Marking Mojo: 3 Reasons Print still trumps Web
7/15/2014
| admin_us605
A couple of years ago my parents tried to convince me to invest in an e-reader. Both of them have one, and despite the fact that my mother mostly uses hers to play Words with Friends, they swear by them. They still like books, of course, but for convenience and portability, they've slowly begun to use their Kindles as their primary reading tool.
Defending the practices of Print Marketing vs. Web Marketing sometimes feel like trying to convince someone that books are still better than e-readers. Both sides have pros and cons, and you will always prefer one over the other, but they are both viable solutions. With books and e-readers, it's all a matter of opinion. But with Print and Web marketing, the best strategies will involve both - because they are both important. Web capabilities have come a long way, but the truth is that print is still a much more versatile and reliable method of direct marketing. Here's a couple reasons why:
Print is a Sensory Experience - Web graphics are singularly visual, which means they have only one chance to catch your attention. Print is much more sensory - appealing to your other senses as well as sight. Different papers have different textures that can add to your brand image - a crisp linen stock feels elegant and classic, while a smooth, silky sheet of coated paper feels fresh and professional. Embossing, die cutting, foil stamping and UV coating are just a few ways to push that sensory impact even further.
Print is Accessible - You don't have to hold your phone up to the sky in the attempts to gain that one elusive bar of signal in order to read a printed newspaper. Websites rely on a connection in order to deliver content. With print, everything is in front of you - you can interact with it at any time, anywhere. And generally, print is easier to understand. There's no need to muddle through a confusing navigation system. Your customers will glean more information quickly, and be more likely to retain it.
Print is Reliable, Sustainable, and Responsible - The print industry is evolving, just like the web marketplace. We're constantly developing new technologies to make smarter machines, better quality inks, greener papers, and more efficient methods of production. About 70% of our "junk mail" is printed on recycled paper. The paper industry plants three times more trees than it uses - making the print effectively more green than electronic media.