Quick Summary: Your customers’ inboxes are overflowing. Their physical mailboxes usually are not. Direct mail gives marketers an opportunity to reach people through a less crowded channel while creating a tangible brand experience that digital advertising cannot completely replicate.
Your Inbox Has a Competition Problem
Think about how many emails you receive in a typical day.
Now think about how many pieces of physical mail you receive.
That difference helps explain why businesses continue to include direct mail marketing in campaigns that also use email, paid advertising, social media and other digital channels.
The advantage is not that direct mail replaces digital marketing.
It is that the mailbox gives your message another place to compete.
And it is often a much less crowded place.
Physical Mail Creates a Different Kind of Interaction
An email can disappear with a click.
A postcard, dimensional mailer, brochure or catalog has to physically be handled.
Someone picks it up. They look at it. They may place it on a counter, hand it to someone else or come back to it later.
That tangible interaction gives creative direct mail campaigns an opportunity to make an impression in a way that another notification on a screen may not.
Paper choice, size, texture, finishing and design can all become part of the marketing message.
Instead of simply asking, “What should this say?” you can ask, “What should this feel like when someone receives it?”
Direct Mail and Digital Marketing Work Better Together
Direct mail does not need to live on an island.
A printed postcard can send someone to a landing page. A QR code can connect a mailer to an online offer. Personalized URLs can help bridge print and digital experiences. Direct mail can also support an email campaign by giving prospects another opportunity to recognize your brand.
That is where integrated marketing campaigns become especially interesting.
A prospect might see your company online, receive a direct mail piece a few days later and then recognize the name when an email arrives.
Each interaction reinforces the others.
Better Targeting Makes Better Mail
The success of a direct mail campaign is not simply about sending more pieces.
It is about sending the right message to the right mailing list.
Businesses can segment audiences by customer type, geography, previous purchases, prospect status and other available data. Variable data printing can also allow certain elements of a printed piece to change from recipient to recipient.
That can make direct mail feel far more relevant than a generic mass mailing.
The Mailbox Is an Opportunity
Digital marketing is not going anywhere, nor should it.
But as marketers compete for attention across crowded inboxes, search results and social feeds, physical mail offers another route to the customer.
Sometimes standing out does not require finding a brand-new marketing channel.
It simply means returning to one that everyone else stopped paying enough attention to.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does direct mail still work?
Direct mail can still be an effective part of a modern marketing campaign, particularly when the audience, offer, creative and mailing list are carefully considered.
Can direct mail work with digital marketing?
Yes. Direct mail campaigns can incorporate QR codes, dedicated landing pages, personalized URLs and other tools that connect physical marketing materials with digital experiences.
What types of businesses can use direct mail?
Direct mail can work for B2B and B2C companies, nonprofits, retailers, professional services companies, healthcare organizations, educational institutions and many other organizations.
What can be personalized in a direct mail campaign?
Depending on the project and available customer data, direct mail personalization can include names, images, offers, messaging, locations and calls to action.
RoyerComm is here to help you with all your direct mailing needs. Get in touch with our team to discuss your next direct mail campaign!
Request a Quote
Over the years we have accumulated a lot of knowledge about how to create compelling impactful marketing communications. We are here to answer any questions you might have or offer guidance to help take your project from good to GREAT! Give us a call today.