The Pandemic Has Made Direct Mail More Important Than Ever
More than a few marketing experts who proclaimed that direct mail was in decline not long ago are quietly eating their words as it goes through an incredible revival. During the pandemic, a record number of workers transitioned to remote work. The digital presence of the average worker was increasing before the pandemic—and now, it’s bigger than ever. As many found themselves drowning in website ads and crowded email inboxes, some businesses turned to the old-fashioned direct mailer—and have seen measurable success. Here are five reasons why direct mail is back with a bang—and how companies can leverage direct mailers in novel ways.
1. Direct mail feels more real than email
Humans respond to tactile things—things we can see and touch. Direct mail arrives in the mailbox, and people typically carry it inside the home. When well-designed, eye-catching, or targeted pieces come inside the home, more than one family member is likely to view them. These mail pieces can spark a discussion about the brand or particular products featured in the mailer.
Emails often do not create the same buzz as a direct mailer can. The average person receives (or sends) over 121 business emails each day. Add phishing and other spam mail, and it’s easy to see how someone could miss even a beautifully written and designed sales email. In fact, more than half of the billions of emails sent each day globally go unopened. In contrast, direct mail generally has a shelf-life of up to 17 days—a massive edge over the lifespan of an email.
2. You like me—you really like me
It turns out that people like getting mail addressed to them, especially younger recipients such as Millennials and Gen Z. They’re less likely to associate direct mail with junk mail, and targeting mailers to young people can result in a stronger bond of trust between them and the business. The “junk mail” circular ads that Baby Boomers remember are effective with Millennials as a fresh way to connect with brands, especially after swimming in the digital junk they find in their inboxes all day. When so much of our world is digital, a piece of direct mail can activate and engage multiple senses and lead to a much more memorable experience.
3. Direct mail + email can be effective partners
Marketers are demonstrating that businesses that find ways to create meaningful ad campaigns using direct mail in conjunction with email can significantly enhance visibility and sales. Emails are easy to send and cost very little to generate. Businesses can send thousands of emails in seconds. Direct mail costs more to produce and takes time to prepare and mail to recipients, but engagement is through the roof. Customers are far more likely to get an impression from direct mail than from an email they may never see, but an omnichannel experience can help brands achieve greater saturation.
4. Are you there, Customer? It’s me, Business
Direct mail is a great way to check in with customers and tell them you’re still there if they need you. During the pandemic, people drastically cut the number of trips they took outside the home and they visited far fewer stores. From tiny mom-and-pop shops to large retailers, foot traffic through the door dwindled significantly. While customers are now trickling back into brick-and-mortar stores, direct mailers are excellent ways to connect with customers who might have fallen out of the habit of visiting. Direct mail campaigns are an efficient way of announcing changes, such as new products or services. Whether reassuring customers they aren’t forgotten or communicating a new product to them, direct mail can help businesses maintain relationships with audiences.
5. Direct mail’s shortfalls, answered
The one key differentiator between direct mail and email (or any digital ad campaign) is data. The inability for marketers to verify engagements or opens is a big hurdle in the direct mail space. But start-ups like Marc Media are changing that dynamic. This innovative business integrated IoT technology into tangible, print brochures that play VIDEO. You can call them connected video brochures. This means you can send a print mail campaign, with video content, and track everything you’d want to know about behavior, from opens and views to location and time of engagement. With this groundbreaking technology, direct mail is finally able to deploy personalized print campaigns, AND receive robust first-person data to measure impact. So, at a time where more people are at home than ever before, launching a Marc campaign could be your most impactful and insightful campaign yet.
If you’re not leveraging direct mail yet as part of your marketing strategy, then it’s time to make your Marc. Get started today.