Immediately you probably think paperless. We are constantly met with the feeling of guilt when we use paper and its alleged impact on the environment. Print however is not as bad as some may think compared to its digital counterpart. Printing provides a tangible, credible means of communication and arguably can be more reliable than digital communication methods such as emails.

In an article published by Business Week in 1975 they envisioned that an office of the future would be paperless, here we are in 2018 and that certainly is not the case. We are going to briefly examine why people are still so reliant on print and are potentially hesitant of relying solely on digital.

Marketing:

Paper and print is an incredibly important element of the marketing mix and not one to be overlooked. Print continues to hold a strong stance in the marketing mix simply because it works. Tactility has immense power on an individual. For example a high quality printed magazine can be a great way to achieve long-term brand awareness as they allow for a brand to speak to a much wider audience. Print is a fantastic way to stand out from the crowd and over and above your competitors. Cost effective and high quality printed marketing materials are not hard to come by but are incredibly influential, whether you are a large or small business, printed marketing materials are vital in your marketing endeavours.

Business Growth:

Is direct mail, a thing of the past? Absolutely not. More and more business are relying on direct mail due to the higher conversion rates as compared to email marketing campaigns. Retail giants, household names still use direct mail as one of their main forms of marketing. It clearly works. Whether its brochures, magazines, flyers or leaflets this cost effective print marketing method is still a very viable and a growing means of catalysing business growth. Businesses are looking for alternative ways of promoting their products and services other than relying on digital advertising which can turn to be incredibly expensive.

Reliability:

Arguably businesses trust in the digital to securely hold data and important documentation. However there are many instances where digital fails us and information is lost or even hacked. With cybercrime increasing tenfold it’s no wonder companies are looking back to using trustworthy paper. Most email signatures now contain an element of text urging people not to print off an email, yes this has contributed to a reduction in meaningless printing in the work place but more often than not if an important is almost always printed for review and filing. There are psychological factors surrounding the use of paper. It’s familiar to us all and in some ways comforting. People enjoy writing notes, it’s quicker than using a tablet or computer. Using electronic replacements for established paper based methods and tasks can be somewhat uncomforting for many.

Paper and people have had a relationship for a number of years, it has developed and transformed over time but remains and integral part of our world. With advances in technology the paper industry has become far more sustainable than you may think. These advances have had a dramatic effect on the agility and efficiency of paper printing. Any business of any size should be using print.

Have a look at our various business stationery options online today: Letterhead printing and compliment slip printing.