Print proves a sweet spot despite ‘digitalmania’

Okay, so a blog from Xerox.com ( https://digitalprinting.blogs.xerox.com/2013/10/what-paperless-revolution) is as likely to be biased in the direction of print as Hubspot.com is inclined toward all things digital. Our point here is only to remind people that print is not dead—and merits consideration in the marketing mix. This stands in stark contrast to the advocates on both sides, who, much like our polarized Congress, are more interested in being right than finding common ground for win-win solutions.

Roughly 80% of all physical mail is opened, while the open rate of emails is only about 20%

Here with are some stats from Xerox that offer food for thought about keeping print in the mix:

• According to Patrick Henry of What- TheyThink, 76% of small businesses state that their ideal marketing mix is a combination of digital communications and print;
• Roughly 80% of all physical mail is opened, while the open rate of emails is only about 20%;
• According to a Print In the Mix survey, 56% respondents say they found printed material to be the ‘most trustworthy’ of media channels. The same survey found that nearly half of the respondents said they’ve retained a direct mail piece for future reference, and 17% regularly do so;
• Print delivers a higher response rate compared to email. The CMO Council found that the average response rate for emails is 0.12%, whereas the average response rate for direct mail is 4.4%;
• Printing Industries of America found that 67% of online searches are driven by offline messages, with 39% of shoppers making a purchase;
• Shoppers who receive a direct mail piece directing them to an online site spend an average 13% more than those who do not receive a printed piece;
• 75% of B2B professionals read magazines on a weekly basis, with 68% choosing to read niche publications specific to their industry.

Does this mean that you should include print no matter what? No, just consider it in the mix as you would digital media—and make decisions that will yield the best results for you. Have questions? Want to kick around some ideas? We’re here to help.