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Direct Mail Isn’t Dead: Here’s 5 Reasons Why

Direct mail isn’t dead, it’s just finding its new role in the digital age. Once again, 2017 saw a drop in direct mail usage by 1.9% which was to be expected with the major influx of people switching marketing plans to a more digital direction. However, the average person’s attention span online is under 8 seconds, and that limited attention is being distracted by an explosion of online ads. Our brains are already trained to look right past them and find the closest ‘X’ to continue our search. What most fail to understand is that there is room for both in your marketing mix. Let’s break down 5 advantages of direct mail efforts, and why you should reconsider.

Higher Response Rate

Direct mail brings in the numbers to give you the strongest response rate. A study done by the Direct Mail Association concluded that direct mail pulls a major 4.4% response rate while email marketing pulls on average 0.12%. Consumers are inundated with marketing emails daily, filling their inbox or deleted within seconds of viewing. Look at the amount of marketing emails you receive today compared to the amount of direct mail sent to your address. It’s obvious that the competition is not as fierce in your mailbox which is why direct mail response rate is on average 20 times more successful than that of digital.

Tangible

Direct mail has a greater chance of getting a second look because of its physical presence compared to something digital. Chances are if the consumer is interested in the information, then they’re going to hold on to it. Physical mail sticks around in your homes, and it reminds you of its content just by sitting there. An email can be lost after an hour while direct mail is unavoidable. Your mailing efforts will be even more successful if you put an offer or coupon on it for future use so that consumers are more likely to hold on to it.

Trackable

It’s a common misconception that direct mail isn’t trackable, but that’s not entirely true. To be able to track your results, you need to first identify what you’re looking for your perspective consumers to do. If you’re looking for people to make a phone call, then create a custom number for that mailer to see your results. Landing pages are also a great alternative to organizing your new leads into useable content. Whatever your call to action is, find a way to track your direct mail efforts.

Every age group has a mailbox

While most millennials spend an overwhelming amount of time in front of a screen, the common misconception is that everyone is making the switch to digital. However, a third of people over 65 don’t have internet, and almost 70% of them don’t use any social media. This age group still holds a large portion of overall purchasing power and shouldn’t be ignored. At the end of the day, we all get mail. So regardless if your target is a 70 year old or a 25 year old, direct mail can be very impactful if you can get creative.

Creative

This is where the fun part comes in. The possibilities are endless when it comes to how you showcase your content. Unique direct mail efforts are proven to be successful are always ones that differentiate themselves in delivery. In other words, what’s the point in using direct mail if the way you present it looks just like an email blast? Wow your consumers and give them something memorable.  Impress your potential consumers with superior quality and killer creativity in order to get them to make that CTA.

Direct mail isn’t dead, it’s actually holding its own in a digital world. Not every marketing effort your business uses should have a direct mail component, but to leave it out of your mix entirely could cost you a lot of potential business. Luckily, Plum is truly the best when it comes to direct mail. We are a full service mail house that can provide every step from design to print for any size order. In sea of endless digital efforts, is your business ready to take a secondary approach that most have forgotten about. Call 1-800-992-9663 or visit our website for more information to assist all your marketing efforts.

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