Did you know that Benjamin Franklin, one of our founding fathers and inventor extraordinaire, was appointed the first Postmaster General in 1775? Back then, the postal service was referred to as the Postal service Department. However, the USPS (United States Postal Service) was founded on 1st July 1971.
Technological advancements have given us many options for communication, unlike in the past when mailing letters was king. However, direct mail is a prime example of one of the last strongholds of postal services. It has proved to be so efficient that it has stood the test of time. Let's debunk some myths about direct mail marketing.
Myths about direct mail marketing
Direct mail marketing uses the postal service to deliver information and advertise your wares to prospective clients. It gets a bad rap and is sometimes called "junk mail," but the numbers vouch for its efficiency. You may have shied off from using it due to some unfounded myths that tend to be associated with direct mail marketing.
Direct mail does not work
Some nay-sayers consider direct mail marketing a money pit that is not worth getting into; however, the figures beg to differ. Figures show that direct mail marketing receives response rates six times than all digital avenues combined. Authoritative reports like the State of Customer Engagement 2020 report showed that marketers found that direct mail is more effective than digital displays or search ads. Direct mail marketing reigned supreme in lead conversion, nurturing, customer engagement, and retention. Some hard facts about direct mail marketing include
• 90% of direct mail is opened
• Over 90% of purchase decisions are made in the comfort of the home
• 40% of Millennials made purchases from direct mail marketing
Direct mail is obsolete
Another popular myth is that direct mail is a waste of time, and efforts should be doubled on digital marketing. However, marketers dispatched over 53.7 billion direct mail marketing packages in 2019 alone, lending credence to its popularity. Six out of ten marketers integrate direct mail marketing into their marketing strategy and consider it a key offline channel. Pairing digital marketing with direct mail marketing has been proven to increase website visits, conversion rates, and ROI (Return on Investment)
Direct mail is too expensive
Though direct mail marketing has high initial costs, it also has a high ROI and quick turnaround period. Some marketers have reported recouping their costs within 30 days due to the sales generated by direct mail marketing. Higher response rates and robust direct mail marketing conversion rates compensate out-of-pocket expenses associated with setting up and implementing it. You can also contract a direct mail marketing company to ensure the success of your campaign. Direct mail marketing companies provide invaluable insights and proven experience that far outweighs any hiring costs you may incur.
Before going the direct mail marketing way, ensure the product you are marketing is suitable for this marketing channel. Again, direct mail marketing companies may prove invaluable in establishing suitability and helping you tweak your direct mail marketing campaign.