In our digital world of responsive web pages, paper seems a bit, well, archaic.
Between Snapchat, Twitter, tablets, Apple watches, and apps, choosing print over digital in the world of advertising can seem like a choice made only by someone who is living in the dark ages.
Thankfully for this print lover, that’s not the case. And in an effort to continue our quest as masters of our craft, we set up a “lunch and learn” here at Big just for our graphic designers with one of our favorite print reps and paper reps to talk specifically about designing for print.
Here are our three biggest takeaways from the session.
Not Either/Or. Both.
Want to reach your clients and illicit a response?
In 1980, your choices were limited and primarily consisted of direct mail or telephone. Today however, there are a number of options including but not limited to e-blasts, digital ads, and promoted posts on social media—all pointing prospective clients to a landing page, most likely to sign up, make an account, or schedule your appointment now.
Not unlike the direct mail of yesteryear with the same call to action. Most clients opt for the former, but what if I told you you shouldn’t pick one or the other, but both? 93% of online responses are driven by direct mail (1). Digital and print living in mutual beneficial harmony.
Color Is Worth A Thousand Words
It’s easy when you look at a white screen all day to think of color as CMYK, but when it comes to designing for print, making use of colored sheets is beneficial—to the tune of improved readership by 40% (2), increased tendency to act by 26% (3) and retention by 18% (4).
And when running offset, using a colored sheet can potentially save money on the job. A colored sheet that prints one color can have a greater effect and be cheaper than a four-color print job on a white sheet!
Think Outside The Box
In the same way a screen is white, it’s also square, has no texture, and can’t fold. Thinking outside the box, quite literally, can result in some pretty impressive print pieces.
Folds are an easy way to add interest to a print piece and still keep it within a certain size, especially important if it’s a piece that mails.
Textured stock is another way to add interest to a piece and make it stand out. Textured stock increases donations by an average 13% compared to a smooth stock.
A combination of paper weight, color, and print techniques such as a spot UV, emboss, deboss, or coating are other ways to add interest. On average, brands have four seconds to make an impression, and these techniques are ways to make those four seconds count.
1 USPS, How Direct Mail Helps Strengthen Online Sales
2,4 Color marketing Group
3 McGraw Hill Publishing