In a digital world, some businesses question the effectiveness of direct mail marketing. In reality, the advantages of direct mail marketing are more effective than ever when properly targeted. In an October, 2012, article, The B2C business site says, “Bias towards direct mail marketing as obsolete or out of touch must be cast aside. . .[I]t does drive leads and sales much more than most online marketing strategy.”
In support of this statement, the author quotes a number of statistics, showcasing the strength of direct mail advertising and demonstrating that direct mail is not only a healthy competitor for online advertising, but it integrates well with it in some areas and actually beats it in others. For instance, a 2011 study shows that:
- 81% of social network users like receiving special offers in the mail
- 61% of these users pay attention to mail offering new services or better offers
- 68% of these users like receiving samples in the mail
Likewise, this September, 2012, article titled “The Effectiveness of Highly Personalized Direct Mail” observes, “highly personalized color direct mail was found to typically generate a 6.5 percent response rate—which is over three times higher than the usual 2.0 percent response rate that occurs as the result of non-personalized direct mail.”
Besides personalization, what is the secret to an effective direct-mail campaign? Scott Knickelbine of Demand Media finds these classic elements present in any successful venture:
- The Offer: the “deal” you propose to the recipients
- The List: the targeted mailing list
- The Five Pieces: the physical components of the direct-mail piece
- The Call to Action: what the recipient must do to benefit from the offer
(Refer to the linked article above for the full explanation of these elements.)
Improve Your Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns
Interested in increasing your direct mail marketing success rate? Ballantine offers expansive print marketing services that will help your business reach new heights. As one of the top direct mail marketing companies in the industry, with over 50 years of experience, our team of experts will customize a specific marketing plan that works. Contact us today to learn more about our capabilities!
Image Source: © Ben Chams – Fotolia.com
I'm the Director of Digital Services and Partner at Ballantine, a family-owned and operated direct mail & digital marketing company based in New Jersey. and started in 1966 by my great uncle!
