What’s the difference between an inbox and a mailbox? Effectiveness. According to 2017 studies, conventional mail reigns supreme when it comes to direct marketing (DM). It might seem it is a dead art, but if you think about it, it has almost become a novelty to receive an actual piece of mail. We can help with your snail mail DM efforts from design to getting it into the hands of the consumer with respect for the art and all it stands for.
True Facts
Let’s look at the facts so you can see why you should be using printed DM for your campaigns:
- According to the Direct Marketing Association, 70 percent of citizens prefer the personal touch of actual mail over the internet and about 56 percent enjoy receiving actual mail in their mailboxes.
- They also say that 39 percent of first-time customers have used a business as a direct result of a mailer.
- 74 percent of Canadian consumers say that they always or sometimes take note of advertising in direct mail. 43 percent have made a purchase as a direct result of a print campaign, 47 percent have visited a store and 64 percent visited a website.
- More than half of those surveyed in an Epsilon study say they preferred direct mail over email.
- While people are deleting emails, and IPS’ are sending eflyers to the junk folder, 86 percent of the mailers being sent are being opened, and read even if they look like junk mail and 66 percent of the mailers read and considered of value are kept.
- When it comes to “sharing” print 32 percent of Canadians say they share print promotions compared to just 26 percent for email promos and 22 percent for social media promos.
- Canada Post reported that 52 percent of boomers love using catalogues, 67 percent love receiving coupons and 73 percent use flyers to prepare their shopping lists.
- Last but not least, if your main target is the ever evasive and trendsetting millennial, 44 percent of that lot say they also prefer referring to direct mail to influence a purchase with 41 percent driven by direct mail pieces to make a purchase and 39 percent feeling more driven if they receive a printed piece in hand with a digital promotion. 42 percent keep mailing pieces 50 percent get excited when they receive direct mail.
Direct & Indirect
That probably explains why many companies still use direct and indirect (InDM) mail as a crucial marketing technique that is helping their business succeed. What’s the difference? Direct marketing is selling and promoting a product or service, while indirect marketing is the soft sell, get to know us better approach. Where online marketing focuses a lot on InDM with that whole get to know our approach with content, social media, blah, blah, blah, print does far better using direct marketing with an offer and call to action approach. In fact, with DM, throwing out one of our many stats we would like to point out that the USPS found DM recipients purchased 28 percent more items and spent 28 percent more than indirect recipients. That said, we do both because it really depends on what your goal is for your campaign. Of course, selling is usually the ultimate goal, but building trust and relationships can sometimes work as part of your strategy as well.
Dive In
If you’re feeling uncertain about the whole mail idea, or are uncertain if it’s for you, we can help you design an ad campaign that will allow you to test it out and see how it works. There’s a lot of choices when it comes to DM or InDM so if it’s your first time we will go over everything and help you find how easy and effective it is. We can start by offering design ideas, or if you’ve got your own design genius, we can provide them with templates that will show you exactly where everything needs to go. Like we said it’s an art we have mastered, and we can provide the direction needed for length, height, indicia placement, etc. so you’re compliant with those mail guidelines. This will make sure your DM campaign hits the mail stream and doesn’t get rejected. That’s an expensive mistake you don’t want to make.
Concept to Delivery
And don’t get too caught up in the whole who delivers what to whom thing. We will work directly with the post office in Canada and we will even work with the U.S. Postal Service if you like, dealing with all that pesky paperwork and admin stuff that has to get done. Our DM services include:
- Addressed and unaddressed mail
- First class mail
- Bulk mail
- Data management
- Variable print, personalized
- Ink jetting
- Add mail
- Insertions
- Tip ons
- Tab sealing, often required for folded flyers and brochures
We seriously encourage you to give us a call and talk about your mailing options, because there’s a lot to learn and a lot we can do to help make your campaign a success. Seriously, call us.
