The marketing world is continuously evolving. And marketers are constantly looking for innovative ways to evoke interest in the audience. This has given an all-time rise to direct mail marketing. Okay, let me ask you one question. How frequently do you see marketing emails coming to your inbox? Daily? Weekly? Or it could be hourly. You cannot deny that marketers and business professionals are bombarded with emails every time they look at their inboxes. But that is not the case with direct mail. You receive it once a week or even once a month. This is the reason for its greater visibility and recognition.

So, what is direct mail, and why should you include it in your marketing campaign? Let’s find out.

What is Direct Mail?

Direct mail marketing is an advertising strategy that involves the process of engaging prospects and customers by directly sending them promotional materials, printed mailers, or physical items in an offline manner. Inbound and outbound sales teams, demand generation teams, growth teams, and recruiters leverage this technique in multiple ways. All in all, it is a valuable way to maintain connections with prospects and clients. 

Types of direct mail

Catalogs 

An aesthetically pleasing collection of a list of services that a business offers is called a catalog. You can feature vivid images in the catalogs with accurate representations of products and services. It has a high page count, giving you the opportunity to share a large spread of products. 

Postcards

The postcard is amongst the most famous formats of direct mail marketing. If you want to communicate short messages, special events, or promo codes, postcards can turn out to be a fruitful method. Postcards come in a number of sizes and shapes. Keep the messages concise and simple to capture the attention of the audience. Many marketers don’t have the budget for printed marketing. If you fall into the same category, you should try sending postcards as a marketing tactic. Postcards are said to build brand awareness and generate sales. It is undoubtedly an easy method to reach your target audience. 

Letters and envelopes

Want to share private or sensitive information with clients or stakeholders? Using letters and envelopes is the right answer. Envelopes designed in a branded manner play a significant role in building brand recognition and demonstrating professionalism. This direct mail marketing method is apt for text-heavy content, as used in newsletters. You can even safely deliver pieces of collateral with letters and envelopes like tear-off coupons, return envelopes, or gift slips. 

Why Direct Mail Marketing Works?

In the world of digital clutter, direct mail marketing is something that dives into the positivity of receiving a physical gift. It works because – 

Memorable

No wonder direct mail marketing is the best example of human touch. Personally chosen items or handwritten notes can spark positive emotional connections with the target audience. Thus, they are more memorable as compared to the standardized corporate gifts. 

Less competition 

Very few people are inclined towards using the method of direct mail marketing as the world is moving to digitization. That is why it is known for its rarity. And this is the reason it has higher odds of shoring positive results. 

Advantages of Direct Mail

Direct mail is an effective form of marketing. Let’s outline its major advantages that can help exceed your marketing goals. 

Better response rate

Direct mail has always proven to be king in terms of response rates in comparison to other marketing methods. Its response rate numbers have only improved in recent years. You must be surprised to know that it has a 30 times higher response rate as compared to one of the most powerful digital channels – email. Many factors contribute to the higher numbers of response rate. One of them is personalization. Marketers have been paying more attention to customizing the mail in recent years, thereby increasing the response rates. 

Highly targeted

You can define your target audience more accurately than ever before using direct mail. Tailor the messages as per the professions, demographics, and buying preferences to deliver more value to your customers. In this way, they will receive only offers meeting their buying habits and individual needs. 

Cost-effective

Believe it or not, direct mail is one of the most cost-effective techniques of marketing. You can’t overlook its benefits if you want to drive customer action. You might think that ATL (Above the Line) advertisements are a better option. However, there is no denying the fact that a successful direct mail marketing strategy generates a higher response rate. You require a large investment to generate higher ROI in digital campaigns. But as far as direct mail is concerned, it works wonders even with a small contact list. 

Highly track able 

You can’t ensure the success of your campaign if you don’t measure it. Here are some techniques that can help you in tracking the performance of your mail campaign                           

Using a website 

List the URL on your mail pieces while sending them. Yet another option is to include a personalized URL (PURL) on mails. PURLs identify landing page hits and recipient actions, thereby making the process of tracking much quicker and simpler. 

Using custom phone numbers

You can easily forward, and document calls to your current number using unique phone numbers for your direct mail campaign. It helps you know which marketing method shows the best results.

Using exclusive offers

Adding exclusive offers is a way to make the target audience feel valued. You can track the number of submissions received for a particular exclusive offer.

To make a long story short

There are other marketing channels that are getting the attention. Despite that, direct mail marketing plays a vital role in competitive marketing campaigns. It is not going anywhere soon with regard to reaching your target audience in the most creative manner. So, design the best direct mail marketing campaign for your organization and let yourself experience the desired results. 

‍

FAQs

What is direct mail marketing, and how does it differ from digital marketing?

Direct mail marketing is an offline advertising strategy that involves sending physical promotional materials to prospects and customers. It differs from digital marketing in that it relies on printed mailers, postcards, or catalogs rather than online channels like email or social media.

What are some common types of direct mail marketing?

Common types of direct mail marketing include catalogs, postcards, letters with envelopes, and personalized mailers.

Why should I consider incorporating direct mail into my marketing campaign?

Direct mail marketing offers greater visibility and recognition because it is received less frequently than marketing emails. It provides a tangible and memorable connection with your audience.

How can direct mail marketing benefit my business?

Direct mail marketing can benefit your business by offering a better response rate, highly targeted messaging, cost-effectiveness, and track able results.

Is direct mail marketing still relevant in the digital age?

Yes, direct mail marketing remains relevant because it offers a physical touch point that stands out in the digital clutter and can create a positive emotional connection.

‍