Direct Mail: Trash or Treasure

Is direct mail just something else to spend money on, or is it the piece that’s missing from your strategy to take you over the top? 

Direct mail marketing offers many benefits to companies in any industry, even in the digital world we live in today. Email, display ads, and social media marketing have become the norm for businesses to advertise their brand to the masses, but that doesn’t always render the best results.

With technologically advanced printing and marketing techniques readily available, direct mail could be the key to unlocking a treasure trove of new customers and instilling excitement within your current customer base.

Why Direct Mail Still Produces Results

It may come as a surprise to some, but according to the Data & Marketing Association, direct mail recipients engaged with mail at a rate of 96%. The same report also pointed out that response rates for direct mail marketing can rise as high as 9%, more than 9x higher than email. The best part about direct mail is that you can combine it with what you’re already doing digitally. 

Multichannel approaches produce the best results and with 72% of consumers saying they’d prefer to connect with brands through multiple channels, it’s a no-brainer.

Next time you are considering a direct marketing campaign, consider all the treasures direct mail can bring your company as listed below:

Treasure #1: Mail Sticks Around

Advertising direct mail stays in households for 17 days on average, which holds value because consumers continue to see your brand during daily activities. You have likely placed a postcard on your fridge at some point to remind yourself about an upcoming deal and many others do the same.

Treasure #2: Mail Motivates Action

According to a report from True Impact, direct mail is far more persuasive than digital media. Motivation rates showed a 20% higher rate for direct mail compared to digital content, and 62% of consumers said that direct mail motivated them to take action in the end.

Treasure #3: Mail Has Less Competition

Direct mail has an open rate of 90%. Compare that with email marketing open rates of 23%. Your chances of being seen in the physical mailbox are much greater, which is vital for creating a first impression with a potential customer. If you aren’t seen, you aren’t considered later down the line. Direct mail acts as an antidote creating higher awareness for your brand.

Treasure #4: Mail Appeals to Multiple Demographics 

It’s easy to assume older generations such as the baby boomers would be the main demographic interested in receiving marketing mail, but that is not true. Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z all enjoy receiving mail because it offers tangibility and personalization that most digital channels struggle to match. Consider that 65% of surveyed millennials made a purchase after receiving direct mail, 70% of Gen X-ers look forward to what the mail brings each day, and 72% of Gen Z consumers said they not only get excited about mail, but that they would be disappointed if they stopped receiving it.