Direct mail has a long tradition of success in the U.S. and continues to maintain a strong position next to its modern rivals.

What makes direct mail so effective?

Targeted
Direct mail campaigns allow for addressing customers by name and speaking to them individually. Mailing lists can also depict customers’ buying habits which make it easier to appeal to their interests.

Tangible
Medium that consumers can touch and feel leaves a stronger emotional mark than those of digital form.
(Millward Brown agency research)

Millenial
Younger consumers (the 18- to 34-year-old demographic) prefer to learn about marketing offers via postal mail rather than online sources.
(National survey research from ICOM)

Business Friendly
69% of people prefer direct mail as a channel of business communication.
(DMA study)

Response Rates
Direct mail generates a 4.4% response vs. 0.12% generated by digital mail.
(DMA study)

Brand Recall
Research conducted among wealthy consumers showed that direct mail is the third most effective channel when it comes to brand recall. 44% of those surveyed named direct mail as their way to learn about brands from the past 30 days.
(Shullman Luxury, Affluence and Wealth Pulse study)

Lasting Power
48% of consumers keep direct mail promotional materials for future reference.
(DMA study)

Preferred
33% of consumers expect companies to communicate via direct mail and have a negative view of brands not offering such communication.
(DMA study)

QR Code Vehicle
Direct mail ranks second in media channels with the most QR codes responses. 13% of direct mail pieces are responded to via QR code.
(Pitney Bowes research).

Donation Driver
Direct mail is the most effective channel for driving people to donate. 21% of donors named direct mail as the motivation for their most recent gifts.
(YouGov Giving Report 2013)

Website Promotion
Consumers visit a brand’s website 10% more often in response to direct mail than to email.
(DMA study)

Tips for designing & printing your direct mail piece

• Design your offer around the needs of your audience
• Keep it simple!
• Be sure that your design matches your company's image.
• Make your call to action easy to find and understand.
• It's more cost effective to print and mail standard sizes.
• Choose a high quality paper.
• Thoroghly proofread your mail piece.
• Print in bulk to save money.

Ready to start your direct mail campaign? Contact us to setup a consultation with one of our designers.

This information about direct mail from International Paper and USPS.