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The Value of Printing in the Age of Digital - Girl Reading a Book

The Value of Printing in the Age of Digital

The Value of Printing in the Age of Digital - Woman drinking coffee and reading

In an age where digital platforms seem ubiquitous, one might question the relevance of print. Yet, as reality would have it, the value of professional printing continues to be a valued choice despite, or perhaps in response to, the surge of digital media.

The resiliency of print is powered by several key factors that offer significant ROI and unparalleled advantages, especially for certain audiences and industries. In this piece, we discuss the profound importance of print, focusing on its economic value, tactile benefits, and its unique role in learning.

Exceptional Return on Investment

Many businesses can testify to the return on investment (ROI) of print. Direct mail, for example, inherently has measurable results. With advanced tracking mechanisms, businesses can accurately calculate their ROI, making this form of print marketing a valuable asset.

Printed catalogs continue to drive online sales, enhancing brand imagery and customer loyalty. Customers who receive catalogs tend to spend more time engaging with the printed piece and on a retailer’s website and consequently spend more money. Print, therefore, is not just alive but a thriving catalyst for business growth.

The Value of Printing in the Age of Digital - Magazine Covers

The Tactile Advantage

Nothing quite matches the sensory experience of print. From the smooth texture of a glossy magazine page to the comforting smell of a new book, these tactile experiences craft an intimate connection between the reader and the printed material.

Scientifically, the tactile experience stimulates higher cognitive processing and emotional connections – ultimately enhancing memory retention. It’s the sensory nature of touch that makes printed material instinctively more engaging and memorable than digital media, providing a lasting brand impression.

Moreover, print products such as brochures, business cards, or newsletters show effort, thought, and investment, creating a perception of credibility and professionalism about your brand. They bring a physical presence of your business into customers’ homes or office spaces, keeping your brand within reach and sight.

The Value of Printing in the Age of Digital - Girl Reading a Book

Print’s Unique Role in Learning

When it comes to education and learning, print takes an impressive stand. Scientific studies reveal that reading from paper results in better comprehension and recall than reading from screens. Print’s lack of distractions promotes deeper engagement and encourages more thorough mental mapping of the information.

Also, printed books and documents provide easy navigation that digital platforms often lack. The ability to physically flip through pages, highlight lines, and scribble notes on the margins greatly enhances the learning process.

The Emergence of Hybrid Models

Rather than view digital and print media as rivals, savvy businesses are combining the strengths of both to maximize customer engagement. Printed materials can work in tandem with digital platforms by incorporating QR codes or social media handles, offering a seamless multi-channel experience.

The endurance of print in the age of digital media is by no means accidental. Its powerful sensory connection, tangible market reach, and contribution to effective learning secure print media’s spot in the marketing mix. By leveraging professional print services, businesses can connect with their audience in a meaningful way while reaping a significant return on investment.

In essence, print is not just surviving, it’s thriving. It remains an impactful medium that businesses and learners alike continue to value in our digitally driven world.

Consolidated Press is a Seattle-based printer with more than 85 years of experience and expertise. Our specialties include magazines, catalogs, reports, manuals, book publishing, and direct mail. We’re the only commercial printer with in-house automated perfect bindery in the Pacific Northwest. Contact us to learn more. 

Summer Tourism

Use brochures, posters, guides and maps to promote your region’s summer fun

When the sun comes out, people start looking to keep busy, feel refreshed, see something new, and get onto the open road.

Whether you own a business or work for a city, a parks department, a farmers’ market, or a nonprofit, summer is the time for printing projects aimed at the public—posters, brochures, calendars, maps, menus, guides, event collateral, direct mail, and more.

Posters reach more people.

Posters are an underrated source of advertising, and they are excellent at bringing people back to the spot they saw the poster in the first place. For example, if you are advertising a new farmer’s market or opening one for the season, plaster the area with posters. 

An event like a farmers market draws mostly local people—people who tend to live, work, and play in the same places day after day. So it’s easy to ask them to return to a place they are already hanging out for something fun and ongoing like a farmer’s market, monthly flea market, or summer concert series. All they have to remember is the time or date. 

The same principles work for one-time events like summer festivals, retail events, civic volunteer opportunities, and more. Be sure to print the website, hashtag or a QR code on the poster for an even stronger memory aid. A simple and clear call-to-action (CTA) like “Post a selfie with this poster” will go a long way toward engaging people and bringing them back to the very place they are standing —with friends.

Read this comprehensive guide to creating posters that bring a buzz to your event.

Brochures are marketing’s best bet.

Everybody likes to pick up free stuff! Brochures are better than free—they represent possibility, excitement, travel, fun, relief from boredom, and future purchases and services that make life better.

Consider these compelling statistics when planning your summer advertising campaigns:

  • 7 out of 10 tourists, as well as visitors, tend to pick up brochures
  • 95% of visitors that obtain brochures become aware of a business
  • 80% of people consider visiting the business they saw in brochures

Keep in mind that brochures can truly reflect your brand’s aesthetic or personality. They don’t have to be the glossy three-fold six-panel classics we know from brochure stands in visitor centers across America. You can produce maps, calendars, posters, sales flyers, menus, and destination collateral, all in brochure form.

We can help you stand out with:

  • Strong brand identity through color matching and design
  • A variety of paper choices for your budget and brand
  • Professional folding and printing so your brochure is easy to read
  • Fun and functional stickers and seals
  • Addressing, sorting, storage, and direct mailing (if you want to go that route!)

Get on the map.

A March 2023 survey and report from The Vacationer revealed the potential for an enormous uptick in travel—especially domestic travel—this summer.

As summarized in Travel Agent Central this month:

Eighty-five percent of Americans plan to travel this summer. Nearly half of them are planning to travel more this summer compared to last, and those who intend to travel this summer represent a 5% increase over 2022. Ninety percent of American adults aged 30 to 44 intend to travel this summer, as do 88% of 45- to 60-year-olds and 87% of adults under 30. Forty-three percent of women said they intend to travel more, while  40 percent of men said they will.

Sixty-two percent of respondents said their travels will be domestic only. Seventeen percent said their travels would be domestic and international, while 6 percent said they would only be traveling internationally. Nearly four in five travelers plan to take a road trip this summer, most traveling between 100 and 500 miles. 

Now is the time to get your community on a map. There are so many ways and reasons to do this!

  • Regional and state visitor associations can create road trip maps of cities and tourist destinations. 
  • Cities and towns can publish a map of shopping and dining hubs, pointing visitors to all the places to play and spend money while passing through. Locals love these maps too, when they are updated regularly. 
  • Hotels and convention centers can publish maps of nearby nightlife, dining, and daytime activities. 
  • Tourist bureaus can offer maps of day trips within a radius of your city or region. 
  • Business hubs and neighborhood associations can promote dining and shopping with hyper-local maps, capitalizing on “coop-ertition” to bring more people to the location by displaying or handing out the map at each business in the area.
  • Local Arts and Entertainment can distribute information on upcoming show schedules, venues, special events, or concerts. 

Organizations often have state or local funds to produce maps promoting their area. Local businesses can offset these costs by advertising or paying for a prominent location on the map. Be sure to create a connected website for the latest updates, specials, and events.

Invite summer fun—and spending!—with print products like maps, brochures, direct mail, guides and posters. Visitors and locals alike will be happy to jump in.

With our efficient presses and professional staff, we can help you steward your resources while creating important print products that benefit everyone. Let us help you—reach out today.

Moving Print Stateside

Moving Printing Stateside

Local benefits, a reliable supply chain, and geopolitical factors drive print buyers back to the U.S.

Print buyers are making the shift back to stateside commercial printers—with good reason. Geopolitical instability, rising international shipping prices, and unpredictable delivery times—especially for large projects— are driving companies to create new relationships with local printers to ensure a reliable supply chain.

Publishers, universities, and other businesses have been outsourcing commercial printing projects overseas for years because they have been able to achieve comparable quality at lower prices. 

When the demand for books skyrocketed during the pandemic, domestic capacity was at an all-time low, and for the first time in years, demand exceeded capacity. This along with increased paper and pulp being funneled into the paperboard market for packaging, sent the U.S. commercial and book printing market into a game of catch-up. But as supply levels out, domestic printers are able to capture more jobs coming their way.

For several reasons, companies are starting to refocus their printing dollars stateside. According to a Dec. 2022 article in Publishers Weekly, “China has a sophisticated printing infrastructure, but much of its pricing edge is being eroded by constant Covid lockdowns, shipping rates that remain well above old levels, and more attempts at censorship.”

Local printing just works betterSupport Local

There are plenty of other reasons print buyers are moving to local and domestic printers:

  • Sample and substitute availability. If you want to touch or see your paper options in person, it is much easier to do that with a local printer. Especially as stock capacity continues to shift, you’ll want to work closely with your printer to choose appropriate substrates and substitutes when necessary. 
  • Shipping proofs and projects. When you can stop by your local printer to check your proof and communicate changes on the spot, you save both time and shipping fees that can delay your project. Shipping (or picking up) and storing the final product locally can add up to huge savings.
  • Security. Knowing your printer creates an atmosphere of trust. You know they aren’t going anywhere with your financial information, and paying them won’t result in exchange and transaction fees. You may be able to work out a payment schedule, and/or pay only when the job is done to your satisfaction.
  • Supporting the local economy. Harder to quantify, yet no less important to many, is the satisfaction of supporting your local community, its workforce and economy.

U.S. printers are cautiously investing in growth

The 162 commercial printing companies that participated in the 2022-23 PRINTING United Alliance State of the Industry Survey spoke frankly about their cautious expectations for the coming year. “25.3% expect business conditions to be better than this year, 40.4% about the same, and 34.3% worse.”

However, a shift of print buyers back to the U.S. could be a bright spot for domestic commercial printers who have had to navigate material and labor shortages, cost inflation, and higher interest rates. Many are preparing for growth.

Over 60% of the companies surveyed said they planned to make capital investments as part of their plans to strengthen margins, with bindery/finishing systems (61.1%), commercial inkjet (39.6%), and mailing capabilities (27.1%) being the most desired capital investments, and increasing productivity (83.2%), increasing production speed (58.7%), and automation (51.7%) the most frequently cited investment objectives.

Presumably, these strong capital investments will increase domestic capacity overall, and move inventory, which is currently very high, drawing more buyers back from overseas.

Time to ‘focus on becoming more resilient and efficient’

Patrycja Wisniewski, Canon Solutions America Corporate Product Strategy Director pointed to instability in China and Russia as a driving factor for print buyers to consider. “Regulatory changes that are influenced by governments will shift the global supply chain,” including manufacturing strategies and environmental concerns, she told Printing Impressions. “Geopolitical instability and conflicts remain a top concern, risk to global economic shifts and inflation remain, and volatile energy prices have superseded supply chain disruptions,” Wisniewski adds. “It is important to emerge from disruptions and focus on becoming more resilient and efficient, and institutionalize the new normal.”

PrintRocks 2022

CP wins Best in Division, and Brenda Monkewicz is Recognized with a Hickey Picker Award at 2022 PrintROCKS!

PrintRocks 2022

Consolidated Press is thrilled to announce its recent awards at the 2022 PrintROCKS! Competition, including Best in Division, the Hickey Picker, and more.

Our very own Vice President and General Manager, Brenda Rossman Monkewicz, was presented with the prestigious Hickey Picker award. People considered for the award have longevity in the print industry, a stellar reputation among peers and customers, and significant contributions to the growth and sustainability of print media and production. They are dedicated to helping others learn and volunteer their time and talents with the PIASC. 

Brenda brings over three decades of experience in the print industry, and is keenly focused on CP’s employees and customers. Brenda comes by her affinity and understanding for print honestly—she was born into a family of printers. She says she didn’t go to daycare—instead, she went to the hand assembly department. In her spare time, you’ll find Brenda relaxing with her family, traveling, boating, and rooting for the Seahawks.

At the same awards ceremony, Consolidated Press was awarded Best of Division for printers with 51-100 employees for our work on the Quail Lodge 2021 Magazine. The PrintROCKS event recognizes quality print production in the Northwest region.

We also received the following recognitions:

Print Rocks 2022 AwardsBest of Magazines:

1st Place
Quail Lodge

 

 

2nd Place 

BLOOM Growing Wonder

 

 

 

Print Rocks 2022 Freehub3rd Place 

Freehub Vermont Photo Book

 

 

 

Hosted by The Pacific Printing Industries Association, now PIASC, the PrintROCKS! competition celebrates the outstanding work of printing companies in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, and Utah. Learn more about the PrintROCKS! event by visiting: http://www.printrocks.org/

Reading Resurgence

Four ways publishers can capitalize on a reading resurgence in turbulent times

Heading into 2022, book publishers are riding a worldwide resurgence of interest in printed books and reading.

At the same time, they are facing a shortage of paper and distribution networks that are crucial to putting those books in their readers’ hands.

Many paper mills have pivoted to packaging, the manufacturing workforce is mid-shuffle, and global logistics disruptions continue to slow shipments of supplies and end products.

Since we specialize in book printing, we want to share with you some of the ways publishers are capitalizing on the demand for printed books, while managing the challenges of printing them.

Print large runs in smaller batches.

Publishers are exploring a stock replenishment model that reprints smaller batches more frequently. Publishers will still meet—or even generate—consumer demand with a plan to roll out an entire run, but in increments that keep prices low and distribution steady.

Publishers sell directly to consumers.

Direct-to-consumer sales are nothing new, but it is easier than ever before to pass on retail sales, which can take up to 40% of the cover price. Using an omnichannel marketing approach, including social media, blogs, websites, and author following, publishers can create a community of readers clamoring for their books.

Experiment with size, shape, and stock.

Consolidated Press can publish a huge array of sizes and shapes. Depending on how your book is being distributed, you may want to try a different size or shape to keep costs low on shipping. In an era where it’s on-trend to buck the trend, you might find that an offbeat look sells more books—especially if it doesn’t need to sit neatly on a retail shelf. The same goes for stock. While CP has the resources and relationships to keep a range of paper stocks on hand, we can offer suggestions for substitutions when one is low or another that might be less expensive.

Expect the unexpected—and tell everyone else to as well.

Today’s mantra is communication, communication, communication. In all manufacturing sectors in 2022, releases, roll-outs, and launches will be…squishy. For book publishers, that means clearly managing expectations for your readers, clients, and authors. At Consolidated Press, our value is in reliable runs on a large scale. So, on our side, clear communication means letting you know exactly what supplies we have available when you can expect to get your project on the press, and if there are changes in cost due to continuing increases in paper and pulp prices. We are not in the business of surprising our customers.

While we recognize how much fluctuation there is in our industry right now, we are in the business of solutions—effective solutions in print, especially for publishers and manufacturers.

Contact us today to get started on your next book, manual, magazine, or catalog. Our power puts us ahead of the pack.

Local Publications Center Community

The local magazines, brochures or maps are still a vital and booming communications resource for small cities, townships, neighborhoods, and villages. Produced by local experts, and mailed to residents, these local and regional publications are regarded as trustworthy and filled with relevant information. 

Relevant Content for Readers community magazine

Community magazines, usually mailed to residents quarterly, provide timely articles on local issues, schedules of community events, information about recreational activities and clubs in local parks, and guides to community development. Local magazines targeted to local audiences impart a sense of community, and build a sense of comradery in neighborhoods.

For example, many community magazines publish information regarding the hours and contact information for the township or municipal offices. They share waste management schedules, including special recycling events and yard waste pick-up days. Parks and recreation departments publish trail maps, summer camp options, and farmers’ market schedules. Community events such as outdoor concerts, fireworks for the Fourth of July, and even car shows all appear in the local magazine.  

A similar community publication that neighbors enjoy is a calendar. Filled with photos of local flora and fauna, children enjoying nearby playgrounds, and other familiar images, plus holiday events, and information regarding, for example, school start dates or library book sales, community calendars are useful and stay accessible in households. 

Print Options for Advertisers 

Community publications are a boon to local businesses. Advertising dollars are well spent on space in a local publication. Because of the way these periodicals can build community, seeing an ad for a local business can feel like getting a recommendation from a trusted friend. These print publications help lead readers to an advertiser online as well; print ads that include QR codes and links to websites provide readers with more information. 

calendarWhether mailed to residents or distributed at a neighborhood business, locally produced calendars provide another cost-effective option for advertisers. Because a print calendar stays on-hand as a relevant reference in households, an ad is guaranteed to be seen. While an ad on Facebook may have a bigger reach, it does not necessarily hit the right target and demographic the way an advertisement in a local publication does. 

Print ads in magazines and on calendars have longevity. These publications have a life beyond the mailbox, often showing up in dentist and doctor offices, neighborhood grocery stores, coffee shops, and pharmacies. When someone picks up a magazine while waiting or just hanging out, they engage with the content and advertising differently than they do on social media.  

Professional Looking and Timely 

The nature of a community magazine demands a printer who knows how to print, bind, and mail in specific quantities and on schedule. Quality graphics, clear fonts, and the right paper are key to eye-catching content and ads. Events and shopping guides need to reach customers by mail well before they are going to happen so people can plan and budget, both time and money. Consolidated Press offers in-house mailing services, helping publishers navigate and negotiate the best mail rates for their magazine or calendar.   

 

 

 

magazine

Magazines, Now is the Time to Shine

The print industry is here to stay, and at the same time, the industries that use print are changing. Magazines and periodicals are perfect examples of industries in demand, yet these media companies are also changing how they do business. Ad revenues are down; subscriptions are up (in some cases, 15% to 30%), and printers can serve these markets in creative and exciting ways. 

Reread, Retain, Reward 

Research shows over and over again that people enjoy getting mail and many prefer interacting with print pieces rather than digital advertising. People who read print media learn more effectively and retain more information. Magazine readers are diverse and include members of every age group, income level, sexual orientation and ethnicity. According to research, 91% of adults in the United States have read a magazine in the past six months, including 95% of adults under the age of 25.  

Magazines provide trusted information, and compared to Internet and television advertising; magazines persuade readers to try new things, buy new things, and help them make purchase decisions. Paper-based reading stimulates emotions and desires, and helps focus attention. Readers have positive associations with brands that advertise in magazines, and often seek out more information about the advertised product or service.     

According to “Mr. Magazine”, Samir Husni, Ph.D., the founder and director of the Magazine Innovation Center at the Meek School of Journalism at the University of Mississippi, magazines are here to stay. We don’t have a print problem, he explains. We have a business problem. The COVID-19 pandemic changed the business model in terms of distribution and revenue collection. Bookstores and newsstands closed, so periodicals need to depend on the post office to get to consumers. Advertisers have other, often less expensive outlets than print magazines. The loss of distribution outlets and advertising dollars is a real double whammy.  

print magazine and periodicals

Quality over Quantity 

In order to continue to publish, magazines need to deliver experience-making content, says Dr. Husni. People depend on the publications to which they subscribe to provide content they can trust, content that has been vetted and verified. Magazines are reinventing themselves by moving to quarterly publication, rather than monthly, or by releasing special editions. Timeless content that readers can return to will pay off for magazines as advertising models change 

Making a print project stand out from the pack can grab a person’s interest when browsing the magazine rack. As a non-disposable media platform, magazines have an advantage in style over other types of media. One option to engage customers is a bookazine, which is a publication that combines elements of magazines and books. A savvy magazine publisher will look beyond a monthly subscription, and create special editions on niche topics their readers will want to read and save. By using embossed graphics, foil printing, and high-quality paper, a printer helps publishers impart a feeling of value. (Very savvy publishers will also branch out into digital or streaming platforms, such as podcasts or television, information about which will be available to consumers via their print base.)  

A Knowledgeable Printer is a Valuable Partner 

Building a relationship with a printer will make a good print partner aware of the challenges magazines and periodicals face. By offering quality printing, an experienced printer will ensure that customers who are now laying down $12 or $15 per magazine get a collectible item that they can showcase in their homes. 

publications

Periodical Publishers Should Capitalize on Surprising Finishes and Formats

The golden age of print is happening now. More formats are available than ever before, more enhanced printing and finishing options at a lower cost, and lightweight papers that convey gravity and elegance while being economical to print and mail, especially for periodical publishers.

As magazines, periodicals and journals continue to compete for shelf space and strive to reach the top of the inbox, publishers should capitalize on the unique, hands-on experiences printers have to offer. Look for a color that’s outside the lines, eye-catching sizes and shapes, and highly touchable papers and finishes. The trick is to find a printer with these capabilities that also offers value, speed, competitive pricing, and unmatched quality.

Refining the look and feel of your publication will set it apart from and above the competition. Consider going outside the box with:

Paper.

Consolidated Press offers more flexibility and economy, starting with picking your paper. CP’s process allows for lightweight paper options that most offset printers won’t touch because they can be hard to print on. Publications can be lighter and less expensive to mail, making a huge difference to a magazine on a regular schedule. 

Tipped-in pages.

Set your periodical apart with color illustrations, maps, coupons, advertisements, reply cards, and much more. Be sure your readers open to the page you want them to.

Customized binding and finishing.

Choose from in-house perfect binding, saddle stitching, drilling, laminating, gluing, and more — whatever binding matches the personality of your publication and works for mailing to your customers. 

Color that dazzles.

In publishing, a printer’s capabilities should show their true colors. In addition to striking and precise color matching, true to the last page, CP can do a fifth spot color, as well as spot varnish. CP can print “5 over 5”  in one press run, translating to faster delivery, less waste, and excellent color consistency throughout the run. 

Versatility.

Not all the pages are created the same, and they don’t all need to go on the same press. Consolidated Press offers the upgraded, in-house process of simultaneously printing the inside of a publication on one press and the cover on another. This optimized workflow offers efficiency for printing pages while opening unique opportunities to make each cover impactful and distinctive using handpicked stock and finishing options. 

After your unique publication is printed and bound, CP can shrinkwrap, mail, distribute and warehouse. We are indeed the premier resource for periodical publishers. See more of our work.

Consolidated Press is one for the books. Call or click today to start our valuable partnership in printing.

direct mail

Direct Mail is Worth a Thousand Words

According to a study of commercial printing trends, direct mail campaigns are on an upward swing. It’s expected that almost 72% of corporations will use direct mail, including catalogs, postcards, brochures, and books. Well-executed direct mail campaigns have a higher response rate than digital tactics, and direct mail reaches audiences that online campaigns don’t 

An outstanding metric to note is that companies of all ages – even new companies founded in the digital age – use direct mail. Companies 10 and 20 years old are leveraging direct mail at rates of 14.5% and 15.8%, respectively. Google, Amazon, Door Dash, and industry leaders in real estate, health care, leisure and travel are all using direct mail marketing to reach consumers.   

direct mail

Sending a postcard as a direct mail marketing piece is a quick and versatile way to get consumers’ attention. Using eye-catching graphics, an attention-grabbing headline, and quality card stock gives a postcard heft and authority. A brochure mailer has the advantage of giving consumers more information than a postcard, while still providing contact information and calls-to-action. Staying in front of your customers with relevant, targeted messages and offers can help keep your business front of mind.

One cost-effective method to reach customers is with self-mailers. A quick way to get your offers or branded materials into the mailstream is by creating a self-mailable piece or publication that can be inkjet addressed inline as it is printed—no inserting into envelopes or additional assembly work. The printed piece catches the eye as soon as it lands in the mailbox.  

More Direct Than Email 

  • Consumers like getting mail, and they especially seem to like postcards and catalogs.  
  • Because of their tangibility, direct mail pieces last longer than emails.  
  • Direct mail postcards are perfect for coupons. Putting a coupon on a postcard makes it easy to hold on to, and easy to use. 
  • Direct mail is also perfect for images. On a postcard, a powerful image paired with short, concise copy tells the receiver everything they need to know at a glance. With brochures and catalogs, companies have the opportunity to tell a longer story, and still emphasize image and copy elements. 
  • Response rates to digital interactive elements, also called digital calls to action, have doubled in the past four years. These callouts include social media channels, QR codes, and prompts to visit a website. 
  • Postcards and brochures are versatile. These types of direct mail come in a variety of sizes and card stocks, with specialty coatings and graphic elements that can make an immediate impact. 

Consolidated Press is your printing partner for direct mail. Contact us to talk about specialty printing, unique sizes and special mailing rates. 

 

Printed Books Trend Upward in Sales Post-Pandemic

Hot off the presses: as we head into the post-pandemic era, print book publishing is picking up where it left off — skyrocketing in sales and popularity. As print books trend upward in sales post-pandemic, publishers need printers to rely on for speed and flexibility. 

Print is on Trend

The New York Times wrote, “Sales of digital books fell 3.6 percent to $1.02 billion in 2018, a third straight decline, while hardback sales rose 6.9 percent to $3.06 billion and paperback sales 1.1 percent to $2.67 billion, according to the Association of American Publishers.”

In January 2020, The Association of American Publishers reported that total book sales were $12.57 billion year-to-date in 2019. The growth was an increase of 3.6% over the previous year. Printed books continued to dominate the consumer publications category, accounting for $751.0 million, or 80% of the category’s $938.7 million in revenue. Paperback books saw the most growth, once again, climbing 11.0%. Professional publishing also jumped.

While book sales initially dropped off in early 2020, they began to tick upward in the spring and ended the year strong with print sales rising 8.2% over 2019, the most significant annual increase since 2005, and the print total of 751 million units sold was the highest since 2009. An increase in online sales drove numbers up, and online sales are projected to continue strong through 2021.

Printed Pages Produce Better Comprehension

Several recent studies have reviewed digital books and education materials vs. paper. According to the Hechinger Report, a nonprofit newsroom focused on education that examined these studies, reading on paper trumps reading on screens regarding comprehension and student preference.

The Right Partner Can Make the Difference

Let’s get your titles flying off the shelf,  What does all this mean for today’s book publishers and the way they work with printers? Here are the key takeaways:

The era of printed books is not over. It’s on the uprise, so finding a reputable, flexible, high-capacity printer like Consolidated Press to keep up with publishing demands is crucial.

Time and again, learning and comprehension are reported to be better on paper than with digital for a variety of reasons, which research is still uncovering. In the meantime, book publishers can rely on a powerhouse printer like Consolidated Press to increase efficiency and cost competitiveness to meet the demand for more printed books.

Independent bookstores are increasing their margins with gifts, consumables, events, and more. As a result, publishers don’t need to slash prices to be competitive. The boutique environment is also an incentive to experiment with bolder designs and visual impact to stand out on a shelf.

Sales of e-books are down and audiobooks are up. E-books compete primarily with paper books; audiobooks compete with music, podcasts, radio, and other paid audio media. Some publishers have adopted a digital-first strategy and need a printer that can nimbly print books on demand.

Paperback books continue to see explosive growth. You can depend on CP’s equipment to precisely print crucial information and images, perfect binding each piece with optical cameras confirming quality and placement. We ship straight from our warehouse, offering the most accurate addressing and cost-effective mailing available.

Whether on-demand or on a schedule, textbook or trade paperback, CP can meet today’s book printing market demands and exceed publisher expectations for quality, speed, value, and flexibility every time.

Consolidated Press is one for the books. Call or click today to start our valuable partnership in printing.