1. Direct mail is a powerful communication channel
Human response to direct mail Studies have illustrated that due to the physical and tangible format, consumers rank direct mail the highest for being trustworthy (56%) and authoritative (55%) in comparison to other forms of media 5 . Direct mail’s advantages include its ability to feel personal to consumers. When you physically place direct mail in front of customers, mail becomes an interactive and immersive experience compared to email. This gives consumers time for consideration before deciding what to do next and it also gives direct mail a significant advantage over digital communication methods. A DMA study stated that response rates for an existing customer on direct mail is 3.4% when compared to that of email at 0.12%. 6 This does not necessarily indicate that mail is superior to digital channels, but more so that it is still an effective form of marketing that can be overlooked. According to another study, 57% of customers felt more valued when receiving mail while only 17% 7 felt the same way when it came to email. The research also revealed that the perception of mail throughout the years has grown to become more positive, with 56% of consumers stating that mail grabs their attention and 55% felt that it gave them a better impression of a brand and they spent more time reading their post.
Over the past decade, direct mail has had to face a number of challenges to keep its place within the communication mix – mainly due to the rise of more modern forms of audience interaction. While some brands accept that direct mail can still play a part, many have significantly reduced their use of it in favour of contemporary alternatives 2 . This is generally due to direct mail being seen as While it may seem we’re heading towards a digitally dependant world, direct mail still has the potential to be significantly more impactful than other forms of mass media. Direct mail can be highly targeted and each campaign can be tailored to appeal to specific individuals – this is rarely seen in digital campaigns, which often cater to mass audiences. A direct mail campaign can therefore have greater impact and result in higher ROI compared to other communication channels when carried out correctly. Research has also shown that consumers are not necessarily in favour of becoming fully-digital. Not all homes are digitalised; 5.2 million households in the UK do not have internet access, while 16 million consumers aged over 15 state that they do not have basic online skills 3 . 85% of UK adults have also stated that they do not like it when a brand removes their right to choose how they would like to be communicated with – whether this is via email, mail, etc. 45% of those surveyed by the DMA (Direct Marketing Association) believe that a world without physical communication would be worse, while only 15% believe it would be beneficial. Surprisingly, within the younger age bracket (18-34), one in five of those surveyed believe that a purely digital world will never happen 4 . This of course is the age group often assumed to fully embrace modern communication. an expensive channel. Not going fully-digital
2 Marketingmagazine.co.uk, ‘Special Report: Direct Marketing’. N.p., 2015. Web. 20 Mar. 2015. 3 Paper And Digital Communications: The Case For Consumer Choice. 1st ed. Keep Me Posted. Print. 4,5 ‘From Letterbox To Inbox: Building Customer Relationships’. Direct Marketing Association (2013): n. pag. Print. 6 MarketingCharts,. ‘Direct Mail Tops Email For Response Rates; Costs Per Lead Similar’. N.p., 2012. Web. 20 Mar. 2015. 7 Direct Marketing Association. It’s All About Mail And Email. 2014. Web. 30 Mar. 2015.
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