The Power Of Direct Mail

With the growth and popularity of email and social media you’d suspect direct mail to be a dying marketing tool but in a world where most advertising is online-orientated, it is now more than ever a time where direct mail can be most effective. With 48% of consumers believing direct mail is clearer, more enjoyable, more professional and easier to take in, it’s definitely an option worth considering.

 

Getting personal matters

One of the most important things is for consumers to know they are being thought about when it comes to advertising, with as many as 70% of Americans saying receiving direct mail is more personal to them than the internet (DMA) it reinforces the fact that people still enjoy receiving mail, with a report from The Royal Mail suggesting that 83% of people surveyed preferred to receive direct mail rather than e-mail.

 

Standing out

As the digital marketing sector increases in popularity it also increases in competition, it is becoming a platform, which is very hard to stand out in. If you choose to advertise through direct mail, competition for the mailbox in rare and interesting marketing materials will often stand out among the bills and late Christmas cards.

 

Direct mail gives a chance for brands to give a consistent message across all mediums. Entrepreneur reported that direct mail not only provides another interaction, but it also allows businesses to translate designs and make them more appealing with each marketing material.

 

It is also a lot more engaging for the consumer to physically interact with something, whether it is a branded t-shirt or catalogue, the consumer will immediately have something physical of the brand that they can keep going back to. Entrepreneur stated that more senses are engaged with print rather than digital and responders from a recent UK survey said they valued something more if they could both see and touch it rather than only being able to see it, which can in turn make the brand more memorable.

Less likely to ignore

One of the best things about direct mail advertising is the fact that it’s less likely to be ignored, the problem with email campaigns is that with just one click it can be deleted, blocked and never seen again and most of the time they aren’t even opened, whereas recent UK statistics show that 92% of direct mail is actually opened, as long as it grabs the consumers attention, it’s hard to be ignored.

 

It actually works

Advertising through direct mail has actually been proven to be very effective, according to a recent UK study, 92% of consumers are driven online by direct mail, 87% were influenced to make an online purchase, 86% connected with a business, 54% engaged with social media and 43% downloaded company related information.

 

While email is still an effective form of advertising, sending out something physical is proven to be a much more interesting and engaging experience for the consumer. Next time you are thinking about how best to advertise, remember the power of direct mail.