How many times have you heard the expression, you never get a second chance to make a first impression? I know. It sounds cliché, but it’s true. When you see something that captures your attention, you’re more likely to engage with it, remember it, hang onto it… and even pay for it!
Yet when it comes to showing off their capabilities, many printers fall short in delivering a memorable experience that sells. How can printers expect to convince their customers to invest in their print menu, if they’re not prepared to invest in it themselves?
The other day I received a package of print samples. Inside that box was a cornucopia of touch-worthy textures and finishes that immediately captured my attention… to the point that I stopped what I was doing to take a moment and embrace the “unboxing” experience.
According to YouTube, in 2015 videos featuring amateur (and semi-pro) unboxings of anything from running shoes to dog toys were viewed more than 1.1 billion times.
60 million hours were spent watching other people open things.
As crazy as it sounds, millions of people have shown that they’re more than willing to invest five minutes or more watching someone unpack a box. In fact, 62 percent of people who view unboxing videos do so when researching a particular product.
In the article: Make Your Marketing Message Matter to Millennials and More I explain how the changes reflected in today’s consumer buying habits are now impacting the way businesses research and purchase equipment, technology and print.
Now consider this: if someone is willing to spend 10 or 20 minutes talking about a product and/or its package and, more importantly, if millions are willing to watch it, why aren’t printers capitalizing on this trend to benefit not only their own business, but that of their customers?
Studies have shown that haptic (touch) memory is the type of memory that has the strongest impact on the human brain. Adding textures and finishes like embossing, debossing, raised ink, foil, glitter and other enhancements entices buyers to do more than just see the print. It engages them in a truly unique sensory experience that screams out: “Touch me!”
By engaging the sense of touch, you create a memorable and long-lasting customer experience that sells.
In Beyond CMYK: The Use of Special Effects in Digital Printing, KeyPoint Intelligence projects the digital print enhancement market to be over a billion dollars by the year 2020, with buyers willing to pay between 24% and 89% more for digitally-enhanced print over traditional CMYK-only work.
Printers need to produce experiences that inspire, excite and engage
Digital press manufacturers like Scodix (yes, I am a Scodix groupie) are making it easier than ever for printers to grow their business and expand into new markets by tapping into the science of touch. They enable the industry to blend craftsmanship, intelligent design and compelling storytelling to create the personalized experience expected by today’s buying audience.
From business cards to invitations, direct mail, greeting cards, books… and boxes, the money-making possibilities are endless. Most importantly, these wonderful, digitally-created enhancements can now be produced affordably, which leads to a quicker ROI and profitability.
Between the unboxing phenomenon, the exploding profit-making opportunities of digital enhancements, and the shift in buyer behaviour, printers who embrace the changing landscape will capture the attention – and wallet-share – of their customers.
contributed by joanne gore.
