Britain’s SMEs facing billions of wasted spend due to dying print knowledge

Small and medium-sized enterprises all over Britain could be wasting thousands every year due to a lack of knowledge about the print industry and the benefits it can bring to their business.

Thousands of SMEs around the country use digital platforms to advertise their wares and services, but recent figures show that 40% of British people actively ignore posts or ads from brands on Facebook. 72% of Brits ignore their TV or change the channel when they see advertisements on television.

With SMEs making up 99% of businesses in the UK and over £21bn being spent on online advertising in 2016, the fact that nearly half of British people ignore online ads completely represents billions of pounds of wasted spend for SMEs.

Matt Apps, Reflex Print Store Managing Director, said: “Official government figures show that there are currently over 5.4 million small and medium sized enterprises in the UK, which is a massive 99% of all British business.

“The fact that so many people ignore online advertising because they find it annoying or intrusive means that these companies are wasting billions every year. If businesses were to change their advertising strategies to incorporate traditional print advertising, we believe they’d see a much more profitable return on their investment.”

This sentiment is confirmed in studies conducted in 2015 by the United States Postal Service, which concluded that print advertising resonates more than digital alternatives. By monitoring techniques such as eye tracking and measuring reactions, the study found that printed media evoked more intense emotional responses, leading to greater recall and increased desire for the product.

What’s more, studies have found that the advertisements consumers dislike the most are found online, with video adverts and banner adverts some of the worst culprits. In contrast, print advertisements are viewed the most favourably.

Apps added, “Many people become really frustrated at the sheer mass of online ads because they essentially invade the individual’s privacy. The end result is that most consumers ignore the advert completely and in some cases, come to dislike the product itself.

“Modern consumers much prefer print advertisements because they aren’t as intrusive, which means print is actually a more sensible, profitable and more effective marketing medium. I’d advise business owners to consider these figures and findings when finalising their advertising budgets, especially with the all-important Christmas period just around the corner.”

Reflex Print Store is a specialist printer based in Kent. Its product range includes stickers, signs, business cards and lenticulars.

For more information about Reflex Print Store visit: https://reflexprintstore.co.uk/ or call 0844 884 3422.