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The affair is over and things will never be the same again.

I knew that my affair with print media was ending when PC magazine stopped printing their magazine in January of this year.

The reason? Nicholas Carlson at Business Insider.com (Silicon Ally Insider) reported in November of last year, “Gadget and PC shoppers stay on-line now, preferring sites such as AOL's Engadget, Gawker Media's Gizmodo or CNET to print.”

With the escalating costs, loss of ad revenue and the advent of twitter and live blogging, news hits the blog sphere before the AP can even report it. The newspapers and magazine publishers are dropping like flies.

Paper and Coffee Which brings me to the point of this blog, is on-line marketing really better?

I think so, and so do others who at some point in the not to distant past worked for print media. To illustrate my point…this weekend I was tuned into HubSpot TV on-line and they did an Interview with Paul Gillian, in his words, “long-time technology journalist who’s worked almost exclusively on-line since 1999”, and they talked about a blog he had posted “Why on-line matters more than print” .

Because I have an insatiable appetite for all things marketing, I had to surf over and read the article. Once I read the article, I felt compelled to comment (leaving a link to my site of course). I let everyone know in my comment what I do for a living and that I had followed a link from Hubspot TV to the article. Because I loved the post and the writing style drew me in, I subscribed to the blog and newsletter.

Bingo! My behavior perfectly illustrates why on-line marketing is more effective than print marketing.

Yet, I still run into the print vs. on-line scenario every day. Many of my clients still insist that spending on an expensive ad in the newspaper or magazine makes their clients “happy”. No matter how much I try to persuade them to rewrite their marketing plan and focus on-line and no matter how many papers go under.

Why do sellers and some agents refuse to face reality why?

What does a “happy” client really mean?

Will seeing their home all glossy and in print really make them happy? What will agents do when there are no home magazines or newspapers left in which to place ads?

Is print marketing an ego thing with sellers or are we just doing a crappy job of selling them on reality?

I am interested to know what you think and what you tell the client who thinks they can advertise their listing on line so (so in their mind, for your exorbitant commission) they expect print advertising.

I am a little sad that magazines and newspapers are going away because I will need to find something else to read at lunch. The affair is over, I just have to accept it. We all have to accept it.

Posted by Caryn Webb Digital Coaching by an e-PRO on 03/02/2009 10:26 PM

Comments (18)

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18 Comments on The affair is over and things will never be the same again.

MAR

Caryn, I quit doing print advertising several years ago. Last year I had someone who insisted that her house be advertised with print. I finally told her that she needed to find another agent if that is what she wanted to do. I'm not going to do something that I know doesn't work just to pacify someone. As far as the cost is involved I spend a lot of time and money on my on line advertising so that is what I would throw back if someone asked about that.

Caryn you just have to take your Black Berry to lunch. When I'm bored and looking for something to read to pass the time I just go online with my Black Berry.

Caryn, Online is definitely where it is at. I am reminded everyday, how quickly the news hits online before it even hits the newsroom to be on a television broadcast.

Caryn - We're with you. Sellers like to see their house in print, and there probably is a place in marketing for some print advertising, depending on the market you are in. However, the web has the exposure we are looking for. As professionals, we have to remember that fact.

Caryn, I do not even know PC magazine stopped their printing version. LOL. This day should have come earlier. I do not read magazine related to electronics for over 3 years. I do read newspaper, wsj occasionally. I agree, social media is the way to go.

On line marketing is #1 in priority when it comes to marketinga listing and i tell my Sellers that and show them all I do in that field. But....I still do print media when called for. Some properties require it no matter what.

I agree with you about the the fact that we as realtors believe in and want to spend our time and money on the internet,but i am stll amazed to hear people say " I am not on the internet "

For some reason that are in my SOI mostly men .Some are very active business men that leave the internet to their secretaries.(I did too for a while ), or at home to their wives. Others ,mostly retired , are just not interested and leave it to their wives that are on the internet to contact their chidren and grand children.

It is difficult to reach that group because they also dont read the typical reale estate magazines or the little ads in the newspaper.

Maybe we should ignore this part of the population , since in most cases they are not the decision makers anyway.They just think they are.

I agree that the print ads are just a feel good vehicle for our sellers and immage buider for realtors.

When talking to reators I am always amazed how few actually read the real estate magazines.You would think they spend the time looking at what their competitors are doing,but that is not the case.

I read them in the car while waiting for some one or when the traffic stops for a train or accident. But only after I have checked new e-mails on the Blackberry.

The print press might just be left to the waiting rooms in hospitals and dentists ,till they there offer free online access and wifi service and every one just takes out their little computer.

I give the print press 5 more years .

I think sellers and some agents fail to face reality because change is not easy. Plus we really shouldn't generalize...perhaps there is a community out there where the majority of the population looks for real esate in print.

I think a happy seller is one that sells fast and for top dollar. As a Realtor, it's my job to educate them that on-line marketing will do that for them!

MAR

I was such an advocate of printed advertising until we really started tracking where our leads were coming from and none or them were coming from anything in print. The printed media is dying a slow death. The only people who use it are the ones who don't have a computer or access to one and they are not the bulk of people who are buying houses. We need to put our listing where the buyers are and that is online.

As a client (past and potentially again in the future) of a realtor, I can tell you that I have asked realtors about their online lead generation efforts before hiring them. If one of your clients asks "where's the shiny brochure" you might ask them "how do you look for a new home". Their answer will almost always be "online". Go where the buyers are... its not in the newspaper.

I can also tell you that I did a for sale by owner a while back, and had an open house. I advertised three places - in the Boston Globe (print), on the Boston.com website, and on Craigslist. As a marketer, I asked everyone how they heard about the open house. We got the most traffic from the posting on Craigslist, which was free, while the Boston.com website sent a few people, and the ad in the newspaper only sent one person - and it was the most expensive ad by far.

If you want to read somehting at lunch - open up your computer and subscribe to some blogs, or do the same thing if you buy a Kindle.

PS - Glad you are watching HubSpot TV and you enjoyed the content!

Print media may not be completly dead. It is going through a slow metamorphosis as it slowly embraces the digital age.

I am talking about the advent of the Amazon Kindle 2 or course which is meant to replace conventional "print" media by providing digitzed content.

Sure, the price is cost prohibitive for most at this time but I think of it as the future. In time, I think that news media will make the switch and periodicals will once again see a venue to reach the masses.

As far as on-line marketing, there is no doubt that the age of the net is here. Selling customers know this...on the average they don't fight it and they are seeking real estate professionals who know how to cope with all the new avenues for on-line exposure of their listing.

Internet Marketing is important. I do feel offline marketing has it's time and place. In some -In some markets it is still an effective solution but all offline print marketing should point to an online hub.

MAR

We live in a very small town. Many people here do not have Internet access, either because they are old enough that they just don't do Internet, or because they are "income challenged" enough to not be able to pay for a computer and access. So in our community, lots of people DO read our local, twice-a-week paper.
We advertise our rentals there weekly, and we put in occasional ads for sale (and people DO call on them). There is a local Homes Magazine, people coming to town DO pick them up and sit reading them at local restaurants. Owners DO want their homes in there- but they have gotten so very expensive that we rarely place an ad.

As one of the Ghostbusters once said "Print is Dead".

It's not just because that's where the customers are. But its also the case that you can do so much more tracking clicks to determine effictiveness. There was a famious advertising guru that once said that 50% of all advertising dollars are wasted. If I only knew which 50%, I would save a bundle. That's really the key with online advertising you can know. In the end, that makes online adveritsing more valuable as you can directly connect the advertising dollars to specific sales.

Scott Schmitz

RealOrganized, Inc.

http://www.realtyjuggler.com

MAR

Wow! I am blown away by all the great advice and ideas that everyone came up with. If I had an email I already sent you a private thank you for your comments and great ideas!

Now for thoes who did not leve me an email link...

everard: You are so right. I too am always surprised by the how many people (especially real estate professionals) are still not on the internet! I am even more surprised by young people who know nothing about social networking or the power it holds. Just the other day someone 20 years old said to me maybe you can teach me about social newtorking. Being a member of AARP I was shocked! I did tell her that I would teach her:) The feel good of print ads, can be achived much more cost effectively by producing a nice looking property sheet don't you agree?

Mike Volpe: I am blow away that you took the time to comment on my little old blog. A big marketing TV super star like you. Shucks, I plum red in the face:) Thanks!!!!! Yes, I know you can be reached at HubSpot but I just had to give a shout out here too!

Scott: I like your qote. Wish I knew who said that...your right you can't beat the on-line bang for the buck.

MAR

Caryn,

I wish I had a dollar for every dollar I have spent on print. :) Print one day, garage can liner the next.

MAR

Brenda: I could not have said it better!

APR

Hi Caryn - in my market area (Central Florida) we still deal with tourists and snowbirds who pick up the glossy magazines at the convenience stores, so I feel justified in maintaining a small print presence. Most of the prospects that I show property to have done their research on line and come to me with MLS numbers already selected. But there are still some who come with the magazine clutched in their fingers.

But the primary emphasis is and has been internet and social networking sites. I will see you there.

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