No industry stands still, but the advent of the internet and all things digital means printing has had more incentive than most to make changes.
Here are three printing trends to look out for in 2018. No surprise that it’s all about getting smarter!
Programmatic mailing
The technical term for hyper-personalised direct mail, programmatic mailing is a step-change in making something personal for an individual. We’re not just talking about printing a name and address, but a whole new level of personalisation.
Imagine you put something in your online shopping basket on a site where you have an account but then you don’t actually buy it. Then a postcard lands on your doormat with an image of that item on the front, prompting you to complete the purchase. That’s the power of programmatic mailing.
Clients that have good data and a connected CRM system will get the most out of this new technique, which we expect to drive big results.
Connected print
This is the process of integrating print, including print advertising, packaging and direct mail, into your digital marketing. To us this seems obvious, but many companies have been so focused on digital communications they’ve forgotten the power of print.
Given research shows that 87% of people consider mail believable (versus 48% who thought email was) and 86% of people had connected with a company as a result of direct mail, ensuring your marketing strategy integrates both online and offline tactics will get you the best ROI.
The power of print is emphasised further by different research in June 2017, which revealed that 78% of UK consumers do not pay attention to online advertisements and 63% do their best to block or avoid them. A further 69%of respondents said they find online ads annoying and 72% said they can’t remember the last time they willingly clicked an online ad.
GDPR
New data legislation kicks in during May 2018 which will change what companies can do with their data. It will have an impact on programmatic mail (see above) and pretty much any marketing activity that uses personal data. Best to speak to an expert if your organisation isn’t already working out what it needs to do!
The print industry had been concerned that the new rules about electronic communications – which mean you can’t email anyone marketing materials without their express consent – could apply to direct mail as well. Thankfully the regulator has seen sense this month (January) and stated that direct mail can be sent to consumers without explicitly asking them to agree as long as they have a ‘legitimate interest’.
This is just a small glimpse into the changes coming for printing and direct mail in 2018. If you want to talk about your latest marketing activity, give one of our friendly team a call to chat about your requirements on 01924 284330.
