10 Steps to Make the Most of Direct Mail

H ave you ever made a trip to your mailbox and thought, "Why are companies still sending mail?" It seems that in an era where everything is digital, mail feels like an ancient practice. Well, marketing studies actually show that direct mail is more relavent than ever. A global pandemic shook us all to the core of what social interaction means. We were forced to move to Zoom and other digital platforms, but eventually found ourselves fatigued because people need physical touch and interaction. Direct mail gives people something physical that's not on a cloud or stored on servers in Menlo Park, CA. Digital advertising doesn’t affect the recipient in the same way. That is why you're seeing more and more companies like Amazon, a strictly digital marketplace, mail out a toy catalog every Christmas. Businesses of any size need to take advantage of direct mail. It's a real 21st Century way to reach potential client/customers. Here are 10 simple steps your business should take in order to make the most of direct mail:

1.  Go Direct.

   The concept of receiving a physical item in the mail gives us a boost of serotonin and dopamine — The central nervous system’s way of telling us we’re being rewarded. When we receive something that we can hold in our hands, we naturally respond with excitement. Direct mail marketing taps into this response and is often followed by a call to action. Social media does the same thing to the central nervous system but without paid advertising on social platforms, organic posts are only being seen by about 3% of a company’s total number of followers.

2. Tangible Item.

   No matter what your age, having something tangible in your hands makes you interact with it more. Direct mail marketing engages more senses than digital marketing, making it more memorable and seemingly sincere. When a business’s direct mail pieces stand out, they engage the senses of consumers and encourage further interaction with that company.

3. Be personable.

   Having a personal connection with an individual is key when building your brand. Digital advertising is usually cheaper and an effective form of communicating a companies message, but can run the risk of feeling impersonal to the viewer. This is why integrating direct mail into your marketing strategy is so important.

4. Be Engaging.

   Engagement rates with direct mail are exponentially higher than you’d think. About 79% of people engage with their mail daily and Gallup reported that 36% of people under the age of 30 look forward to checking their mailboxes every day. Notably, this generation will wield a combined $1.4 trillion in spending power by 2020, as reported by Accenture. You can’t afford not to engage people at their mailbox.

5. The effort is Key.

   When you put effort into creating a personal mail piece, people are likely to notice. They feel the sender has invested time into that piece of mail. People are then more inclined to respond.

6. Be formal.

   Direct mail presents unique information in many formal ways, such as letters, invitations, cards, and more. It’s less likely to come across as spam due to its higher quality and personal approach. Direct mail can bring more of a hierarchy to your campaign or business — people feel more important when they get a formal piece of direct mail.

7. Stand out.

   Direct mail still ranks amongst the highest forms of marketing. Why? Because it’s one of the best ways to make a company stand out from its competition. The thickness and texture of the paper used, the quality of the ink, the use of personal salutations that can be added through digital press technologies, unique cuts, and folds — these are all ways to make your brand stand out from the rest.

8. Be Trustworthy.

   Gaining trust from your consumers is critically important. People tend to trust direct mail pieces more because they come across as less suspicious than a link in an email. That’s not to say stop sending emails. Just see them as another type of advertising, not so much as one over the other. People are always more inclined to work with a company they trust. So, any form of advertising that’s perceived as more trustworthy is worth the effort and budget.

9. ROI.

   Increasing a companies bottom line is always the end-game. If you spend a dollar you want to make sure you get that dollar back, and that it comes with all its dollar friends. Direct mail has been shown to offer great returns. In its response rate report, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) analyzed Bizo and Epsilon data and found that direct mail achieves a 4.4% response rate, compared to 0.12% for email. That’s returns that you can’t leave on the table.

10. More influence over buyer decisions.

    Direct mail is more likely to influence buyer behavior than other types of marketing. “Overall, the DMA found that direct mail’s response rates are actually anywhere from 10 to 30 times higher than that of digital. It notes that consumers, overwhelmed by inboxes cluttered with unsolicited marketing emails, are more receptive to direct mail, which arrives on a much less-cluttered channel.”

    With the help of our graphic designers and mail marketing professionals, you can make the most of this marketing method. Don’t think of digital and mail as one or the other. Think of them as two different methods of achieving the best results. Direct mail cannot be overlooked when in your marketing startegy. It’s as valuable now as it’s ever been!