Is Direct Mail Dead?

For some reason, I suffer spammy emails better than spammy mailbox stuffers.  Probably because emails are easier to “86”.

Hey!  Maybe that’s why direct mail is not dead!

I know you never thought you’d hear this from the #1 apostle for Social Media, but seriously…here are some numbers that are hard to ignore:

• direct mail volume rose to 87 billion last year
• direct mail marketers spent $44.9 billion in 2013
• 73% of U.S. consumers said they prefer direct mail for brand communications because they can read the information at their convenience. Additionally, 62% of Americans said they enjoy checking the mailbox for postal mail – Epsilon’s 2012 Channel Preference Study
• In over 80% of homes the person in the household responsible for collecting and sorting mail will collect the mail at their first opportunity. And, once the mail is brought into the home, 80% will sort the mail immediately while 18% will sort it later that day –USPS 2012 Mail Moment Study
• 59% of U.S. respondents agreed with the following statement, “I enjoy getting postal mail from brands about new products” –Epsilon’s 2012 Channel Preference Study
• 48% of the UK population responded to a direct mail piece they received in the past year – Central Mailing Services 2013 Direct Mail Statistics
• 80% of marketers surveyed plan to invest in direct mail in 2013. 28% reported increases in their direct mail budgets – Target Marketing Magazine’s Media Usage Forecast 2013
• U.S. advertisers spend $167 per person on direct mail to earn $2,095 worth of goods sold; a 1,300% return – Print Drives Commerce 2013  

  [See more at: http://www.abrandnewview.com/blog/6-direct-mail-stats-can-t-be-ignored#sthash.OiIYa9j9.dpuf]

The holy grail of all marketing methods comes out in a report every year by the Direct Marketing Association.  It’s called the DMA Statistical Fact Book, and it sells for (R U ready) $500.  That may actually be a bargain for all the info it contains…including a whole section on direct mail marketing.

Wanna be a DMA member?  Find out on the DMA website.  It has plenty of marketing links and resources.

Looking for a hybrid digital/print direct mail product?  Plenty of businesses will take your digital content and turn it into a printer mailer and send it.  Here’s an excellent article on it:  3 Important Ways Print Is Transforming Direct Mail.

I’m digital media kinda guy, but I’ve NEVER preached that as the single approach to finding prospects.  Like most things, moderation is best.  Mix in a little something else in your marketing approach, and you might be surprised how effective it is.

That 8th or 9th postcard…that ball-point pen with your name and phone number on it…that spiral notebook with your branding, sent to specifically targeted prospects through the good ole US Mail, just might be the trick that lands you a righteous job!

CourVO

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