Why is trust the currency of personalisation?

We spoke to Deborah Corn about youth engagement in the print industry, why we trust print more in a digital-first culture, and why women in print are a powerful force for change.

Deborah Corn is Intergalactic Ambassador to the Printerverse, Executive Director, Girls Who Print, host of Podcasts from The Printerverse, and founder of PrintFM Radio, Project Peacock and International Print Day.

In her presentation earlier this year at the SmartHub Conference at the Personalisation Experience, earlier this year, Deborah Corn spoke a lot about the trust that commerce needs – turning a purchase into a relationship – and how personalisation thrives on this trust in print. In an online world plagued by spam and phishing, print circumvents the fear we all have about clicking the wrong link.

Like anything, trust is increased incrementally by delivering on promises, expectations and authenticity, and meaning to the person making the trust decision. As digital print gets smarter, it’s about using those tools responsibly. For example, predictive personalisation, such as informing customers of an approaching seasonal sale; emotional cues, such as a thank-you card printed with handwriting fonts and soft-touch finishes; and auto-generated design, such as layouts that adapt colours or imagery to match a recipient’s interests.

Digital printing enables this kind of data-driven marketing, turning customer behaviours and insights into tangible, personal experiences that feel safe, intentional and human.

Print has real advantages in a digital-first culture. It’s tangible, something people can hold, feel and even keep around, which gives messages more staying power than digital. It also carries credibility.

Print feels safer and more authentic. It slows people down, so the content gets more attention. And in omnichannel marketing, print consistently lifts results by linking online and offline, driving engagement and reinforcing digital messages with trust and impact.

I have seen samples of what is possible, but I have never personally received a personalisation experience that took me on an omnichannel journey. And I am not alone. 9 out of 10 marketers see better ROI, and 90% believe personalisation boosts profits, yet only 35% of businesses are offering personalised experiences across…