It’s also about helping your customers maximise their return through data-driven print marketing and personalisation. Printing less and generating more results with targeted messaging at the right time
is a winning strategy. 

Here is an example.

A home improvement retail business can get a mailing list and send an offer for timber to every contractor within a reasonable driving distance and hope someone needs it at that time, or they can track purchase activity of contractors and send a relevant offer for items they need next when building a home. 

With some basic knowledge of how long the construction process takes and the steps required, a contractor who bought a large amount of cement to lay a foundation will next need wood to
frame the house.

Through customer communication and collaboration, printers and marketers can help the business get a relevant offer for wood, screws, nails, drills, saws, hammers, etc. into the hands of the contractor who needs these things for the next stage of the build. 

Then comes the plumbing and electrical work, cabinets, and finishes. The print marketing and messaging plan writes itself with sales practically a given in this situation.

Step out of your comfort zone

If you have customers with tight budgets and/or cutting back on print marketing spending until there is more stability with the global economy and supply chains, set up meetings and talk to them about
a targeted messaging strategy. 

Be prepared to talk about data collection and security, share case studies that show results from print marketing are improved with personalisation, and create a plan for reaching people before their decision-making process.

Many businesses have this information, or they can figure it out, but they don’t know how to use it to create meaningful print marketing messaging and timely, relevant offers. Help them. 

The best marketing message isn’t the one that reaches the most people. It’s the one that resonates, drives results, and keeps print marketing customers coming back for more.

Comment below to have your say on this story.

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