Move print online to survive: PODi Forum

There will always be a place for print, but the channel it is solid through must be changed, according to Marian Stefani, director of RedTie.

In her presentation, ‘Whatever happened to the print business’, Stefani (pictured) provided an overview of the printing industry in the last decade, highlighting major changes such as the rise of online media and the power and influence of Generation Y.

“We have seen print go from being the primary means of communication for the masses to just a part of that mix,” she said.

Stefani believes that the printing industry as a whole has not kept up with these changes. “The average print seller is a 40-plus male who is just internet savvy, but the average print buyer is a marketing-led female aged between 20-30 who tweets,” she added.

This is why Stefani believes it is necessary to sell more print online where it has a wider audience. She pointed out that one in three companies prefer to purchase their print through the internet, just as they enjoy buying consumer goods though online shops such as Amazon.

“Use the internet – it’s here, it’s now and it will either destroy or build your business,” Stefani said.

With a background selling calendars online, Stefani soon realised how personal the online medium can be and has the potential to reach out to those of all ages. While she promotes the selling of goods online, she stressed that she is not in anyway opposed to the printed medium. “We can still produce from our presses but we need to understand who our buyer is and why they go online to purchase,” she said. “The ease of that transaction is desperately important.”

Stefani’s final warning was to keep focussed on the future, rather than looking back at the past. “You should all leave [the industry] if you think we are going back to 1990,” she concluded.