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Why Direct Mail Marketing is Very Much Alive
You have probably heard this said before or read about it: direct mail marketing is dead. But such couldn’t be further from the truth. Has the internet changed the way that we digest information and how marketers advertise? Assuredly so. But the mail still comes to our boxes five days a week, and with it is the heartbeat of direct mail advertising.
Top Rated for Direct Response
Without question, the internet has reduced the response rate of direct mail. But guess what? It’s still got the highest response rate of any direct marketing method. According to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), direct mail has a 4.4% response rate, whereas email has a meager 0.12% response rate.
What’s more, the DMA report finds that direct mail response rates are actually 20-30 times greater than the response rates you’d get from email. One reason is due to the high volume of spam these days. Another is the in-your-face approach of direct mail and its appeal to a consumer.
Higher Integrated Value
One thing that email will never do is open your eyes. Seeing as most spam goes directly into a filtered folder these days, the chances of a marketing message being opened are slim to none. Most people just click “empty” on their spam folder once a week.
According to a study called The Private Life of Mail, the “Giving, receiving and handling tangible objects remain deep and intuitive parts of the human experience.” This puts direct mail in the spotlight for immediate impact on a consumer. No wonder 60% of those polled said that direct mail marketing left a lasting impression on them versus email marketing.
Increased Purchase Intent
The goal of marketing to consumers is to increase awareness and thereby influence purchase intent. According to a study called Enhancing the Value of Mail: The Human Response, which was paid for by the USPS, physical ads have been found to have as much engagement as digital ads, but leave the recipient with a greater purchase desire than a digital ad. Add to that a gorgeous design piece, on high-quality paper, held in the consumer’s hands – and bam … You’ve closed the sale!
Direct mail even appeals to the younger millennial generation, too; a generation that’s been raised during the digital era. Wouldn’t you know it, millennials like direct mail as well, with Gallup reporting that 36% of people age 30 or younger are eager to check their direct mailbox daily. Even more interesting is that the same study finds that 95% of millennial also respond positively to direct mail. How valuable is this generation’s spend? Studies by Accenture find they’ll shell out $1.4 trillion by 2020.
Is direct mail dead? The simple answer is: No, it’s not. In fact, it’s still very much alive and breathing. It even appeals to the younger generation. While email marketing is a nice modern niche, the fact of the matter is that people like getting and opening mail. And where there’s an audience, there’s the ability to market your message effectively.
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