Print in a Digital World

I participated in a panel discussion yesterday at a publishing industry conference here in Cleveland that focused on the role of print in a digital world. The short version is ALL publishers are furiously attempting to come to grips with the ongoing evolution of business communications. Personally, I wake up thinking about this and go to sleep still pondering on it (that, and why I ate a quart of Ben & Jerry's at 11 p.m.).

Anyway, here are a few key points from the presentations I thought were worth sharing:

To paraphrase Mark Twain, "the rumors of print's demise have been greatly exagerated." It's been far too easy for marketing managers to bow to the financial pressure from CEOs to reduce costs by jumping on the all-digital bandwagon. Print is still a critical component of any integrated program in B-2-B. Fight for it because you know it really matters.

That said, the future of printed publications demands that they be "thought leaders" in their markets. "Me-too" magazines that run 3rd or 4th in popularity are, in a word, doomed.

"Thought-leading" magazines are those that present unique, exclusive content that adds perspective to content and enhances the professional and personal life of the reader.

Both articles and ads in print have tremendous value in terms of:

CREDIBILITY: There is still something very tangible about an article or ad that runs in print. It stands out, it's memorable and it seems more "real" than digital. Consider the impact a research article has in a printed magazine vs. the same content online. Would reprints of a web-based article have the same sales impact as reprints of a print-published piece? I think not.

BIGNESS: This is my word for the fact that print advertising creates a sense of industry participation because of size (full page) and presence (frequency) that digital can't always duplicate. Running a good print schedule tells readers that you are a "player" in the market and you're investing in things that matter to them.

BRAND PARTNERSHIP: By choosing your print placements in one of those "thought-leading" publications, you show the reader that you can discern which magazine serves their needs most effectively by aligning your brand with it.

The bottom line is that marketers and media companies need to find the right mix that fits the specific demographic of their targeted segment. Superintendents I talk with seem to like the combination of digital products we send them now, but they still value having our print publication tremendously. They're tactile people...they like to hold, read, re-read and keep magazines. Don't lose sight of your goal -- connecting with customers -- by forgetting what really matters to them.