With the rise in digital advertising and marketing, so-called industry experts have been crowing about the impending death of print media for years. Is printing dead?  Despite these many predictions, print is not dead it is still alive and kicking. Of course, digital marketing offers promises like greater reach and cost effectiveness, but it’s missing many of the perks that only direct mail, for example, can achieve.

If you’ve been considering kicking print marketing to the curb, here are a few reasons why you should hang onto the strategy.

Print Produces Tangible Printing Products

When email marketing was beginning to bud, and when everyone and their mother was sending direct mail pieces, consumers looked forward to opening emails and throwing out the legion of junk mail in their mailbox. Now, the tables have swiftly turned: consumers are inundated with email advertisements and look forward to customized print pieces.

Think about it: how many pieces of mail do you have still sitting in your house? And how quickly do you hit delete on an unwanted email?

Statistics show that consumers are more engaged when reading printed material; websites can be scanned in about 15 seconds and then ignored, whereas printing products can float around a person’s house for months. Similarly, lengthy information is more readily consumed when it’s in a person’s hands, as opposed to sending several PDF attachments that can be lost in an archive for “later reading.”

Not only that, but digital marketing strategies also continue to evolve every day–meaning, if you’re still doing what you did a year ago online, it might now be wrong. Thankfully, direct mail strategies have been stagnant for years–but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still strong.

… And Print Statistics

Print statistics show that direct mail gets a greater response rate over email: 5.1% versus only 0.6%. And in September 2017, 59.56% of all emails sent were spam. No wonder consumers aren’t opening emails from companies anymore!

Direct mail also offers one-to-one customization that supports relevant, timely, cost-efficient, and time effective campaigns. According to the US Postal Service, 81% of direct mail recipients read or scan their mail daily. Further, the Direct Marketing Association found that 65% of consumers have made a purchase based on direct mail advertising.

Consider the following print statistics from Print-Print’s 2015 infographic:

• 78% of consumers prefer to read information on paper.
• 72% believe that printed documents are easier to read.
• 84% agree that information is better retained when they read print.
• 87% agree that companies have only shifted to digital marketing to save money.
• 79% feel “relaxed” when reading print.
• 54% pay more attention to printed advertisements.

More Print Branding Opportunities

Print branding gives consumers a sense of credibility and of your brand identity. Print also looks much more legitimate than the dozens of annoying pop-ups and banner ads people can experience on any given day. In addition, consumers are weary to click on those types of ads for fear of downloading a virus; on the other hand, there is no imminent danger in opening a print ad.

Print ads also give companies the opportunity to spread their brand across different mediums, and they can establish an emotional connection with consumers through custom-designed materials, including distinctive features like paper, foils, die cuts, and so on. This unique look helps companies deliver positive, engaging, and powerful results.

Bridge the Gap between Print and Web

Print and digital marketing should work in tandem to create an effective and engaging campaign. One way to bridge this common gap is by placing QR codes on print pieces; when they scan it, consumers can be pushed to a landing page or your website for more information.

Business cards are also a prime example of bridging the gap. Although there are platforms that allow you to create and share digital business cards, printed cards continue to reign supreme for many reasons: they’re easier to collect and share and they contribute to a company’s branding.

Final Thoughts

Now that we’ve convinced you to do print marketing, who can you trust to print your materials?

Advertisers Printing is a full-service, sustainable printing company that offers assistance from marketing to final printing solutions. We have decades of experience printing materials ranging from business cards to bound books to huge posters and banners. If you can dream it (and create it!), we can print it.

For more information on how we can help you meet your marketing and printing goals, please contact Advertisers Printing, a St. Louis Printing company. We are ready to tackle any size project you might have!