Is Direct Mail Dead?
The saying, “The news of my death is greatly exaggerated,” is attributed to Mark Twain. While he was likely saying it for ironic humor, the same sentiment can be applied to direct mail. In an era of digital supremacy, the idea of sending something through the good ol’ postal service seems about as obsolete as sending it via carrier pigeon. But the demise of direct mail, too, is greatly exaggerated. It continues to be a powerful and relevant marketing tool when strategically leveraged.
Quiet in a Loud World
Every day, our email inboxes are clogged with spam, junk mail, and phishing schemes along with the actual communication we need to get through our busy lives. The digital space, therefore, has become crowded and loud. Many people simply delete communications after barely glancing at the subject line.
Physical mail, by comparison, forces engagement. You must remove something from the mailbox, interact with it, and decide what to do next—maybe stick it on the refrigerator or prop it up on a desk. Just holding something from the mailbox conveys a sense of importance and makes it—and the brand—more memorable. And unlike our virtual inboxes, our mailboxes are less crowded than they once were, allowing a well-crafted piece of direct mail to stand out. Direct mail provides a slower, more thoughtful experience with a brand’s message away from the clamor of the digital space.
Targeted Mail, Not Junk Mail
Like all things, if you do it poorly it’s going to get a bad rap. Once upon a time, direct mail was written off as junk mail. But today’s direct mail can avail itself of modern tools for refinement. For example, the reach can be targeted to specific audiences using demographic data, ensuring the right message reaches the right people. Thanks to QR codes, the results of a direct mail campaign can be measured and tracked. A physical piece of mail is also a blank canvas, providing an opportunity for a brand to express its creativity, something prized particularly by younger consumers.
While direct mail today is a cost-effective way to reach a target audience with your message, it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Direct mail complements digital marketing. Whether you want to drive traffic to your website or expand brand reach in a new marketplace, direct mail works with digital marketing, not in place of it.
Mail for a New Generation
Speaking of quiet in a loud world and providing something tangible for consumers to interact with, the generations lauding direct mail may surprise you: Gen Z and Millennials. As pop culture writer Callie Holtermann recently wrote in The New York Times, “For the past few years, opening up social media has felt like standing in front of a fire hose of fashion and internet fads and cranking open the nozzle, full blast… And while a majority of these crazes are labeled “Gen Z trends,” members of that generation may be the ones most fatigued by the churn.”
Gen Z (those born between 1997-2012) and its slightly older sibling, Millennials (born between 1981-1996), are generations that have never known life without smartphones and internet. They take classes online, communicate online, shop and conduct business fully online. Physical mail offers this tech-exhausted group the more curated, creative, and tangible experience they crave. A generational study by the U.S. Postal Service found that “Gen Z is excited to discover what the mail brings and feels it is more personal than digital communication,” and that Millennials are the most likely to take action on direct mail messaging saying it “provides useful information and keeps them in the know.”
Even the powerful GenXers appreciate direct mail. With some of the highest median incomes in the U.S. and a penchant for brand loyalty, GenXers are more likely to have a positive impression of a company that sends a well-crafted direct mail piece and are more likely than any other group to visit a company’s website after receiving relevant mail.
Given these demographics and behaviors, direct mail may be ready for a renaissance. But it can’t be “one and done.” Effective direct mail is part of multimedia strategy. Contact Creative Studio to learn more about how to use targeted direct mail to meet your needs.