In today's digital marketing landscape, it's common to hear the question, ‘Is print dead?’. The answer is a resounding ‘no’. Despite the digital revolution, traditional marketing has not gone bust.
The world is full of digitally connected devices that are always on. Businesses send and receive marketing messages, alerts, and adverts via numerous platforms, apps, devices, and websites.
However, recent trends reveal that a company that bases its marketing strategy only on consensus opinion, such as ‘print is dead’, is destined to fail. If you do exactly what your competitors are doing (i.e., moving exclusively to digital marketing), then by definition, you lose your competitive advantage.
SO, IS PRINT STILL DEAD?
It's 2021, and print is very much alive and presently facing a resurgence. Of note in South Africa some magazine titles that were shut down in 2020 have resumed printing and new titles have emerged.
The future of print remains bright as long as there is a need to communicate and find novel ways of doing so. In addition, print can provide a welcome and much-needed screen break that seamlessly compliments and strengthens your digital campaigns.
HOW PRINT FITS INTO B2B MARKETING TODAY
Printing is now cheaper in some instances, and like most things in business, various factors affect its price. Which means you get what you pay for.
When using print for B2B marketing, consider the following ideas:
· Take your most popular content piece and create a print asset. Formerly, a brochure would do just fine. However, today's printing options are more flexible.
· Print your most popular or universally applied eBook as leave-behind booklets for meetups and presentations.
· Use print to support your online presence and digital marketing.
· Collect your top performing digital pieces (e.g., blog posts) and edit them for print publications.
· Reinforce your customer relationships using printed content. You can produce small batches of select printed content and send it to your valued customers. It will be a welcomed surprise when they find a high-quality magazine or book in their mailbox.
· Physical branded assets, such as books or magazines, have an intrinsic value. For example, having your printed content sitting on the desk of some of your biggest clients is a form of promotion, especially when it acts as a conversation starter between decision-makers.
THE BOTTOM LINE
So, is print still dead? Far from it. It's presently enjoying a resurgence as one way for individuals to disconnect from a noisy online world. It's also a trusted and tangible medium that provides an emotional connection and longevity that you cannot replicate by screen.
In fact, it's safe to say that print has the potential to disrupt other digital media channels. It can prove quite useful for B2B marketers. It's unique enough to command the attention of your target audience and compel them to explore something they otherwise might not have.
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