Those businesses that may be questioning whether direct mail is still useful in the present digital culture need only to look at the numbers. According to a study conducted by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), direct mail has a response rate of 3.4%, which far exceeds the 0.12% of email. It also showed that half of all respondents pay more attention to direct mail than any other marketing medium.
Direct mail marketing is also trending upward once again. Banks and other financial institutions are utilizing this medium to target customers with measurable success, and small businesses are learning that the return on direct mail is well worth the investment. When used correctly direct mail can be powerful. Let’s examine some of the benefits in more detail.
1. Easy Analytics: Despite its prevalence, one of the biggest criticisms of digital marketing is the inability to accurately track the source of a sale. Those concerns aren’t an issue with direct mail. You simply need to include a coupon code on each set of mailings you send out. Use a different code for each list and you will be able to accurately identify your target. This makes focusing your next round of direct mail pieces that much easier.
2. Personal and Targeted Marketing: The very foundation of direct mail marketing is that it is personal to the targets on several levels. First, you must do your homework to ensure the piece is relevant to the target so they can connect with the product or service in some way. Once that is confirmed, having the physical piece of mail in itself is a more intimate experience and more of the senses are activated, which is why direct mail enjoys comparatively high response rates.
3. Opportunity to Be Creative: Because you are dealing with physical pieces, your business has the opportunity to really make the mailings creative. You can play with the shapes, design, and colors, and even include samples of your product so people can smell or feel what you are offering. The chance to stand out is elevated with direct mail, which is another clear advantage.
Digital Connection
Just because you are using direct mail doesn’t mean you have to abandon your digital efforts. In fact, combining the two can make for a powerful campaign. Using direct mail to drive targets to your web site or to a landing page where they are prompted to subscribe or make a purchase are just some of the ways blending the two types of media can work.
The key to any successful marketing campaign, regardless of the medium, is having a clear definition of your proposed outcome. Knowing what you want out of your campaign—whether it’s engagement, sales, subscribers, or possibly just an increase in awareness— will determine what you need to put into it.
As part of our services, we at APS Fulfillment, Inc. offer direct mail services to all of our clients. Learn more about how we can facilitate your next direct mail campaign by browsing our website at www.apsfulfillment.com.
