2026 Trends Guide

TH BEYOND INK 2026 Your Guide to Print Marketing Trends + Insights The Connected Future of Print

WELCOME FOR THOSE READY TO LEAD THE WAY Welcome to THINK BEYOND 2026 – the definitive guide for forward-thinking resellers who are ready to innnovate and grow in a rapidly evolving industry. 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for print. After years of digital overload, businesses are looking for marketing that breaks through the noise, feels intentional, and strengthens relationships. Print is stepping into that role with more adaptability, more intelligence, and more sustainability than ever before. From interactive elements to dynamic personalization, today’s print isn’t static – it’s strategic. BUYER BEHAVIOR is shifting, too. Your customers expect meaningful personalization, faster turns, sustainable options, and proof of ROI. They’re investing in solutions that help them stay relevant, build loyalty, and achieve measurable results. This year’s trends reflect those rising expectations – and the opportunities they create. AS THE CONNECTED PRINTER, Navitor brings together technology, tactile impact, and a partnership mindset that helps you deliver smarter, more effective solutions. With one of the broadest product portfolios in the industry, nationwide production to shorten shipping distances, many U.S.A.-made items, low-minimum ordering (even quantities as low as one on many products), and real print experts behind every order, Navitor is built to support you as print evolves. 2026 IS THE YEAR OF FINDING OPPORTUNITY IN THE CHALLENGE. Ready for some forward thINKing? Let’s get started.

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Top 5 Trends in Products pages 8-9 Industry Shifts + Opportunities pages 6-7 Vertical Markets on the Rise pages 10-11 Turning Trends into Revenue pages 12-13 Print-Powered Loyalty Programs pages 14-15 FEATURE – 5 –

INDUSTRY SHIFTS + OPPORTUNITIES – 6 – Blog | 3 Minutes Today’s buyers want print that adapts, responds, and integrates with their digital strategy. When print becomes adaptive, trackable, and tailored, it becomes easier to justify – and easier to sell. Read more The Future of Print + Data: How Physical Pieces Are Becoming Smarter, Trackable, and More Strategic PRO Selling Tip { { SEASONAL SELLING STARTER – NAVITOR CONTENT CALENDAR Stay ahead of buying cycles with Navitor’s ready-to-use promotional themes, product ideas, and seasonal content suggestions. Use the Content Calendar to build proactive outreach and trend-based campaigns all year long. Visit the Content Calendar Personalization at Scale WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AI-assisted design and smarter versioning tools enable hyper-specific personalization for micro-segments and individual recipients. Hundreds of variations can now be produced as easily as one. WHY IT MATTERS Personalized print increases engagement, boosts response rates, and drives up the value per order. High-End Finishing Goes Mainstream WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Tactile finishes like soft touch, foil, embossing, debossing, raised elements, and textured stocks are now more accessible thanks to improved production efficiencies. WHY IT MATTERS Premium finishes help you deliver highermargin work and offer your customers a tactile differentiator digital channels can’t match.

THE FORCES SHAPING YOUR CUSTOMERS’ NEEDS – 7 – RFID + Tech-Lite Interaction in Print WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW RFID and low-tech interactive elements (scannable patterns, serialized QR codes, near-field interactions) help authenticate products, track inventory, and guide customer journeys. WHY IT MATTERS These enhancements turn print into a functional link between physical experiences and digital data – strengthening your ROI angle. Print-Triggered Data Streams WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Print can now deliver real-time analytics through scannable triggered, NFC taps, geofenced landing pages, and sequential logic tied to individual print pieces. WHY IT MATTERS Measurable performance makes print easier to justify – supporting stronger ROI-driven pitches. 84% of consumers read direct mail immediately or the same day they receive it. Source: Lob Adaptive Print WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Print materials are evolving to react to their environment. Temperature-sensitive coatings, light-responsive inks, and modular formats create pieces that shift, reveal, or update based on setting. WHY IT MATTERS Adaptive print creates memorable experiences and introduces new ways to help customers stand out. Industry Shifts + Opportunities

CUTTING-EDGE PRODUCT OPPORTUNITIES Print Products on the Rise WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW In 2026, your customers want printed products that do more than look good. They want solutions that are tactile, useful, local, versionable, fast to update, aligned with sustainability goals, and supportive of rapid product cycles. This is especially true for brands managing limited budgets but high expectations for relevance. WHY IT MATTERS These trends help you win higher-margin work and position you as an advisor, not an order-taker. Every trend ties to products that solve real business problems. THE POWER OF LOW MINIMUMS Short-run packaging and micro signage are booming – not just for small brands, but for big brands testing fast. Low minimums mean faster launches, lower waste, and more frequent reorders. You can make this possible across decals, signs, and packaging, even in quantities as low as one. – 8 – reth Blog | 3 Minutes We break down the year’s newly in-demand items, why they’re trending, and how to turn each one into profitable conversations with your clients. Read more The Print Products Leading the Way in 2026 – and How You Can Sell Them INK

TOP 5 TRENDS IN PRODUCTS Packaging for Micro Segments Tactile Maximalism Hyper-Local Micro Signage Instant-Swap Graphic Systems Utility Over Novelty Reusable signage frameworks allow for quick graphic changes without replacing full units. Inserts or overlays are updated while the base structure stays in place. This reduces waste and supports sustainability. Small-format signage like floor decals, shelf talkers, window clings, and counter signs guide decisions at the point of action and align with highly localized promotions. Navitor prints many items in low minimums, often as few as 1. Useful promo items made with transparent materials and sustainable sourcing are trending. Products with everyday utility are preferred because they have a longer lifespan and higher perceived value. Localized versions, seasonal releases, and small-batch packaging are growing. Digital print supports quick turns and low-minimum runs that feel customized and collectible. Short-run packaging made in the U.S.A. also reduces transit impact. Textures like soft-touch stocks, fabric-like finishes, raised elements, and microembossing are increasingly popular across packaging and marketing materials. These enhancements help brands communicate quality instantly. – 9 – Trends in Products PRO Selling Tip { { Show customers how to lower long-term costs, not just place an order. Reusable systems, localized print, and short-run packaging reduce waste and improve flexibility. When customers see print as adaptable, they buy more of it.

VERTICAL MARKETS increasing print spend in 2026 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Economic pressure, digital fatigue, and shifting customer expectations are pushing organizations to turn to print for clarity, compliance, branding, donor engagement, and communication. These verticals treat print as strategic, not supplementary. Their needs are practical, recurring, and increasingly tied to localized or personalized touchpoints. WHY IT MATTERS These markets buy print with purpose – and frequently. Understanding their needs helps you offer bundles, solve challenges, and secure year-round revenue. Must-Have Products RETAIL micro signage, labels, packaging inserts MANUFACTURING safety signage, equipment IDs, durable labels TECHNOLOGY onboarding kits, premium collateral CONSTRUCTION weather-resistant signage, forms NONPROFITS donor mailers, remittance envelopes, event signage – 10 –

WHO’S BUYING MORE PRINT IN 2026 E-Commerce + Re tail Rising SKU counts, localized promotions, and product turnover increase demand for labels, packaging, signage, and loyalty materials. Retailers need print that updates quickly, looks distinctive, and supports both in-store experiences and order fulfillment environments. Manufacturing Manufacturers are increasing print spend to meet safety standards, compliance requirements, and operational clarity. Durable signage, labels, equipment IDs, forms, and packaging components are essential. U.S.A-made, quick turn products are key. Technology Tech companies rely heavily on kits, tactile print, and onboarding materials. With fierce competition for talent and attention, they’re investing in high-end collateral and premium finishes to help humanize digital-first brands. Vertical Markets – 11 – Want a closer look at what each industry is buying – and how you can win more of that business? We cover sectorby-sector product bundles, pitch angles, and insights to take into client conversations. Read more The 2026 Vertical Market Opportunity Guide Blog | 3 Minutes PRO Selling Tip Frame recommendations around the specific challenges like compliance, localized promotions, donor engagement, safety communication, or packaging needs. Move from “What do you need printed?” to “Here’s how I can help you solve this.” { { Construction + Trades Print use is expanding as jobsites, crews, and regulations grow more complex. Durable outdoor signage, branded safety materials, equipment tags, forms, and wayfinding pieces communicate clearly, withstand tough conditions, and reinforce professional credibility. Nonprofits + Fundraising Nonprofits are doubling down on personalized donor outreach, impact storytelling, remittance materials, and event signage. Fundraising is more competitive, so they’re relying on tactile print for emotional connection, transparency, and higher response rates.

– 12 – TURNING TRENDS INTO REVENUE Your playbook for winning in 2026 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Trends only matter when they translate into actionable value. Use them to guide conversations about personalization, sustainability, speed, transparency, and measurable results. WHY IT MATTERS Customers are overwhelmed and budget-conscious. When you show how print solves business problems, you build trust, earn higher-margin work, and drive repeat orders.  Online Price Calculator  Print Sample Kits  Rebrandable Digital Catalogs  Request a Flash Appraisal  Social Media Image Library  Vertically Focused Sales Tools  Quarterly Content Hub  Subscribe to Insider eNewsletter STAY CONNECTED NAVITOR SALES TOOLS + QUICK LINKS

– 13 – 5 MUST-DO ACTIONS FOR 2026 Position Print as a Retention Engine Show clients how packaging inserts, personalized mail, loyalty kits, and thoughtful promo items strengthen customer relationships. Print becomes a retention strategy – increasing lifetime value and giving you recurring, relationship-driven work throughout the year. Pair Digital Triggers with Print Introduce scannable elements, NFC, serialized QR codes, or trackable landing pages to help customers measure performance and prove ROI. Print becomes easier to justify, and clients gain confidence to invest in larger or recurring campaigns. Build Trend-based Bundles Pair high-demand items like short-run packaging, signage, tactile labels, and loyalty components around a customer need. Bundles simplify decision-making, increase cart value, and position you as the partner who knows what works. Pitch Adaptive Print + Personalizationn Variable data, smallbatch packaging, personalized mail, and adaptive formats increase relevance without increasing complexity. When personalization becomes the baseline recommendation, projects grow, engagement rises, and you become indispensable. Sell Reusable Signage Ecosystems Position instant-swap frames, panels, and reusable systems as a smarter alternative to oneoff signage. Customers see savings over time, you earn consistent insert reorders, and both sides benefit from faster updates and less waste. Trends Into Revenue PRO Selling Tip Start with one strategic recommendation tied to a specific challenge: a reusable sign system, micro packaging run, or custom labels. When customers see immediate value, they’ll expand their order. { {

– 14 – FEATURE Print-Powered Loyalty Programs A fast-growing opportunity for you in 2026. Loyalty programs are being rebuilt from the ground up – and print is suddenly at the center. As acquisition costs rise and digital channels lose impact, brands need better ways to keep customers engaged. Print delivers what digital can’t: attention, emotion, and memorability. • Loyalty members drive 12–18% more revenue. (source: Queue-it) • 65% of a company’s revenue comes from the repeat business of existing customers. (source: SellersCommerce) • Personalized direct mail produces 135% higher response rates. (source: Postalytics) • Tiered programs using print see up to 30% higher lifetime value. (source: CleverTap) • 72% of consumers wished more brands would surprise them through the mail, suggesting value is placed on physical interactions. (source: Path to Purchase Institute) Why is LOYALTY surging? • Retention now outranks acquisition for many companies • Consumers expect personalized experiences • Digital-only programs are under performing • Physical moments create stronger engagement KEY STATS

LOYALTY PROGRAMS The Print Advantage Print gives loyalty programs a competitive edge: • It’s emotional. A physical piece – a kit, a card, a handwritten-style mailer – creates a moment customers remember. • It’s personal. Names, tiers, milestones…print makes recognition tangible. • It performs. Welcome kits and reward mailers get opened, kept, and shared more than digital-only touches. • It scales. Low-minimum, hyper-personalized promo runs make every member feel like a VIP. How you can win Print-powered loyalty is a high-margin, repeat-order opportunity. Start with: • Loyalty bundles (cards, inserts, kits, certificates) • Tier kits with premium finishes • Personalized renewal and milestone mailers • Exclusive small-batch promos and print runs for top-tier members • Retention-forward messaging that proves print’s value ü Recurring revenue ü High perceived value ü Low minimums ü Works across verticals ü Easy to bundle and upsell ü Supports personalization & premium finishes ü Delivers measurable retention gains The shift from digital-only engagement to tactile, personalized moments that actually move the needle cannot be ignored. Discover which print pieces drive the strongest loyalty lift, how brands are using mailers, tier kits, and micro-run promo items to boost retention. Read more Loyalty Programs + Print: The Retention Strategy No One Can Ignore Blog | 3 Minutes HOW LOYALTY PRINT DRIVES YOUR GROWTH – 15 –

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