Despised, reviled, scorned, and shunned by many, physical mail, especially direct mail, often gets abused publicly as being slow, old-fashioned, and a waste. With names like snail mail, unsolicited, junk, and third-class, it’s got a bad image built in that is hard to overcome. In fact, for the last two decades, many have been predicting the death of snail-mail altogether. But is that really the case? From a marketing perspective, is direct mail a thing of the past, or should it still have a place in your marketing toolbox? Does the public perception of direct mail match up with how people actually feel about it in the privacy of their homes?

 

Is direct mail dead?

 

The simple answer is no. Direct mail is not dead. Effective direct mail is thriving but it is different from even a few years ago. People hate junk mail, but they love to find that golden nugget within all the junk mail. Some of the best deals I’ve ever received came through direct mail: a better than deserved auto loan refinancing offer, move-in specials for new apartments, real service discounts contained within a travel tips booklet, and coupons for my favorite fast-food chicken joint. These all worked for me because they were appealing and relevant to my lifestyle.

 

“Getting snail mail is one of my favorite indulgences, and I think receiving mail is actually a common joy.” – Mary Lambert

 

A study published by the USPS found that 62% of adults between the ages of 18 and 68 tend to read through advertising mail instead of just discarding it. They also uncovered some really interesting habits amount Gen-Xers and Millennials. They found that 54% of Gen-Xers and 67% of millennials frequently use direct mail as a prompt to go online. In about the same percentages, both groups also tend to bring marketing mail into a store with them. So not only are the majority of adults actively looking through their direct mail, they are acting on it. The pandemic has only strengthened these behaviors.

 

People are at home more and enjoy taking a break from digital media and looking through their mail is one opportunity for this every day. Most people actually enjoy discovering what came in their mailbox today. They want to be pleasantly surprised. At the same time, they will be very quick to dismiss anything that is not appealing and seems to have little value for them. How can you make sure your direct mail is effective?

 

Why does direct mail work?

 

Less competition. The overwhelming marketing trend is to be completely, 100% digital. The opposite trend is also true, year-over-year, consistently direct mail volume is decreasing. It’s decreasing not because it’s ineffective, but because the perception is that digital is always better, cheaper, and faster. The best marketers know that you need more than one tool in your toolbox. Direct mail may seem like an “old” tool to some, however, it can be very powerful especially when used in concert with digital marketing channels. With fewer marketers using this channel, it’s easier for your direct mail to catch their eye and stand above the rest.

 

Brand Awareness and visual appeal. Direct mail has the power to imprint deeper on the mind. We remember it longer. It’s no wonder as our senses are involved in a different way than when we view digital marketing. With direct mail, we feel, hear, and even smell it while we read it. Studies have shown that printed material stays with us much longer and leaves a deeper feeling about a product or brand than similar digital media. So even if the mail is thrown out, the brand impression will last for some time.

Essentials for effective direct mail

 

Reach your audience. This is listed as the first essential because if this is missed, the rest does not matter. There is no amount of volume that will substitute for spending the time and money to identify your target audience. In fact, one of the best audiences for direct mail is your current and past customers, prospects, and people who have expressed high interest in your company or niche.

 

Make it personal. For most people, the first mail to hit the trash can is anything that does not have their name on it. This goes back to the first essential of reaching your audience. Avoid using shared mail like those packed with coupons. It doesn’t get much less personal than that. So know who you are trying to reach. Know and use their name. Use it as part of the address and use it on the inside. If possible, personalize it further especially for known customers. Acknowledge their birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestones. Follow-up with them after other forms of contact.

 

Visually appealing packaging and layout. Think like your customer. Design something that is inviting and interesting. Hire a graphics designer and make something that grabs their attention in a good way. What colors, designs, and layouts will your customers like? Our natural biases can make this tricky, so this is where a trusted third party can really help us.

 

Make it relevant and give value. It’s not enough to simply advertise your brand explaining how wonderful it is. That may be true, but for your direct mail to be effective, it needs to be relevant to the recipient. Why should they read it? Why should they give it more than half a second of thought? This goes back to step one, know your audience. What is important to them? What problem can you solve for them? How can this make their life better?

 

Give a clear call to action. Now that you captured their attention, give them an easy, no commitment,  way to dig deeper. Today’s consumer likes to research, compare, and read reviews before moving forward. Provide the website and social media handles so they can immediately look your brand up. They want to, so be ready to receive them with more value and relevant content online. At every step, make it clear what you are wanting them to do and why that is good for them.

The bottom line about direct mail

 

Direct mail is far from dead, in fact, it is having a resurgence. For direct mail to be effective, you must adapt to today’s consumers. They like to find good things in their mail, but they are picky. Your direct mail needs to reach your target audience. It must be personalized, visually appealing, relevant with lots of value, and give a clear call to action. This will save your mail from the trash heap, elevate it past the countertop, beyond the fridge magnet, and ultimately impressed on your customer’s mind moving them to action.