The evolution of the Internet and digital platforms might have altered the popularity of print, but it didn’t change the need for it. Print materials are a necessary part of a successful and effective communication strategy and exist in places digital media can’t, giving cross-media campaigns the chance to reach a bigger audience. Print is very much alive and plays a vital part in any marketing effort, and here’s why:

Print stands out. Email inboxes are overloaded with spam and messages that sometimes never get opened, but direct mail gets attention when it comes to marketing campaigns. Direct mail is the largest category of local ad market spending and will continue to be in the future. The abundance of data today enables the personalization of print materials, which can better speak to your customers and appeal to their interests.

Print has staying power. Print products carry a longer shelf life than digital media, so they grab attention more easily and resonate longer. Brochures, magazines and newspapers can stay in houses or offices for months or years long after the reader puts the material down, while copy on the Internet can disappear into cyber space instantaneously.

Print is portable. Print media retains the ultimate portability, even when it comes to smart phones and tablets. Print is accessible everywhere and to everyone, whether there’s service or power. Print materials give people the chance to step away from digital media, unplug and get off the grid.

Print sends a powerful message. Many have touted the importance of including image-centric content as part of an online marketing strategy. Rounding out this strategy with a print channel strategy makes sense since print has always been a medium where images combined with text tell a powerful story.

Print materials are the fundamental ambassadors of a business. They’re portable, they stand out and they send a powerful message that will resonate with customers far longer than digital media ever will. Companies need to connect with consumers where they are and how they want to be contacted, and in many cases, that is via print.