Let’s get personal for a moment. That’s what recipients of your direct mail are saying. As I will show later, direct mail is not only alive and well these days but rather it is thriving. Recipients prefer receiving direct mail, particularly millennials and those in the Gen Z group. Response to the tactical sensation and the curiosity of receiving direct mail helps you raise the level of awareness and increase responses. As a result, marketers are upping investment in direct mail marketing as target audiences become increasingly desensitized to an onslaught of digital approaches. Take a second look at including direct mail in your marketing initiatives and you will be pleasantly surprised.

Now, what about the personal part? With digital printing presses, printers can readily personalize your direct mail pieces to satisfy recipient preferences. More than just adding a name, the advanced digital presses can also adjust the copy to send a message that is unique to the recipient. It’s as if you are speaking directly to the individual that receives the direct mail communication. Printed direct mail is one of the most intimate ways a brand can talk to its customers. When they have something they can hold in their hands, feel the texture, and smell the paper – those are the most intimate conversations a brand can have with its customer. With direct mail, marketers can reach their audience with personalization and warmth not available through email.

The data shows that 88% believe they understand, retain, or use information better when they read it in print. In addition, 80% have a clear preference for reading complicated materials in print, in contrast to 13% for computer screens and 3% for smartphones. A whopping 92% of shoppers say they prefer print marketing when making a purchasing decision. The “Hybrid Experiences Bring Direct Mail Into the Digital Age” study revealed that 54% of marketing leaders increased their direct mail spend in 2022. Nearly seven in 10 (69%) plan to spend even more next year on direct mail – a 27% year-over-year rise, the study notes. It looks like marketers are jumping on the direct mail bandwagon. Nearly 80% of B2B marketers experienced performance boosts from direct mail across the customer journey in the last 12 months, the study showed. More than just a trend, marketers are realizing favorable results from direct mail.

Let’s look at more 2022 statistics regarding direct mail:

• The direct mail advertising market is projected to grow from $71.57 billion in 2021 to $72.67 billion in 2022. (Direct Mail Advertising Global Market Report 2022)
• 73% of American consumers prefer being contacted by brands via direct mail because they can read mail at their convenience. (Small Biz Genius)
• More than 40% of direct mail recipients read or at least scan the direct mail they get. (Small Biz Genius)
• 84% of Gen Z have received a direct mail piece with a QR code to interact with a brand online (by watching a video, going to a landing page with sales copy, or ordering by phone/action device). Nearly 40% of these campaigns used direct mail and generated a profitable ROI. (CDMG Inc.)
• Nearly 90% of Millennials love receiving mail. This fits with their affinity for physical media. The study also revealed that 57% of Millennial respondents acted on direct mail offers. (USPS)
• Two-thirds of Gen X consumers say they have a positive impression of companies that send out relevant marketing mail.(USPS)

 Let’s not throw out digital marketing altogether. Combining direct mail with digital follow-up has proven to be the best solution for securing conversions from prospects and customers. “Our research shows that the market is beginning to understand the true value of hybrid analog-digital experiences that can bridge the gap between modern digital marketing capabilities and audiences who demand more human-centric experiences,” said PFL CEO Nick Runyon. Forrester Consulting conducted the study on the commission of PFL. About 160 marketing leaders in North America participated in the research.

Only 17% of marketers personalize direct mail campaigns, the study showed. Meanwhile, at least 40% of marketers are either unaware it’s possible, believe it would be prohibitively expensive or would struggle to align direct mail to digital initiatives. Nothing could be farther from actuality. The combination of printed direct mail and digital marketing delivers a higher response rate than direct mail or digital marketing alone. The key to success is using all available resources together to meet recipients’ preferences in today’s market

Providing your target audience with omnichannel communication is an excellent way to create brand consistency. You lead with the preferred direct mail piece and follow up via digital technologies that are available today. Omnichannel resources make it possible for you to retarget the “Undecided Buyers”, which is the most likely group to be converted with a printed postcard follow-up. The postcard provides additional messaging to encourage the prospect to return to the website and take action or to simply purchase the product or service under consideration. Tap the undecided buyers to increase sales with minimal additional cost. The ROI of this solution has been proven time and time again.

What omnichannel tools are available for you to use? Think Patented offers a package of omnichannel tools branded Mail360 that work in unison with printed direct mail to produce superior response rates. Mail360 is a marketing solution designed to enhance your direct mail campaigns through complementary digital channels while seamlessly tracking their effectiveness. Mail360 consists of individual services that are bundled together in one convenient package. Ease of use, effective communication, and high response rates add up to noteworthy ROI. You can seamlessly track the success of your direct mail campaign and enhance results using these complementary digital channels of communication.

Let’s talk about one of the Mail360 package’s tools – online follow-up. After a prospect receives your direct mail piece and visits your website, they will receive a “cookie” via Google. Later, when the prospect is browsing the internet, they will see your ad and be reminded of their original interest in your company. On average, 26% to 42% of website visitors who are receiving the retargeted ads will return to a website and when they do, they are 70% more likely to convert to a customer. A perfect example of how printed direct mail and digital technology work together to realize higher response rates.

While content marketing via a digital platform has proven effective, it can only attract those consumers that wish to be reached. By incorporating a marketing strategy that includes direct mail, you are better equipped to reach more consumers and drive them to convert. Direct mail is not only alive and well these days but rather it is thriving. Recipients prefer receiving direct mail, particularly millennials and those in the Gen Z group. Response to the tactical sensation and the curiosity of receiving direct mail helps you raise the level of awareness and increase responses. As a result, marketers are upping investment in direct mail marketing. Combining printed direct mail with omnichannel marketing tools delivers the highest response rates. It all begins with direct mail. Take a second look at including direct mail in your marketing initiatives and you will be pleasantly surprised.

For more information on direct mail marketing and the Mail360 initiative, contact your Think Patented account executive or call 937.353.2299.