“Rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated.”
That quote — actually a misquote — is often attributed to Mark Twain upon the humorist reading his own obituary in the newspaper. At least that’s how the best versions of the tale go.
The same sentiment can be attributed to print marketing. Despite the exaggerated rumors, print’s not dead. Far from it. In fact, renowned marketing guru Dr. Victor Frankenstein most succinctly summed up the current state of print marketing when he famously declared to colleagues, “It’s alive! ALIVE!” It’s true. Look it up.
While the rise of digital has heralded a new age in marketing, don’t believe the smarmy slicksters and snake-oil salespeople when they tell you it’s time to administer the last rites on print marketing and lower the old girl into the ground. Sure, she’s gotten a bit up there in years, but all those years have provided her with a wealth of experience and trusted reliability. And she’s still got a few feisty tricks up her sleeve. Just consider a few of these stunning statistics from printisbig.com:
- U.S. advertisers spend $167 per person on direct mail, earning $2.095 in goods sold — a 1,255% return on investment.
- Direct mail marketing response rates are 37% higher than email marketing rates, and they also result in a 40% increase in online donation rates.
- 80% of households read or browse their advertising mail, and print is 59% more engaging than online articles.
- Forestry is the most sustainable of the primary energy and materials industries.
Sill not convinced? OK, aside from facts and figures, let’s talk about some of the psychological aspects of how people interact with print materials.
Print provides a tangible, tactile experience for consumers.
The physicality of a publication, brochure or direct mail piece gives consumers that sensory experience that helps to solidify your message in the mind. Not only do print materials hang tough with the staying power to remain in homes or offices for longer periods of time, they also prompt stronger emotional responses in the reader. In a study conducted by the U.S. Postal Services and Temple University’s Center for Natural Decision Making, print materials bested digital offerings in most categories, including review time, stimulation, memory speed and confidence, desirability, and valuation. This is not to say digital isn’t valuable, but instead, that digital and print used together can be an unbeatable combination to reach customers.
Print provides a trusted credibility.
A report by MarketingSherpa set out to determine which advertising channels consumers trust most and least when making purchases. In a survey of 1,200 consumers, print ads topped the list.
As the survey’s author summarized: “Print ads were the top advertising channel according to our survey, with four out of five Americans (82%) telling us they trusted newspapers and magazine ads. In fact, the five most trusted channels were all traditional channels.
Print holds Attention.
An article from Modern Litho noted that websites are often skimmed in as little as 15 seconds; however, readers become more engaged when it comes to print materials, spending 43 minutes reading a magazine on average. Because print has been shown to hold attention, it allows a much more meaningful experience.
Print marketing provides a quiet, dignified and reputable way of conveying information to an audience.
SaveOn’s team helps countless businesses stitch together the creative marketing plan that has helped to bring their vision to life. See how they can help your business by reaching out today for a consultation.
