Ten reasons to keep printing your in-house magazine
Converting your printed internal magazine to an electronic one might seem like a good cost-cutting initiative to your leaders, but as a communicator, you're probably not entirely convinced. If you feel strongly that print is best, show your bosses these ten reasons to make your case heard.
As we manage the internal communication mix we need to maintain a balance between our online and printed communication. On occasion some of us will be challenged to stop printing the in-house magazine in favor of moving it online.
Land Registry’s corporate internal communication manager, Suzanne Clift, (pictured, right) believes there will always be a place for printed communication. She recently needed to defend her decision to continue printing the in-house magazine and here shares with us ten reasons that support her belief.
- You can pass it round the dinner table.
Quite often staff like to take in-house magazines home with them to show their family pictures of people they work with or an article they've had published.
- It's easier to read longer articles in print.
The length of features and type of content don't always make it easy to read online.
- No time to read at work.
Many staff don't read the in-house magazine at their desk.
- In the absence of a Kit Kat chocolate bar ...
It gives staff a reason to take a break from the monitor.
- Great to keep in contact with alumni.
The in-house magazine is often sent to ex-members of staff and staff on long-term leave as part of a "keep in touch" scheme.
- Some employees prefer print.
We need to keep a balance when delivering our communication to take account of different staff preferences.
- Each channel has a slightly different purpose.
A variety of communication channels allows us to repackage and reinforce messages – a printed magazine is great for delivering the back-story and exploring an issue.
- Not necessarily environmentally unfriendly.
We can still consider the environment in delivering a printed magazine by using 100 percent recycled paper and reducing the number of copies printed.
- Keeping all channels open during change.
During organizational change we need to keep the flow of communication going and make best use of the channels available to reach staff.
- In times of change, some things need to remain the same.
The magazine has been part of the organization for a long time and it would send a negative message to staff to stop printing it.
Have your say
Have you managed to hold on to your printed magazine? What were your arguments in defence of it? Do you disagree that there's still a place for printed newsletters in today's organizations?
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