As a long term provider of print based solutions I’m obviously an advocate for the importance of this channel in today’s marketing mix. Whether it’s a product catalogue, direct mail pack or point of sale collateral, there’s something about this tactile and versatile medium that engages the senses.
Kellie Northwood, Executive Director for print and paper forum ‘Two Sides’, is also keen to promote the positive global opinion towards this well established media channel. “The results for print are strong” she says, “with 72% of consumers preferring printed content over digital when it comes to recreational reading, and 61% gaining a deeper understanding of information when read from a printed source”. *
WHY DO CUSTOMERS RESPOND BETTER TO PRINTED MATERIAL?
IT’S TACTILE
Do you remember studying as a kid? You’d read, highlight AND take notes, hoping to reinforce the important points. Why? Because engaging multiple senses alters the way your brain processes a message. The more senses you engage, the greater understanding and absorption of the content.
This is not dissimilar to using print as part of your marketing mix. The physical contact of a tactile product, combined with a message of value, can leave a stronger brand impression than the same message delivered via a digital channel. Studies show people value something they can touch and see 24% more highly than something they can only see. *
IT’S KEPT AND SHARED
If you’re anything like me, you still have the last 6 years worth of IKEA catalogues collecting dust somewhere on a bookshelf. Not because I continually reference them, but because they hold value to me. Known as the Endowment effect, if you own an item you’re more likely to value and keep it.
We’re also more likely to share these printed items, with an average of 21% of all promotions and special offers shared with household and family members. *
IT’S PERSONAL
Another way to make an impact with print is through personalisation. I know we’ve mentioned this quite a few times in previous articles, but as a printer and Australia Post preferred mailing house we still rarely see content and image personalisation used past an address block and salutation.
With today’s digital printing technology it’s possible to make every piece unique and relevant to the recipient. According to an article published by Creative Guerrilla Marketing, studies have shown that personalised documents can ‘improve response rates by up to 30% and increase customer loyalty in the short term by 26%’. *
So take the time to understand your customer personas and their demographic profiles. Armed with this powerful information, personalise your printed material and make the message more relevant and applicable.
IT’S DIFFERENT
By different, we mean print has the advantage of coming in all shapes, sizes, looks and feels (even smells with scented ink now available). It makes different, good.
Video research has demonstrated people’s attraction to shape, layout and paper quality drove stronger emotional associations with a brand and created a sense of prestige and value for the item. *
PRINT AS PART OF A MULTICHANNEL CAMPAIGN
Just like dieting, a high consumption of only one medium will never be successful in the long run, but print certainly has it’s place in a healthy balanced marketing mix.
Printcraft General Manager Matt Naughton has seen the market change extensively even within his career lifetime. “Today, print is only part of a whole bunch of options available to savvy marketers, and as manufacturers we understand that integrating print with digital is essential for any campaign’s success.”
So why not consider print as part of a multichannel campaign?
Matt goes on to explain that Printcraft’s marketing software, allows you to use both printed and digital mediums with trigger based activation. So if your email bounces, it triggers an SMS. If there is no response after a designated time period, set the campaign to automatically produce and mail a printed piece.