Don't Count Print Out Yet


In this digital day and age there has been constant debate about whether or not print is obsolete. Popular belief states that print isn’t as useful as it once was with people being able to access news and magazines online. It is thought that the audience who pays attention to printed materials is small when in reality, print actually broadens a company’s target audience. Here are some of the reasons why print isn’t dead:
  1. People Prefer Tangible Things
Print is good for the senses as it incorporates more than what people touch. Reading printed materials is easier on the eyes as prolonged online reading causes eyes to strain which can lead to headaches. Not only does print help prevent headaches but it is also pleasing to look at. There are a number of different printing possibilities that enhance the design of a product. Things like foil, embossing, and laser etching add texture to a piece which makes it more engaging to the customer.
Print can also appeal to sound and smell. The way certain packaging crinkles, the popping of bubble wrap, or the tearing of paper are all distinct sounds. In the same way the smell of paper or added scratch-and-sniff elements provide a very relatable experience. Nothing online can quite provide the same interaction.
  1. Print is Effective
Going off of point number one, an article from Entrepenuer.com (https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/242731)  stated that 77% of customers sort through their direct mail and 98% check their mail on a daily basis. According to NonProfitPRO, direct mail has a 4.4% response rate, while email only has a 0.12% response rate. This isn’t to say that online material isn’t effective at all. In fact, most companies benefit more if they are able to work print with online materials. One of the greatest upsides to print is that people retain information better. People are more likely to skim through emails or online articles but printed materials are easier to read and navigate. This makes books easier to study from and magazines more appealing to sift through.
  1. Print is Reliable
Everyone gets the joke about how, if it’s on the internet it must be true. Even though Google is the number one search engine in America, not all of its resources are reliable. That’s why a lot of people turn to books to get their information. There is no guarantee that books are always 100% accurate but they go through a more thorough editing and publishing process overall.  
Print isn’t going anywhere any time soon. There are still needs for it and people are still responding well to it. In many ways print can compliment this digital world and the two can work together nicely. Technology obviously seems like the dominate factor in today’s society but don’t count print out just yet because it still has many practical and applicable uses.

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