When it comes to marketing and sales, sometimes going old-school can bring in new results!
Direct mail is a marketing and sales technique that has been around for centuries. It involves sending physical marketing or sales samples/materials or gifts directly to a targeted audience via postal mail. Direct mail is often used by businesses to promote products and services, announce special offers, and generate leads. Despite the rise of digital marketing and digital selling norms, direct mail has managed to stay relevant over the years and continues to be an effective marketing and sales activity.
The reason for direct mail’s enduring popularity lies in its ability to cut through the noise of digital marketing and reach customers directly. Unlike emails or social media ads that can be ignored or deleted, physical mail has a higher chance of being seen and read. In fact, research shows that direct mail has a response rate of 5.1%, compared to email’s response rate of just 0.6%.
Read More: SalesTechStar Interview with Yoram Givon, VP of Engineering at Recurate
Statistics Re-iterating the Rise of Direct Mail
- According to the Data & Marketing Association, direct mail response rates have been consistently higher than digital response rates, with an average response rate of 4.4% for direct mail compared to 0.12% for email.
- A survey conducted by the US Postal Service found that 84% of millennials take the time to look through their physical mail and 64% would rather scan for useful information in the mail than email.
- The global direct mail market size is expected to reach USD 97.8 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 3.3% from 2020 to 2027, according to a report by Grand View Research.
- In a survey conducted by the Royal Mail, 57% of respondents said that receiving mail makes them feel more valued, while 70% said that mail makes them feel more connected with the sender.
- According to a study by the UK-based Direct Marketing Association, direct mail campaigns generate an average ROI of 4.4% compared to 2.6% for email and 2% for online display advertising.
- A study by the UK-based Strategic Mailing Partnership found that direct mail has a higher response rate than any other channel at 5.3%, compared to email at 0.6%, paid search at 0.5%, and social media at 0.4%.
- The Direct Marketing Association reports that direct mail campaigns are 10-30 times more effective than email campaigns in generating a response from existing customers.
- A survey by the Canadian Post found that direct mail generates a 20% higher motivation response than digital media.
Read More: How AI Disrupts Online Customer Experiences – For Better or For Worse
Top Direct Mail Platforms
In recent years, direct mail has seen a resurgence in popularity, thanks to innovative platforms like Sendoso. Sendoso is a direct mail automation platform that helps businesses send physical gifts, branded merchandise, and handwritten notes to prospects and customers. With Sendoso, businesses can create personalized experiences for their customers, stand out from the competition, and drive more sales.
Sendoso works by integrating with a business’s existing sales and marketing tools, such as Salesforce or Marketo. Businesses can then use Sendoso to send physical items to prospects and customers directly from these platforms. Sendoso also offers a range of features to help businesses manage their direct mail campaigns, such as real-time tracking and analytics, automated fulfilment, and personalized messaging.
Apart from Sendoso, here are the other top direct mail software used by brands worldwide:
- Postie: One of the top direct mail tools, Postie offers automated marketing tools for direct mail. It comes with features of real-time attribution and data visualization. The platform supplies everything to run a solid direct mail campaign like you are doing other digital ads with a push of a button.
- PFL: PFL is another direct mail automation platform that offers a range of direct mail services, including postcards, letters, and dimensional mailers. PFL’s platform integrates with popular marketing automation and CRM systems, allowing businesses to create direct mail campaigns that are triggered by specific events, such as a new lead or a purchase.
- Inkit: Inkit is a direct mail automation platform that offers a range of direct mail services, including postcards, letters, and flyers. Inkit’s platform uses AI to optimize direct mail campaigns based on customer behaviour and engagement. Inkit also offers a range of analytics and reporting features to help businesses track the success of their direct mail campaigns.