The Power of the Underdog: Print Marketing Lessons From The Super Bowl Champion Eagles

The Eagles Super Bowl win holds some valuable lessons: the right preparation and hard work go a long way and NEVER underestimate the underdog.

You don’t have to be the biggest out there to catch the attention of potential customers, brand properly and bring in leads. Here’s how to take the techniques and tactics the Eagles used to become the Super Bowl winners and turn your company into the champion of your industry with print marketing.

Preparation

“ A little planning goes a long way.”

Rushing onto the Super Bowl field without knowing what types of plays the Patriots favored wouldn’t have turned out well for the Eagles. While you don’t need to know the in and outs of your competitors businesses, knowing what you’re up against helps you create a strategy.
Does your competitor tout their low prices? Their response time? What types of discounts and specials are they offering? Knowing what your customers are looking for and how your competitors position themselves allow you to create your own unique and effective messaging. It’s a great way to drive that message via print!

Assets

What are the strengths of your business? Don’t be afraid to focus on these in your advertising and print marketing.

While you may see certain strengths of your business as a basic synergistic piece of every company, it could actually be a powerful selling point. For example take helpful and courteous customer service. Zappo’s, an online seller, grew their business to $1.2 billion largely because of their stellar customer service reputation.

The Eagles, despite losing their starting quarterback, were still able to make full use of their lineup and talent to take home the championship! They knew what they had to work with. Be sure to take stock of all that makes your business great so you can properly advertise it, and do it with print.

Roll with the changes

Did you read what we just said about the Eagles losing their starting quarterback at the end of the regular season? And STILL winning the Super Bowl?

Things won’t always go according to plan, but the best thing you can do is to adjust accordingly and come up with a contingency plan.

Practice

Don’t be afraid to try new things. Whatever the Eagles were doing since they were founded in 1933 wasn’t working – they didn’t have a single Super Bowl win. It was time for a change.

Look back at some of your past advertising. It’s all practice. What worked and what didn’t work?

For every print marketing piece and ad you create you should always be reviewing. Set it and forget it doesn’t work when it comes to marketing. What did customers respond to and how could you improve for the next piece?

Go to surprise tactics

When everyone else zigs, you should zag. It’s easy to look at some of the past advertising campaigns by others in your industry and to run similar ones. But if you really want to stand out, try something different.

The Eagles took this to heart when creating Super Bowl plays. One trick play ended with the back-up quarterback catching the ball in the end zone, which is pretty crazy in football and completely unexpected. Not something you ever hear of but the outside-the-box thinking scored them a touchdown.

You should do the same when it comes to planning out your strategies. Whether it’s direct mail when everyone else is doing digital, offering free consultations directly with the owner of the business or adding full-size banners to your store front there are plenty of ways to be original.  Furthermore, don’t think twice about collaborating with your local printer. They have seen it all and have great ideas. Why not use them?

The lesson: Don’t underestimate the underdog!

New printing techniques are leveling the playing field for businesses of all sizes, letting them compete head on with the larger companies.

Trying to get ahead and break out in your industry? Look for a printer who does more than just take an order. Instead choose a premier printing company who can help with strategy and timing to make sure you’re getting the most out of your print marketing. Be a Champion with simple changes that make big things happen!