Why Print wins over Digital

In this blog, we’ll show you 7 reasons why print is powerful. With the fast-forward switch to digital brought on from the pandemic, we are thrilled to let you know why print is still a necessary marketing method to showcase your brand. Whether you are a small independent or a large-scale business, printed items from menus and flyers to direct mail and business cards can still make a stronger impression. We have statistics that prove how good old-fashioned marketing techniques can still make a greater impact in the digital world.

Why is printing important?

Obviously as a printer we are likely to promote print as a good way to promote your brand! But here we will help you realise how and why print is such an efficient marketing tool. Aligning print with digital can bring you more bang for your buck as happened for Jaguar Land Rover (JLR).  Sarah Burns at Edit, JLR’s agency, said how they “understand that the world is changing [and] that user experience has to be as seamless as possible.” Combining technology within their Direct Mail got them a 10% conversion rate with 100 of the new Range Rover Evoque getting sold. This was well above client expectations.

7 reasons why print is still a powerful and effective tool

1. People find print more credible
When you see something physical, it’s more trusted. 37% of consumers trust newspapers as opposed to just 17% who give credibility to social media according to the latest PAMCo data. A Royal Mail study found 86% of consumers feel connected to a business that has sent direct mail.

2. People pay more attention to print
According to a study by Munich and City University academic Neil Thurman, 89% of total reading time in UK is estimated to be spent perusing printed pages, leaving just 11.5% for the digital world. This shows how printed materials are more likely to get seen and read.

3. Post is more of a rarity
These days a letter is far more likely to get opened. It was, after all, the chosen communication method Boris Johnson used for all households during lockdown. Physical mail also has a much longer standing power than email. As Daniel Dunn from Paperplanes said at the 2021 Print Power conference. “Once an email lands it is effective for one hour, perhaps three days, while mail is effective for up to 30 days later. It is easy for an email to get lost.”

4. Print is more likely to get remembered
You can improve the customer experience by merging print with digital to offer a more powerful marketing plan. Including a QR code can direct readers to a specific landing page to easily carry on their journey. These visits can then get tracked and compared to review results that targeted customers in a manner suited to them with an easy follow-on. Through innovative print techniques such as embossing or custom die cutting you can make your brand even more memorable. This is also very on trend now that the noughties is coming back in vogue!

5. Paper is renewable and a sustainable way to communicate
Surprisingly, people would not consider emails as having a carbon footprint but processing them uses electricity. Not only for the device itself but the servers, routers and chargers. As Jonathan Porritt has cited many times, “the paper industry is inherently sustainable”. At Think, we use Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) paper. FSC is an international non-profit, multi-stakeholder organisation with over 25 years’ experience with more than 200 million hectares of forest. We are partnered with Ecologi so the more you print with us, the more tress we’ll plant.

6. Online advertising bombards people
Many people find the flurry of pop-up or targeted online adverts too ‘obtrusive’ and disrupting to their experience. The Advertising Authority has therefore been working on a plan to address digital advertising.

7. Omnichannel approach
Customers need to “receive accurate and relevant content, in an appropriate context across all platforms” according to Social Media Specialist, Bruna Piovezan. There are great examples of companies combining digital within their print adverts, such as Nivea with a removeable wristband from print advert. By scanning the QR code, parents could keep track of their children to re-apply sun cream. Watch how they did this here .

We are not moving away from the technology now ingrained in our lives but through print you can make a stronger impact. Hopefully our 7 reasons why print is SO powerful have helped you. Printed things are more likely to get noticed, remembered and acted upon. We understand that printed marketing does not automatically give you the same data as emails or digital channels but if used alongside digital channels, it can. Whether that’s using dedicated URLs, QR codes, special telephone numbers, voucher codes etc. We have many ideas of using print to its best effect so please get in touch if you wish to know more.

Experts in print for over 30 years

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