Digital print media has been all the rage for many years now, and this covers things like email newsletters, downloadable PDFs, digital brochures, etc. All still have vital places in the modern business world – yet we’re beginning to see the re-emergence of physical print media.
What is physical print media for businesses?
To put it simply, it’s basically the physical versions of many digital print media items. You’ve got:
- Direct mail
- Physical product catalogues
- Flyers
- Posters
- Feedback forms
- Business cards
There’s a very long list of business essentials print products that you can call upon for your company, and they all have one thing in common: you can physically see and touch them. It’s very “old school”, but this approach is making a big comeback despite the wave of digital print media in the business world.
Why are companies turning back to physical print media?
Going digital has always been seen as a great way to streamline business operations and market your company to a wider audience. It followed the natural progression of technology, so swapping back to physical print media can seem quite retro, in a way.
The thing is, companies aren’t swapping out digital print media for the physical kind. Instead, the return to physical is used alongside digital means – and there are several reasons why businesses like the sound of physical media right now:
Physical print media stands out
In a world where you can’t go a day without receiving dozens of marketing emails from multiple companies, physical print media stands out. It’s easy to ignore marketing emails – partly because Gmail and other email clients filter them into separate folders for you – but you can’t ignore direct mail through your letterbox.
Therefore, a letter or flyer that comes through from a local business suddenly stands out. It’s not an email that you either don’t see or ignore immediately; consumers actually take the time to look at physical print media in a way that digital print can’t compete with. Plus, if you avoid bombarding customers with emails and opt for personalised physical print, it sets you apart from the competition.
Print always carries more trust and credibility
A business always looks more credible when it puts in the effort to create physical print media. A physical product catalogue looks professional and impressive – customers see and feel the effort that’s gone into it.
The same has always been true for business cards; handing someone a physical card always looks more impressive than some contact details on a website. Businesses are realising this after years of digital print media, which is why physical is on the rise.
Modern technology removes physical print’s biggest historical flaw
Digital print media became popular for a couple of key reasons:
- It allows you to reach a wider audience
- It’s easier to measure the success of digital print media
Physical print always struggled with the second of those points, though modern technology has dealt with that. The use of QR codes on forms of physical print media gives businesses a clear way to measure metrics and see how effective things are. That’s another reason behind the return; it’s now more measurable than ever before.
Print media will never be able to oust digital print media, and you shouldn’t try to do that anyway. They both work best when used alongside one another, so perhaps it’s time to jump on this trend and incorporate some physical print items into your branding/marketing strategy.
Photo by Coalesce Digital on Unsplash
