Not Quite Out of Print!

An unusual thing happened the other day. I received a handwritten, personally addressed greeting card in the post at the office.

Of course, receiving any type of mail is now a rarity, so this certainly piqued my interest. It wasn’t my birthday; I couldn’t recall any good deed that might have warranted a thank you card; and I didn’t recognise the handwriting.

Getting noticed

As it turned out, the card was not handwritten, but a very good typeface. And the ‘greeting’ was an invitation to try the services of a local IT company.

I didn’t follow up on the offer, which is not unusual, given that a good take-up rate for a direct mail campaign is only around 2% (and you do need an up-to-date list – I’m no longer a decision maker in the business).

Nevertheless, the mail did grab my attention, mainly because it showed how an ‘old-fashioned’ print campaign can still be effective in our digital age. Interesting too, that it was actioned by an IT company.

And it got me thinking that even as we embrace the new in PR, marketing and communications – and indeed any other industry – it is important not to completely forget the ‘old ways’.

Stand out from the crowd

Years ago, we kept a bin handy to dump in all the unwanted, unsolicited physical mail we received. Today it’s a delete button to handle our overloaded inboxes. And for that reason, we may just be tempted to open the lone mailer that occasionally lands on our desks – particularly if it is well executed.

And perhaps it’s the same for other areas where digital has taken over. At exhibitions, it’s much easier to download company and product information when visiting many stands, or ask to have this emailed to you, rather than walking the floor weighed down by multiple brochures and leaflets. Yet maybe it’s the one glossy brochure that you do pick up that you turn to first when reviewing your visit.

Is a printed newsletter that you can easily dip in and out of and quickly identify which stories you want to read sometimes preferable to the endless scrolling and clicking through of an electronic version?

Down but not out

It is important to remember that print still has a role to play today. Although most of us may prefer to receive our news digitally, printed books remain more popular than their electronic alternatives. And the printed magazine hasn’t completely disappeared. There is still a busy printed trade press and some titles continue to publish at least the occasional ‘bumper’ edition.

Digital communications will remain at the forefront of PR and communications programmes. But every campaign is unique and the PR toolbox well stocked, with each element offering something different. Which means that sometimes old-fashioned print might just be the differentiator to make a company stand out from the crowd – even if I’m making the case for it digitally!