It seems that the amount of printed material out there has been shrinking over the years, often with good reason: With an increasing focus on green practices, printed materials can be seen as wasteful and hazardous to the environment. Websites and other interactive media have eliminated the need for copious amounts of hard-copy sales material and, in a world where most information we need is obtained through a two minute search on our iPhone or Blackberry, brochures, catalogues and flyers are often consigned to the recycling bin as quickly as spam email.

So why write an article about 5 ways to get the most from your printed material? While it's true that the abundance of digital information has made a lot of printed material extraneous, it also provides new challenges and opportunities for companies when it comes time to produce an actual printed piece. Print is quickly becoming the exception rather than the rule, and there's never been a more important time to ensure your printed material is the best it can be.

With that in mind, here are our 5 tips:

1. HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY
Your printed piece must have a reason for being. Ensure you have a headline and that your message is clear, short and to-the-point. Ask yourself if this information is best communicated through print, online, or both? If your material would be easier to use online or in digital form, your customers will sense it and not bother with the hard-copy version.

2. STAND OUT
With many companies moving most of their material to digital format, print has become the path for the out-of-touch and the desperate in the mind of many consumers. Separate yourself from the junk mail and trashy flyers of others by investing a little more in your printing. Use an extra-thick stock, bonus points if it's recycled. Use a spot varnish, or an extra spot colour to make it more eye-catching. Explore the possibilities of embossing, blind embossing, die-cutting or non-standard sizes. Print has a tangible quality that is lacking in digital material – invest a few more dollars and invite your customer to touch, hold and feel the printed material, not just read it. You'll see a higher return on your investment.

3. FOCUS
Too many companies make the mistake of trying to say too much in one piece. Don't overwhelm the reader with huge blocks of text, starbursts, or superfluous information. Keep it clean, simple, and to the point, with a carefully chosen headline, a small amount of text, and a lot of white space. If you have more to say, do so elsewhere in another printed work or in a digital companion piece.
What if you could engage users in a story for about half the time, yet have them remember about 34 percent more of the content? That’s exactly what one test showed. Spending less than two hours rewriting and reformatting a story about New York City restaurants really paid off according to a recent study: http://www.ojr.org/ojr/stories/070312ruel/

4. USE A GOOD PRINTER
Great design is only half the battle, and too many great designs have been squandered through the use of shoddy printers. Make sure that your printer is reputable, high quality, up to date, and cares about your business, and always get a proof! Ask the designer if they know a good printing service, and never settle for a printer just because they're the cheapest.

5. CALL TO ACTION
A proper call to action goes hand in hand with a good headline. Make sure your customer understands what the next step is, and make it easy for them to take it. Don't forget to put alternate means of communication as well. Want them to call? Make the phone number large and easy to find, but ensure your web address is also prominent. Don't forget a physical address either – it helps the reader feel more confident about your company and its services.