Is print dead? We don't think so.

WE WROTE A BLOG IN APRIL 2017 TITLED “TREND ALERT: WHY PRINT ISN’T DEAD”.

When we first went into lockdown, we initially thought that all our print design work would stop and therefore massively affect this part of our business. At first we were right. Particularly when our main local print company was forced to close and put many of their staff on furlough.

While we have been in lockdown we may have been overwhelmed by content on our screens. But there’s something about holding a printed sheet of physical paper - especially if it’s a substantial, good quality stock - that helps us slow down and focus that little bit more. It’s almost a more emotional connection; you feel the value of what you’re holding, the effort that has gone into creating it, and you’re more likely to read it than a passing Facebook or LinkedIn advert.

Some people also just find it easier to read and take in information from a physical piece of paper rather than a screen. We know of several clients who will always print off PDFs and other documents before they try and read them properly.

WHAT KIND OF PRINTED PRODUCTS ARE POPULAR NOW (AND WHY)?

As we came to terms with the new way of working, slowly print jobs started to re-emerge. Starting with roller banners as backgrounds for Zoom Calls. Some clients were struggling to get Virtual Backgrounds to work and still wanted a stronger presence during zoom calls or when doing virtual networking. By having a roller banner, it really raised their presence, but is also a useful product to have when lockdown is over.

Services flyers are still really popular. They’re a great way of setting out what you do so people can see at a glance, without having to look at your website. It may be that people know one or two of the services you offer but not others, so this could easily open up new leads.

Have you noticed how exciting it has been recently to receive post?!? Its a different type of content to receive, so perhaps posting out a marketing flyer is actually a good time at the moment. Also as local businesses are starting to re-open, a leaflet drop is a useful way of letting people know you are open and any new procedures you have in place to enable social distancing. (You may not be able to get a flyer in the hands of your customer at the moment, but you can always use it digitally as a download or an attachment and then have it printed at a more suitable time).

Social distancing has also meant many businesses are requiring new signage for directions, hand washing procedure, posters etc. All these need to be printed and are an important part of helping businesses to open safely and encourage customers to return.

Journals and notebooks are also big right now and we’ve been designing more and more of them. Some are plain, others have different page styles (lined, graph, plain), or inspirational quotes / business tips. But all of them are practical and useful to potential clients and customers, so if you include your branding in the design then you’ll be in front of them regularly for some time as they continue to use it.

And finally, because there’s nothing lovelier than getting an actual note in the post, we’ve found more businesses are wanting branded cards designed. A note to a client at the moment would probably be appreciated more than ever. These can help grow brand awareness and help you keep connected with your clients.

IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT GETTING A ROLLER BANNER, SERVICES FLYER, NOTEBOOK, JOURNAL OR ANY OTHER PRINTED MATERIALS DESIGNED, GET IN TOUCH AND WE’LL BE HAPPY TO HELP.