It’s no secret that the digital age has drastically changed the way businesses market their products and services. With the rise of social media, email marketing, and search engine optimization, many people have written off direct mail as an outdated form of marketing. However, recent studies have shown that direct mail can still be one of the most effective forms of advertising. Here’s a closer look at direct mail and its effectiveness in today’s digital world.
Direct mail is a form of marketing that involves sending physical advertising materials to potential customers through the mail. This can include items like coupons, brochures, flyers, postcards, and catalogs.
Direct mail is one of the oldest forms of marketing, dating back to ancient times when people would send letters to one another. In the modern world, direct mail can be a very effective way to reach potential customers who might not be reached through other forms of marketing.
But with digital marketing so prevalent – and often easier and cheaper in terms of campaign setup costs – many people automatically choose digital marketing without even considering direct mail. But here’s why direct mail is still a great option for many businesses.
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Audience Targeting
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One of the biggest advantages of direct mail is that it allows you to target a specific audience. Yes, digital marketing provides a lot of analytics which helps with targeting too, but with direct mail you can choose to target specific demographics, interests, or even locations. Sometimes the data on this is more developed that digital marketing analytics. This can be a very effective way to ensure that your marketing materials are being sent to people who are more likely to be interested in your product or service.
A Tactile Experience
Even though people are used to the digital world, nothing quite beats a tactile experience of receiving something in the mail. The key is to use good quality materials such as high quality envelopes, or packaging that makes the mail stand out a little. This can help your direct mail piece stand apart from the sea of bills and other junk mail that people often receive. Plus, with a little creativity, you can make your direct mail piece into a work of art that people will want to hold onto and perhaps even display.
Personalization
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Another advantage of direct mail is that it allows for a high degree of personalization. You can add someone’s name, address, or other information onto the mail piece to make it feel more like a personal letter than a mass marketing campaign. This can help increase the response rate as people are more likely to respond to something that feels like it’s addressed specifically to them.
More People Open Direct Mail
When comparing direct mail with emails, research shows that far more people open direct mail versus emails. In fact, some studies show that 90% of people open direct mail, versus only 20% who open emails. Most of us can understand this – many people with an email address receive dozens of emails each day that are trying to advertise something. Yet we receive far less mail, meaning we’re more likely to pay attention to things that physically arrive in our homes.
You Can Make The Most Of Special Occasions
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If people are likely to open your direct mail, it means you have opportunities to get them to engage by sending them something for special occasions. For example, if you have data on the birthdays or anniversaries of your direct mail targets, you can send them a card, special offer or coupon to encourage them to do business with you. You can also use this same tactic for holidays or other special occasions.
Cost-Effective
Another advantage of direct mail is that it can be very cost-effective – more so than many people think. Yes you have to cover the costs of your printed materials, but sending it out to addresses can be quite cheap if you go through a good direct mail company. You can also save money by targeting your audience well so that you’re not wasting any materials. Sometimes geographic location targeting is one of the best benefits of direct mail, depending on your business type, so even sending your direct mail to just a handful of streets can reap rewards.
Measurable Results
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Direct mail is a very measurable form of marketing. You can track how many people received your mail piece, how many opened it, and how many responded to your offer. This is difficult to do with digital marketing, as you can’t always track how many people saw your ad or how many people clicked on it, as good as analytics data is. But with direct mail, you can have a very good idea of your return on investment (ROI).
Direct mail can be a great form of marketing for many businesses – it’s personal, cost-effective, and you can track your results. However, it’s important to understand that direct mail is just one tool in your marketing toolkit. You’ll likely get the best results by using a mix of digital and traditional marketing tactics. But if you’re looking for a way to stand out and really connect with your target audience, direct mail can be a great option.
