Print Pays Off - A Down to Earth Look at Environmental Issues & Trends

Doing business requires maintaining a balance among economic, environmental and social needs. Printing on paper meets those criteria. It's a way to drive business in a renewable way - to be more effective in your communications and to be more sustainable. It's worth printing if you incorporate environmental stewardship in your business, encourage your suppliers and customers to do the same and use printed materials wisely.

According to the latest research on advertising, printed communications are making a significant contribution to the economy and have a positive impact on business. Statistics show the following:

- Campaigns combinging direct mail and internet yield up to an additional 25% response rate.

- Nearly 80% of households either read or scan advertising mail sent to their household.

- Direct mail gives advertisers a whopping 13-to-1 return on their investment.

- Nearly 80% of internet users surveyed said they were directly influenced to purchase an item or service because of direct mail.

- Brand recall is substantially higher using print vs. onscreen. On-screen information is 20 to 30 percent more difficult to read.

- Small and medium businesses still rely on newspaper and magazine articles (43.6%) and direct mail, including letters, postcards and catalogs (43.5%) to get results.

Used wisely, print can drive revenue and be a valuable part of a smart media mix. That's why, for example, U.S. advertisers spend $167 per person in direct mail marketing to earn $2,095 worth of goods per person. They're scoring a return on investment of 13 to 1. With the right mix, it's worth printing.

Sourced from International Paper Company, 2010 edition of "Down to Earth." The full issue is available by visiting IP Sustainability