November 2019

Direct mail is still one of the most effective, if not the most effective, way to reach customers for the cost. Here are ten facts about direct mail that show how it can bring your company a solid return on its investment.

Direct Mail Response Rates.
With email inboxes becoming more and more occupied by unwanted spam, legitimate email solicitations that a customer may be interested in are becoming lost in the shuffle. Conversely, a well crafted, vivid, attention-grabbing direct mail piece is likely not only to be seen but also to be responded to as well.

Fact. According to ANA/DMA in 2018, the response rate per house list for direct mail was an impressive 9%. It was the highest response rate for house lists since the report started and is nearly twice that of the response rate for 2017.

Fact. The direct mail response rate was 5% for prospect lists in 2018; which was substantially higher than it was in 2017 and the highest response rate for any year since 2003. A clear indicator that response rates continue to rise.

Fact. A lead generation campaign which uses a letter-sized envelope to recipients on a  house file produced an excellent median response rate of15%.

Fact. For decades now, we have been told that the internet is the future of marketing. Yet, despite that claim, direct mail continues to produce a greater response rate than that of any digital direct marketing mechanism. The response rate is a staggering nine times higher than that of email, pay per click or social media.

Fact. According to the USPS, the intended response rate in 2016 was 11% for standard mail and 13% for first-class mail.

Reading Direct Mail.
Again, as compared to ads received in an email, customers are more likely to read an ad received via direct mail. It could be that not having to go through the act of opening an email is a factor, or having the mailer in hand leads to a natural curiosity as to its contents; whatever the reason, there can be no doubt about the direct mail piece making an impression.

Fact. A study done by the USPS in 2016 showed that 75% of households regularly read or scan most of the direct mail ads they receive.

Fact. A Gallup poll taken in 2016 revealed that 36% of those under the age of 30 enjoy checking the mail each day. This fact runs contrary to the trope about Millennials only caring about what is on their smartphones and shows that the reports of direct mail’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.

Fact. It’s not just Millennials who enjoy checking mail on a daily basis, across all age groups, 41% look forward to going to the mailbox each day and seeing what is inside.

Fact. In 2015 Baby Boomers were influenced the most by flyers, advertising cards and catalogs more than any other form of media.

Fact. Direct mail is a “no-brainer”, case in point- it requires 21% less brainpower to process than does digital media and evokes a much greater positive brand recall.

In Conclusion.
Despite being awash in digital technology, there is something lasting and true about holding a piece of mail in your hand that cannot be duplicated or replaced by email or any other form of digital media. It is that visceral response that keeps people looking out their home or office window to see if their mail carrier is coming. In fact, being able to hold on to something that was personally sent to you or your company is a feeling that only direct mail can bring.