Why Direct Mail Marketing Is Far From Dead

Are you part of the 33% who find direct mail the most effective way to remember a product? How about the 79% of consumers who will act on direct mail immediately? Or maybe you're part of the 74% of consumers who can't wait to find out what's in their letter box? If so, then no doubt you're already well aware that direct mail is far from dead.
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Are you part of the 33% who find direct mail the most effective way to remember a product? How about the 79% of consumers who will act on direct mail immediately? Or maybe you're part of the 74% of consumers who can't wait to find out what's in their letter box? If so, then no doubt you're already well aware that direct mail is far from dead.

With the online consumer having an attention span of around eight seconds (yes, less than a gold fish), the online landscape exploding into a fierce battle of the brands and email marketing failing to hit targets for many businesses across the country, it may be time to the consider bringing direct mail marketing back into the fold of your strategic marketing plan.

If you're still sceptical of the results direct mail can harness, here are five reasons why direct mail is very much alive and kicking.

Direct Mail is Tangible

Is there a marketing method that offers a more tangible solution than direct mail? With the current generation bombarded with video ads, remarketing and PPC every time they even touch a screen; direct mail offers you the chance to get something real into the hands of your audience creating a connection that just isn't the same with email or other online advertisements. Plus, once the audience opens a piece of direct mail, studies show they are far more likely to take the time to look over the offer than they would in comparison with email marketing.

Direct Mail takes Personalisation to a New Level

While one part of marketing is your ability to communicate your message clearly the other side is about building relationships with your customers. The key to building relationships? Getting personal and showing that you both know and understand your customer. The results can be staggering too. Studies successfully showed that using personalised direct mail as part of a wider digital strategy can see response rates for a campaign hit over 20%. You won't find those numbers with online marketing.

Direct Mail is the Brand Awareness King

With an estimated 81% of brands using social media to build awareness around their brand you cannot be blamed for looking further afield than a Facebook page for your brand building strategies. While direct mail is also a competitive discipline, there is less direct mail going out than ever before and with nearly 80% of consumers saying they will open all their postal mail (including the so called 'junk mail') you can be almost certain that your message will end up with the right eyes on it and less competition with it.

Direct Mail Complements a Digital Strategy

While some will find it super helpful to receive offers after they've abandoned a basket, others will fail to receive those emails or just find it downright creepy. 'How did they get my email address?!' While I'm sure some people will feel the same after receiving a piece of direct mail, studies have shown that direct mail sent within 24 hours of an abandoned online basket can have a conversion rate of over 40% and outperforms email by 16%. The results of multimedia marketing can be seriously impressive and direct mail can play a pivotal role in reaching certain customers offline that refuse to be contacted online.

Direct Mail is Open for All Audiences

Ok, so while my Grandad may be super tech savvy recent research shows that 41% of people aged over 65 years do not use the internet at all. For marketers, that's a huge segment that cannot be targeted using PPC, Email or social media. Direct mail allows you to keep your offers open to all audiences rather than just the majority who fit your online strategy.

Direct Mail Allows Creativity

Forget the postcard, catalogue or pamphlet, 2016 direct mail campaigns are all about getting creative and delivering something that your customers cannot resist. From British Gas delivery brews to businesses across the country to businesses even using Game of Thrones to improve their campaigns, direct mail allows for a wealth of tangible creativity that just doesn't exist online.

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