After decades of working with business owners, I’ve found that even the most basic marketing tactics are effective when the right basic strategy is in place. And when no strategy (or a poorly chosen strategy) is in place, the world is a cruel place, regardless of even the best marketing efforts.

For example. a couple of insurance industry clients claimed that business was down about 30%. A strategy that served them well five years ago is no longer effective. Yet, another insurance company client is holding their own, even growing a bit. And yes, they have chosen wisely when it comes to strategy.

This isn’t a matter of tactics. It’s about having the courage to admit that your entire business, the products you sell, your pricing or manufacturing model or the markets you serve no longer offer a reasonable expectation of success. Few can win the battle against the large forces of the marketplace.

Tactics won’t help, regardless how polished. No direct mail, no telemarketing, no selling can turn the tide of a bad underlying strategy. It’s like banging your head against the wall.

Marketer Seth Godin stated it well:

“If you are tired of hammering your head against the wall, if it feels like you never are good enough, or that you’re working way too hard, it doesn’t mean you’re a loser. It means you’ve got the wrong strategy… It takes real guts to abandon a strategy, especially if you’ve gotten super good at the tactics. That’s precisely the reason that switching strategies is often such a good idea. Because your competition is afraid to.”

2. Create a postcard, mailer or brochure that speaks clearly to your strategy.

You can’t go wrong here. Your strategy encompasses your strengths and the deep needs of your customers. Your tactic is simply opening a communication channel with your customers.

Examples:

If your strategy is selling basic insurance product for the general construction industry, go back to step one.

On the other hand:

You’ve found that a niche market within the construction industry is resistant to economic turmoil, and you’ve created a strategic offering of products and services to appeal to that small segment. You’ve gained an understanding of the problems and concerns of companies within that niche.

Now: Designing that brochure, writing that letter and even finding more like-kind prospects who will be interested in your high value proposition, becomes effortless.

It’s the same kind of rush your customer gets when she feels the rich texture of that paper between her fingertips.

When you’re designing for print, remember that the reader’s experience is tactile as well as visual. That’s why printing is unique and powerful. So choose your paper wisely, and you’ll communicate the benefits of your small business more powerfully. And that’s not to mention the potential savings in postage rates you get by making the right choice.

Paper selection is becoming a lost art. So much is printed on standard or “house” sheets, these days. That may save a bit of cost, but it also has that “me too” kind of impact on the user.

Come into our Rancho Cucamonga offices and you’ll find hundreds of paper swatches; it’s a feast for your fingers!

It’s practically child’s play to make a great impression using print. Just take enough time to write some decent copy for your ad, brochure or mailer. That simple practice has become so rare that even a perfunctory effort at story telling gets attention.

It’s really quite daring to step out and tell a story with drama. Much simpler to advertise with leaden bullet points, as if your reader where looking at a powerpoint presentation.

The art of advertising in print certainly goes back thousands of years, and will likely be around even when the internet is a distant, faded memory. That’s because there {hidden treasure} are always stories to tell, for those perceptive enough to find them, and bold enough to write them.