By Kathy Smith

Is Your Business Missing Out? 

I am going to share some good information from an interesting article I found in Entrepreneur.com, describing the benefits of print media and how many business owners are missing out when not utilizing print. Although some marketers dismiss print as obsolete and unnecessary, it just could be the most powerful marketing medium in your toolbox. 

Print gets real 

Print puts the materials right in front of the reader and creates an element of sensory input, a realness through the feel and smell of the paper that doesn’t happen with digital media. When a reader physically interacts with the paper of the magazine, the memory section of the brain is stimulated more than on a screen, giving the print marketing message an edge over that of competitors who only advertise digitally. Magazines provide a long, slow read and a more captivating form of audience engagement.  

Photo: Shutterstock/wait for

Print is credible 

People subscribe to magazines and newspapers because they believe the information these publications contain is accurate, credible, and of benefit to them. Amid today’s abundance of “fake news,” magazines deliver expertly written, researched, and produced content that readers can trust.  

High exposure, less competition 

Yes, digital media is less costly, easy to use, and results are more trackable, but it’s a crowded marketplace where businesses of all sizes compete for top spots and those who spend the most money usually win those spots. In print, the marketplace is much less cluttered and distracting, with far fewer competitors vying for the attention of your niche audience. 

No blocked ads 

In magazines, the majority of advertisements are read and enjoyed by readers and considered part of the experience. Conversely, in 2020 an estimated 42.7% of all internet users had an ad block plugin installed.

97% of Canadian Horse Journal (CHJ) readers review ALL display ads in the magazine (source: CHJ Readers’ Survey). Photo: Shutterstock/LADO

Print media delivers advertising longevity 

In print media, ads stick around for months or years.  

78% of Canadian Horse Journal readers save their magazines for a year or more (source: CHJ Readers’ Survey). 

Combining the best of both worlds 

Print brings excellent returns to brands that use it strategically. The right mix of print and digital multiplies the advantage. Although digital marketing may be more convenient, print has surprising power to leverage e-commerce. Think about the businesses you interact with every day that still use print, from advertisements in magazines and newspapers, flyers and circulars, to signs, banners, menus, calendars, and catalogs. People enjoy engaging with print and respond to it. By reaching multiple generations of consumers, print creates interest which drives traffic to websites and social media sites.  

“Your brand is a story unfolding across all customer touch points.” – Jonah Sachs 

More by Kathy Smith

Photo: Shutterstock/Photobac