With all the environmental spin going on these days in the outdoor market, I'm still amazed at how much print marketing I get in the mail from major outdoor retailers.

Maybe it's just a matter of repeating the past and sticking to what has traditionally worked ?  Or maybe these marketers are targeting an older demographic that is not online?

Case in point was a well done postcard sent to me from EMS.  Co-Op ad deal with Smartwool as well.  But here is the intereting thing : EMS is sending me, an outdoor enthusiast, a print offline postcard in the mail and then asking me to go online to get a "buy thee get one free" deal.  What?

As any good marketing manager should know, outdoor enthusiasts are moving....in droves....to online mediums and spending upwards of 12 - 15 minutes a day researching outdoor events, products and news.  Postcards in the mail?  Maybe 10 seconds tops before it goes into the recycling bin.  

So where is the buying behavior best targeted? Here are some interesting things to note on the Outdoor Audience from NameMedia.  Data provided by Comscore Plan Metrix:

Sports equipment (searched for info/online/last 6 mo)
Composition Index : 146
Target Lift : 660

Sports equipment (bought/offline/last 6 mo)
Composition Index : 152
Target Lift : 831

Sports equipment (bought/online/last 6 mo)
Composition Index : 304
Target Lift : 1605

Getting past the quant speak here, what the above is saying is quite clear.  Outdoor consumers are 1.5x more likely to search for sports equipment online and 1.5x more likely to then purchase that equipment offline ( at the local retail store).  But the major thing to note here is that these same folks are 3x more likely to purchase online in the first place. 

So why would you target them at home when you have double the chance of making that sale online?

Another number up there is the "Target Lift"  What this unit measures is the engagement factor with that medium.  A low number means the person is where you need them, but but not very engaged as to where they are.  A high number ( like 1,605) means they are engaged and ready to act.

Lesson from all of this is that you can reach your consumer with more efficiency and less cost by simply pitching them online and then bringing them somewhere nice and pretty to purchase online.  When you mix the message ( a post card with an online coupon code) you are spending more than you need on print to only achieve half the results.