Direct Mail Remains Relevant in a Digital Age

In the age of the Internet, key studies have found that digital mail retains its relevancy as a valuable marketing asset.

One such recent study by Murphy Research found that 76% of U.S consumers discussed mail from brands or retailers they have heard of with members of their household, while 66% would also discuss mail from brands or retailers they had not heard of – if the category was of interest.

A response rate report by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) found that direct mail received a response rate of 4.4%, compared to email’s 0.12% rate.

A 2018 study by Go Inspire Group showed several strengths of direct mail over email marketing, including long shelf life, improved branding and message retention, and being less likely to be viewed as spam by the consumer.

Direct mail was found to outperform email in terms of incremental revenue after campaign costs were accounted for – but the combination of email and direct mail used together performed better than either medium on its own.

“It’s important to leverage multiple media channels to reach, engage and activate consumers across a variety of touchpoints,” commented coupon distribution company Valassis’s Curtis Tingle.

“But marketers should not overlook the proven and effective channel of the mailbox.”