The Enduring Power of Print Media
As our reliance on computers, smartphones and other technology increases every day, people continue to talk of an eventual paperless society that relies exclusively on digital communication. While a Web site, e-mail communication and social media should be important parts of your marketing plan, the power of paper lives, too. Telephone books and handwritten letters may be fading away, but print media still has its place in marketing. It is easier to read, more visible and more environmentally friendly than you might think.
If you are a physician, dentist, physical therapist, accountant, attorney or financial planner looking to communicate with referral sources, clients or patients, you want a publication that is easy to read and comprehend. This is especially important if your newsletter contains important technical information. Studies have found that we read materials on paper as much as 30% faster than when we read them on screen and that print materials foster greater comprehension and understanding of information. Also, reading from paper also strains the eyes less than does reading on a screen.
While e-mails are often read and quickly archived, a paper newsletter has a tendency to stick around longer. Whether it be on the kitchen counter or the office desk, chances are your readers might set your newsletter aside somewhere and then look at it several times in one day. Say you are a financial planner, and your newsletter contains a useful article about estate-planning tips or recent changes in the law regarding retirement plans. Your client might just post that article on the refrigerator or bulletin board as a reminder. Regardless of your field, if the logo of your practice is artfully printed across the top of the newsletter, your name remains in the mind of the reader. Be sure to fill your newsletter with valuable information. It positions you as an expert and increases the chances that they will read and save the newsletter.
Lastly, you are probably conscious of running your practice in an environmentally responsible manner. Paper is not nearly as unfriendly to the environment as it once was. As of 2007, nearly 80% of America’s paper mills used recovered fiber to make some or all of their products. Chances are that your newsletter will be printed on recycled paper. And thanks to reforestation efforts, the total U.S. forest area has remained stable in the last century.
Since its first appearance in 1440, the printing press has remained one of the greatest inventions in history. Electronic communication is in many cases more efficient, but to keep your name in front of referral sources, clients or patients, a printed newsletter is a powerful tool. For more information on how we can help you with a newsletter marketing program, e-mail us or call us at 800-323-4995.
[ Back to top ]
