WHY PRINT?

In an era of digital domination does print still have purpose? In this article we take a look at why printing is still relevant and why marketers should use print media to stand out from their competitors and attract audiences.

WHY PRINT?

It is more important than ever for brands to maintain their share of voice and to ensure that creative communication is more relevant and engaging than their rivals.

How can this be achieved when it is so easy to get lost in the day-to-day competitive world of social media and digital marketing?

This is where print cuts through the noise; when used thoughtfully print marketing can produce fantastic business results, and here’s why….

DIGITAL OVERLOAD

- Consumers today constantly face more and more information online - people are overloaded with digital information.

“Mail is open, read or filed giving it a 94% engagement rate, compared with an email open rate of 20% and click through rate on online advertising of 5-10%.” - Royal Mail Market Reach.

A QUESTION OF TRUST

- Print is seen as an honest, dependable source, when compared with digital media. The term ‘fake news’ is often banded about with the validity of online sources often being questioned.

“Print advertising is trusted by 82% of respondents, compared to just 43% for social media advertising.” - Marketing Sherpa

PRINT GETS NOTICED

- Print is tangible, you can touch and feel it. You can pick different materials and use various printing techniques to provide a sensory appeal that words on a screen just can’t compete with.

BETTER RETENTION RATES

- Digital media is often ignored, deleted or scrolled past but studies have shown that consumers have better retention rates when consuming print, coupled with this, print is longer lasting;

“A piece of mail can remain in a home for more than 28 days, reinforcing a message for a month, and giving the brand presence in the home.” - Nicky Bullard, Chairwoman & Chief Creative Office MRM/McCann & Royal Mail Market Reach

GDPR COMPLIANT

- Working from home has become the norm for many, now is the ideal time to run a targeted direct mail campaign. In

addition consent is not required from the consumer to mail them in their own home.

WORLD LEADER IN SUSTAINABILITY

- The print and paper industry is a world leader when it comes to sustainable materials, renewable energy and recycling. ‘Go Paperless – Go Green’ is one of the world’s biggest myths and is known as Greenwashing. Paper remains one of the best environmentally friendly media. However, having said all this there is no denying that digital marketing is here to stay, the best way to get results is therefore to combine print and digital marketing. Print can be used effectively to increase traffic to digital channels this can be achieved by, for example, using social media handles on printed material, QR codes linking to websites, unique URLs or even SMS codes which enable potential customers to connect online. These techniques can lead to increased response rates and greater tracking of leads.

Combining your digital marketing with print creates a dynamic marketing strategy that will reach your target audience and deliver return on investment.

For more information about the benefits of print, read the Why Print? white paper produced by Prontaprint by clicking here;

www.printers.prontaprint.com/reports-publications

For more information on Prontaprint, please visit: www.printers.prontaprint.com or email us on hello@printers.prontaprint.com