The year ahead.

There's no denying it: there is a very tough year ahead. You don't have to look very far to find gloomy news. Businesses everywhere are making hard operating and marketing decisions. Whether your organization is cutting its marketing spending response to difficult times, increasing spending in response, or redirecting budgets to reach new markets, you know it's essential that every dollar counts. In today's economy, staying tightly focused on the specific needs of your customers means the difference between success and failure - and even survival.

There is no doubt the rise of the internet has shaken publishing. Many print products are in decline. However, the gloomy headlines don't paint the complete picture of print. Even before the economic meltdown, no one expected to see this headline: "Print: still vital after 400 years". Not because it isn't true: rather, the fact that print works simply isn't news.

At Catalyst, we understand you need paper that meets the challenges of our time. That's why we've applied fresh thinking to making paper that stretches your budget without compromising press performance or your customer expectations for environmental responsibility.

When you need to make every dollar count, consider these reasons you can count on print as a proven performer in your total marketing mix.

Tom Crowley
Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing

Consumers prefer to shop print, check-out on-line. Several marketers who shelved their print catalogs to much publicity have quietly resurrected them. Why? Consumer behavior and measurable results. Increases in on-line ordering hid a simple truth: consumers don't abandon one media for another, they use multiple options to their best advantage. Quite simply, customers prefer print for shopping and browsing, while websites are great for ordering. Eliminating paper eliminates the 'just looking' nature of shopping - risking sales particularly among existing customers. As a sign of confidence in print - the venerable Montgomery Ward catalog will be back in the mail in the spring under new owner Swiss Colony.

Print drives retail traffic. After a printed insert or catalog event, there is usually an immediate increase in sales at retail bricks and clicks locations. For retailers and marketers considering a switch to the web, it's extremely important to be aware of the relationship between traffic and print.

Wondering about print's effectiveness? Print provides flexible opportunities to add a measurable product offer, coupon or code.

Print is measured and proven. You want to be confident your marketing investments will generate a return. Confidence begins with assurance your investment will reach the audience you want to reach. Print has well-established measurement protocols and proof of performance.

People process large amounts of information better in print. If you send customers lengthy or technical information, paper is your best bet. Even when people access information over the web, if it's long, technical, or difficult, they will print it out. Why? We comprehend complex material better when we read it in printed form.

Even active users of digital communications prefer print. Spam now accounts for 90 to 95% of all emails sent. As technology combats unwanted electronic mail, are you confident your message won't be blocked?

Not everyone is on the 'net. According to 2008 studies, almost one-quarter of Americans do not have access to or use the internet, 20% have never looked up a web address or sent an email, and 30% have never used a computer to create a document. Shocking? Not if you target older, less affluent consumers. The percentage of the population not using the net is even higher in Europe and Asia. Print is still the preferred method of communication for these markets.

Even if they do have access to and use email, important segments that do have access to email prefer print. A recent Vertis Communications survey found 85% of women between the ages of 25 and 44 read direct marketing pieces, compared to 53% who have access to email who read email marketing messages. Hispanic consumers also respond to print direct mail, increasing from 38% in 2003 to 54% in 2007.

If your market is overseas, or if your North American customers are older, women, or Hispanics - you can be confident print works even better.

You have enough things to worry about. Your paper supplier shouldn't be one of them. When paper is an important part of your marketing mix, you can count on Catalyst for paper that performs on the press, for the environment and for your bottom line. Let us put our fresh thinking to work for you.

Interested in learning more about Catalyst’s lightweight papers?
Contact a Catalyst sales representative:

          In Canada - 604-247-4400
          In the U.S. - 206-838-2070

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In the next issue: Focusing on the Fundamentals

Find out more about Catalyst Paper and our lighter footprint.