Stay Paid Podcast — LIVE CALL-INS: Is Print Dead? The Marketing Truth Nobody Talks About

Hosts: Josh Stike, Luke Acree, Stephen Acree, Cody Smith
Date: April 6, 2026
Format: Live listener call-ins focusing on marketing trends, real estate, business-building, and actionable strategies for agents and entrepreneurs.

Episode Overview

This special call-in episode centers on a hotly debated question: Is Print Dead? With the rise of digital and AI-driven marketing, the team explores the effectiveness of print media, particularly for small businesses, real estate, and insurance professionals. Live callers Dave (business consultant), Denise (insurance and financial services), and Laura (insurance agent) share their experiences and challenges, receiving practical advice on recruitment, retention, brand building, and measuring marketing ROI.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Is Print Marketing Still Effective?

Caller: Dave from Ohio — Business Consultant
[01:00–10:35]

• Dave’s Background: Long history in print, transitioned from traditional to commercial and promotional printing. Observed the shift to digital.

• Question: Will print’s resurgence last, or is it just a contrarian blip?

  Luke’s Insights:

  • Print’s Perceived Death: “People have been telling me print’s dead since, you know, 2016.” [02:04]
  • Evidence From Real Estate: The Acre Brothers Realty team proved print’s ROI—35 deals in year 1 to 320 by year 5.
  • Action Over Inaction: “Whenever you have doubt in your life and you’re paralyzed, the key to that is not inaction...the key to that is action.” [03:13]
  • Standing Out in a Digital World: Despite thousands of daily digital ads, physical mail gets near-100% open rates.
  • What’s Actually Dead: “Junk is dead. Lack of value is dead. But if you can have quality in the content and the physical good that you send, then you will not lose.” [04:15]
  • USPS & Temple University Study: Print outperformed digital in both emotional connection and ad recall.
  • Targeted Approach: Quality content to “A-list” contacts and targeted mailings are key for effectiveness.

  Memorable Moment:

  • Dave: “My daughter likes the smell of the ink and the paper.”
    Luke: “That’s a little strange, Dave.” [09:52–09:57]

2. Recruiting & Retaining Insurance/Finance Teams

Caller: Denise from Maryland — Building Her Own Brokerage
[11:03–24:52]

• Denise’s Challenge: Wants to build her team from 13 to 50 agents, struggling with both recruitment and retention.

• Background: 20 years in insurance and financial services; previously had 30 team members but slipped due to transitions and insufficient recruiting.

  Advice from Hosts:

  • Identifying Personal Obstacles: Denise acknowledges being more of a “creator” than a “processor.” Needs systems/processes for onboarding and ongoing support.
  • Industry Norms: “20% are going to actually produce, 80% won’t.” [16:03]
  • Building a Recruitment Pipeline:
    • Tap into personal sphere and referrals.
    • Target professionals in related sales industries (real estate agents, lenders, car sales, door-to-door sales).
    • Use LinkedIn to build targeted lists.
    • Message: Emphasize income potential, freedom, and career growth.
  • Consistency & Volume: “People severely underestimate how much activity they have to do to land a recruit, to land a sale.” [23:56]
  • Best Mediums: Seminars, masterminds, and targeted social media outreach foster connections and add value.

  Notable Quote:

  • Luke: “If you want to get rich, you can do it with direct response. If you want to get wealthy, you must build a brand.” [41:14]

3. Measuring Marketing ROI & Building Brand in a New Market

Caller: Laura from Tennessee — Insurance Agent
[25:15–45:57]

• Laura’s Challenge: Moved from California to a small Tennessee town, struggling to duplicate networking success and measure the success of her print/digital marketing.

• Barriers: Small, insular local population; difficulty penetrating established circles; self-admitted resistance to certain activities (cold calling).

  Hosts’ Guidance:

  • Consistency in Relationship-Building: Laura had success in CA via partnerships/friend networks—needs time and repeated efforts to do the same locally.
  • Measure What Matters:
    • Distinguish between direct response (tangible leads) and brand-building (organic lead flow, repeat/referral business).
    • Track metrics: open rates (13–14% now, aim for 30–40% with warm list), cost per lead, cost per acquisition, and LTV (lifetime value) of clients.
    • “Start getting a number benchmark of how many organic leads do you get...that will give you a benchmark that you’re looking for.” [40:24, 41:56]
    • Use engagement signals (e.g., email opens) to prioritize follow-up.
  • Mindset Matters: Hosts challenge Laura’s “downer” self-talk and encourage her to focus on what she can control: “What you focus on expands.” [30:04]
  • Brand & Hustle: Direct response might make you rich, but only consistent brand-building leads to real wealth.

  Key Quote:

  • Luke: “There’s no way around it. You have to do it…You know what you need to do, you just don’t really want to have to do it.” [45:35]

4. General Takeaways & Closing Remarks

[46:07–47:35]

• Print is Not Dead: It’s about quality, targeting, and integration with your playbook.
• Recruitment & Retention: Focus both on messaging and identifying likely candidates; leverage value-add events and consistent outreach.
• ROI Measurement: Use business benchmarks, cost per acquisition, and client value—not just industry “averages”—to guide strategy.
• Brand & Direct Response: Commit to both “the hustle” and brand-building for long-term growth.
• Mindset: Top producers take action and stay consistent, even when motivation wanes.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Luke on Doubt & Action:
  “Whenever you have doubt in your life and you’re paralyzed, the key to that is not inaction...the key to that is action.” [03:13]

• On Quality Print:
  “Junk is dead. Lack of value is dead. But if you can have quality in the content and the physical good that you send, then you will not lose.” [04:15]

• Laura on Mindset:
  “Consistency is the name of the game, especially in this little town.” [31:00]

• Cody on Reach-Out Prioritization:
  “Use that [email engagement] as an indicator on who to reach out to…Those are the ones that are really interested and really great clients.” [39:54]

• Luke’s Challenge:
  “There’s no way around it. You have to do it…You know what you need to do, you just don’t really want to have to do it.” [45:35]

• Host Closing Advice:
  “The difference between top producers and mediocre producers is top producers take action. Take action on something you heard today.” [47:35]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Print vs. Digital & Why Print Isn’t Dead: [01:00–05:45]
• Targeting & Playbook for Print Success: [05:45–08:37]
• Recruitment Strategies for Insurance/Finance: [11:03–24:52]
• Local Networking & Mindset in a New Town: [25:15–30:39]
• Marketing Measurement & KPIs: [33:02–42:42]
• Brand Building vs. Direct Response: [41:14–44:01]
• Motivational Wrap-Up: [45:35–47:35]

Summary: Key Takeaways for Listeners

• Print Marketing Is Alive When It’s Done Right: Personalization, high-value content, and targeted lists are essential. “Junk” is dead, but quality print builds emotional connection and ad recall.
• Recruitment & Retention Require Systems and Volume: Leverage your network, target the right industries, host value-driven events, and remember—consistent activity wins in the long run.
• Measure For Your Business: Don’t just rely on industry benchmarks. Know your own numbers: open rates, cost per acquisition, client value, and focus on brand as well as short-term leads.
• Mindset & Consistency: Embrace the grind, track your progress, and acknowledge that building (or rebuilding) real relationships takes time, even if you “know what to do” already.
• Action Is the Differentiator: If you want different results, implement something from today’s episode.

For full episode notes and resources: staypaidpodcast.com
To participate in future call-ins: remindermedia.com/ask
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