Despite the fact that the United States Postal Service (USPS) is struggling and about to cut back on their delivery, there are some (including me) that believe that traditional direct mail still holds benefits for both marketers and consumers. In an increasingly cluttered email environment, after all, marketers will be challenged to come up with new ways to “capture eyeballs.” Traditional direct mail may hold some opportunities for a number of reasons:
- Direct Mail is intrusive – we can’t ignore it! It’s in our mailboxes – we have to do something with it, so it must be handled. And that creates an impact. In fact, messages in online advertising mediums are fleeting. In fact, research conducted by Millward Brown, a global research agency, has found that reading something that can be tangibly and physically held has been proven to be more long-lasting in a consumer’s mind than looking at something on a digital device.
- Direct Mail is personal – we can touch it and feel it; it can have dimension and texture. We bring it into our homes or offices where it requires attention and some sort of interaction. Think about this: with an email marketing message we never know if the recipient ever even sees it – it may be screened at a company’s firewall or end up in their junk mail file never to be seen. That’s not the case with traditional direct mail. It has to be seen. It has to be handled.
- Direct Mail can be much more descriptive, persuasive and emotional than online messaging. You can motivate people to action using compelling messages and emotional hooks with more detailed copy and images.
- Direct Mail can be extremely targeted. Through a thorough understanding of your target audience, and careful list selection techniques, you can precisely pinpoint those individuals most likely to respond to your offer.
- Your direct mail messages can be personalized and relevant to your prospects or customers. You can take a personal, direct tone, focused specifically on key benefits that are important to them.
- Direct Mail is trackable and measurable. Based on testing and your response data, you can focus or expand your list to set the performance level you want to hit.
- Finally, direct mail is trusted. Online communications are becoming more and more annoying to many consumers who are dealing with cluttered inboxes , frustration over spam and concerns about privacy.
The bottom line? Well-executed direct mail programs can bring big benefits! Don’t give up on traditional direct mail. There may be opportunity for you in reaching both B2B and B2C audiences through the relatively uncluttered environment of the traditional mailbox!
Related blog posts:
Sometimes “Snail Mail” is Still the Best Way to Go
Is Social Media Better Than Traditional Media?
Ramp Up Your Email Marketing Effectiveness
Tags: Advertising, direct mail, direct mail marketing, Direct Marketing, email marketing, Marketing, snail mail