The Public Still Likes Books, So You Need to Be Print Friendly
A recent Pew Study reports that in spite of the increase over the past five years in the number of Americans who read ebooks (28%, up from 17%) and audio books (14% up from 11%), in 2016, a full 65 percent continue to read print books – 38% exclusively, with an additional 28 percent reading both print and e-books. Only 6 percent of consumers said they read digital books only. And what’s also interesting is that e-book readership isn’t rapidly growing in popularity as one might expect given the pervasiveness of smartphones and tablets, but instead has remained at 28% since 2014.
The demographics of print versus ebook readership aren’t predictable either. Not surprisingly, 39% of young adults (18-29) read an ebook this year compared to 19% of those over 65. But young adults are also more likely to read print books than seniors – 72% of young adults read a print book last year compared with 61% seniors. Similarly, those with more education or higher incomes were more likely to read both ebooks and print books than their younger or lower income counterparts.
While we lawyers may prefer everything in an electronic format, the Pew study suggests that the same may not be true for our clients. Many of them may still prefer to read a print version of pleadings or website content. This doesn’t mean that we should turn back the clock and return to the day when lawyers sent clients home with thick binders of materials. But at a minimum, we should give clients the option of print copies. In addition, you can also make your website printer friendly by installing a Print Friendly button on your site.
Because many people continue to prefer print, many marketers recommend high quality print newsletters. Based on my own experience, it’s hard to imagine anyone actually wanting to receive another piece of paper junk in the mail, but again, it depends on your demographic.
What’s your preference – print or digital? And if you’ve sent a print newsletter, has it helped attract and retain clients? Please share your experience in the comment section below.
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My clients love my print newsletter. They always comment on it and I get many calls for appointments after it hits the mail. With the print newsletter they can give it to friends or visitors can see it on the coffee table and pick it up. I have had children call me with questions regarding their parents estate planning when the found my newsletter in their parents’ mail. Print works really well.
As a graphic designer turned law student, I want to encourage lawyers to remember that designing for print is different than designing for web.
These are tasks where I would suggest farming out the work to a designer (versus having someone in a small firm do the work or having a solo- who has NO time- to do design work).
Graphic designers are always looking for work and you can find one (ask me for a reference, if need be) that is very affordable.
Speak for yourself, Carolyn, about how “we lawyers may prefer everything in an electronic format.” I’d really prefer everything on paper. I print out almost every document I receive because that’s how I’d rather read it. (Long transcripts I read on an iPad – in fact, I bought my iPad when I had a 13,000 page transcript to read. It was the iPad or a new filing cabinet)
I’ve never done any formal marketing, and until very recently few of my clients have had much access to electronic communication so I have no idea about how my clients would view e- v. paper communication. But for what it’s worth, I find it far easier to hit delete without looking at the content of what seems likely to be advertising than I do to toss even the junkiest looking junk mail without giving it at least a quick review.
I do read both paper and e-books, but there, too, I greatly prefer paper.
Of course, I’m old.
Like you, I often print out long briefs to read and mark-up or really focus. So I suppose I prefer paper in some respects too I guess when I was thinking about preferring electronic, at least for me, I am glad when I can file something electronically. I still practice in numerous forums that require an original and 14 hard copies and that is no fun. As for the junk mail, I guess I am particularly sensitive to it these days because every day, 10 envelopes arrive rom colleges urging my daughter (a senior) to apply – not because she is necessarily qualified for all of them but because she is another person to pad the applicant pool and reduce the acceptance rates. The college marketing is as bad as many lawyers.