Which method of printing, using ink or color toner, produced the best response rate on a test of 10,000+ post cards in a direct-mail campaign? I know what you’re thinking: “Who dreams up these studies anyway?”

Nonetheless, it can be costly to not consider how a printing technology might involve responses to a marketing piece. And because mistakes costs money we need to find out the best process to make our advertisement budgets go farther.

Laser Printer Toner vs Inkjet

The results are definitely noteworthy, if not conclusive. The test was against a laser printer toner and one from the inkjet company Riso (who sponsored the research), so we don’t know how applicator these results would be to other machines from other manufacturers, like hp toner vs hp inkjet.

But aside from the comparison between technologies, there’s some good info about color toner vs. black and white toner and some other broader bits of info, including cost comparisons. Here are a few highlights and yes, the answer to my first question:

* More than 40% of the respondents believe that printing is the most effective media for business communications, and or so 90% of all respondents prefer to receive full-color direct marketing materials.

* Above and beyond response rate, two-thirds of the respondents indicate that the cost of printing is the most important criteria of a direct marketing campaign. Inkjet printing costs rather a bit more than laser costs.

* Inkjet produced cards generated about 4% fewer responses than cards printed with color laser equipment.

So there you go. Printer Toner is the winner by a hair, and it’s a pretty thin hair. The lesson to all of this is: color is preferred no matter what and laser color costs less and is more accepted.

One noteworthy mention is that when you go out to purchase printer cartridges for whatever technology you decide to use, seek out recycled cartridges. These cartridges often cost about 50% less than retail and most importantly you will be helping out the environment.