The Whisky Bond was the venue for an exciting #1stWed this October. Angus White from Direct Distribution, along with Fiona Gerry from Tartan Ink, facilitated an information-packed discussion on what role print distribution plays today, in the digital age.
The duo tackled topics like:

‘What are the dos and don’ts for the look and feel of your print?’

‘How can arts organisations make the most of print distribution?’

Benefits of Print in a Digital Age

• Adds another dimension to an integrated marketing mix.
• Track a wider audience.
• Major online businesses that use print distribution include ASOS, Net-a-Porter and Moshi Monsters.
• Print is physical and tangible.
• Printed assets are ‘always on duty’, you don’t have to click on anything or turn on your devices to get the message.
• Print has a strong organic reach.
• Print is self-selective.
• Print can be made to engage all your senses (smell, touch, sight, audio).
• Holding a flyer or brochure creates emotions of ownership and engagement.
• Printed assets can be tracked and measured by using tracking codes.
• The cost of print has dropped and technological abilities have increased.
• Print allows for a richer story.
  

  Top Tips for Design & Print

• Visual Impact- pictures say more than words. Select great images that convey the right message.
• Front Cover- boost the pick-up-ability factor with great branding: colour, imagery, typeface, etc. The cover design is critical, especially top third section of the printed asset as this will stand out and get you noticed.
• Integrated Print & Digital- encourage readers to engage through social media. You can direct traffic to your website for richer content, offer incentives to sign up, use consistent branding, graphics and content throughout and repurpose data to suit each target market.
• Less is More- a quick read for high impact. Use clear, concise content that helps your audience to understand what you are about in an instant.
• Top Class Production- the quality of print can reflect the quality of your offer. A poorly produced leaflet might put your audience off from attending events.
• Size Matters- consider your readers. Print is portable, tangible and transferable so use formats that are both easy to use and cost-effective.
• The Right Paper- watch out for the flop-ability factor. Too thin and your printed asset could flop, too thick and you won’t get enough leaflets onto the rack.
• Essential Info- include the basics: prices, times, maps, address, website, contact and make sure that it’s all legible – don’t let elaborate graphics get in the way!
• Proof Read, Then Proof Read Again – go over your print thoroughly before it is committed to paper and ask colleagues that haven’t written the copy to proof check – reprints are costly!
• Print in 4’s- multiples of 4 pages per leaflet / brochure (4, 8, 16, 32, 64, etc.) is both economical and environmentally sound.
• Be Ecological- when choosing the right paper look for the ‘Forest Stewardship Council’ symbol.

As ever, we loved getting together with our friends from CCA Glasgow, East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure, On at Fife Theatres, Cumbernauld Theatre, National Youth Choir of Scotland, East Ayrshire Leisure, National Museums Scotland, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Ensemble and V&A Dundee to discuss real issues that we‘re all facing in the arts as well as just to catch up and break bread together. Happy days!
Find out more about how you can be a part of November’s #1stWed at Dovecot, Edinburgh.
Share your thoughts and experiences on print distribution HERE 

For more information on print distribution please visit: Direct Distribution or  Tartan Ink.