Do you cringe when asked to provide an email address from a company where you make a purchase? I do, because I know it means that the company is going to fill my inbox with hundreds of promotional offers. And email is just one of the forms of digital media that advertisers are using to try and reach us with every day. There are social media ads that target us based on our “likes” and targeted banner ads that follow us based on a previous search inquiry. These methods can be effective in finding a relevant audience, but often consumers become so inundated with these digital messages that they tune it all out. So, how can a marketer find a new way to “stand out” among all of the digital clutter? The answer is “print.”

Years ago, media companies would provide digital banners and other digital efforts as “added value” to get you to be familiar with using that format. But now, it is the other way around with companies purchasing digital advertising and providing the print as “added value.” It’s amazing to think that this has reversed in such a short amount of time. But because of this, now “print” advertising stands out among the clutter and it becomes the latest trend, or the “new black.” Here are some benefits of print:

ATTENTION GRABBING

With junk mail now cluttering our email inbox, getting a magazine or a catalog in the mail becomes “unique”. Print still excites people. How many people can say they still enjoy reading a real book vs. a book on Kindle or iPad? I often hear people say that something printed feels more substantial. The printed word is perceived to be more credible to many people than anything on the web. Don’t believe me? Ask yourself which is more impressive: Someone who is the author of a printed book? Or someone who wrote an eBook?

MORE ENGAGEMENT

If you are reading something in print, such as a newspaper or magazine, you are focused on just that. Reading on an iPad, you have a million distractions with your reminders or emails popping up or you deciding you need to look something up. With print, you have a single-focus on reading the content and information. Historically, the reason that magazines and newsletters were developed by brands was for customer retention purposes. And believe it or not, ad campaigns achieve up to a 25% higher response rate when they use print efforts in conjunction with online advertising.

BETTER TOGETHER

Who says print has to work alone. When it works in conjunction with the web, it can be extremely effective. The whole point of having a media mix is to have a mix of mediums. Print in magazines, direct mail, collateral, and outdoor often times use QR codes to drive consumers to the web. While in recent years, marketers have minimized the use of QR codes, all advertisers still include a unique URL at the bottom of an ad to drive you to a website.

I mentioned in another blog post about how essential it is that marketers reach the right target using the right medium. If you are trying to reach an older audience, print is a must. Another trend that has become popular is creating a printed custom magazine. If you are a member of either AAA Auto Club or Toastmasters International, which is a public speaking organization, you receive their custom magazine in the mail. Both of these organizations reach an older audience and both have taken advantage of creating a custom print magazine. Recent research indicates that 82% of readers spent up to 45 minutes reading a custom magazine, and 64% of readers returned to it more than once. Just think about the potential impact that this level of engagement could have on your brand.

They say “what is old is new again” and while “print” is perceived to be traditional media, it has become the “new black.” Am I saying to only purchase print? No, but in a world where digital is becoming more and more cluttered, print is a way to break through. Digital marketing is definitely here to stay, so continue creating digital ads, building websites, mobile apps, email campaigns, running Pay-Per-Click, optimizing your websites, creating content, and utilizing social media, but don’t forget that print can play an important role in your overall marketing mix.

What are your thoughts? What are some other benefits of print?

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Want to learn more about adding print to your marketing mix? Check out the following resources, where I obtained some of the above information: Launching a Printed Custom Magazine: What You Need to Do Before the First Issue, 5 Advantages of Print Advertising, and 7 Reasons to Consider Print for Your ‘Non-Traditional’ Content Strategy.