Print is Dead . . . Or Is It?

You hear the bell tolling every day regarding the death of print . . .

People no longer read print newspapers or books — with both industries in serious decline.

Companies have ditched their printed marcom materials and have moved online to e-newsletters, blogs, and PDF documents.

Our mail boxes are empty as direct marketers pull back on printing catalogs and mailers due to the high production and mailing costs.

The print industry is reeling as printing companies shutter their businesses, newspapers file for bankruptcy, and the post office continues to raise postage costs to offset its revenue loss.

Yes, the print industry is dying . . . or is it?

I’ve been thinking about this question for a few weeks now, especially since I’m giving a presentation on social media at Margie Dana’s 4th Annual Print Buyers Conference.

Like most everyone else, I’ve calmly accepted the fact that yes, print communication as we know it *has* changed. And like many people, I do get much of my information online.

However, once I started really thinking about it, I realized the print industry isn’t dying . . . it’s really undergoing a huge (and yes, painful) shift.

And most important, many of us still need and purchase print services, it’s just that we have so many options today than we did before.

Take me and my business, for example. In the last three months alone I’ve needed the following items printed:

1. Mailers — I send out articles and such to my in-house list as a way of keeping in touch and need to have these mailers designed, printed, and mailed.

2. Postcards — One of my clients is holding an event and thus needed postcards designed and printed.

3. Letterhead — I moved my office and needed new business cards and letterhead printed.

4. Marketing collateral — One of my clients developed an e-book and wanted hard copies printed in order to hand them out at a tradeshow.

On top of that, I continue to purchase books, newspapers, magazines, and other printed material. I continue to receive catalogs and mailers in my own mailbox from vendors and those companies trying to attract my business.

And, everywhere I go, from the doctor’s office to the car dealership where I have my car serviced, I see and read printed material.

(Not to mention that my son has figured out that while I won’t buy him video games, I’ll easily drop $20 or $30 on books and magazines for him — something he takes advantage of on a regular basis.)

Yes, the print industry is changing . . . but it’s far from dead.

And that’s why it’s really important that if you deal in any way with print and/or order print services for your business (large or small), that you attend Margie Dana’s Print Buyers Conference November 3 – 5, 2009 in Westford, MA.

It’s at this conference that you’ll learn the new trends happening in the print industry and how to use them in your business . . . green printing (which is HUGE), the online content explosion and the opportunities available in print, the changing dynamics of ad agencies — and a whole lot more.

Margie (@margiedana) has pulled out all the stops for this conference. She’s brought in some really smart speakers and has developed sessions that focus on the change print is currently reeling from and how to deal with it (versus sitting around complaining about it).

Even better, she’s priced this conference to make it easy to attend — no matter what your budget.

So take a minute and mosey on over to her Print Buyers Conference Website, poke around, and if you like what you see, REGISTER TO ATTEND.

I think you’ll be glad you did.