Council Post: Three Reasons Mailers Aren't Dead In 2022 (2024)

FAQs

Council Post: Three Reasons Mailers Aren't Dead In 2022? ›

Is Direct Mail Dead? No. Direct mail is not dead. Its resilience stems from its ability to forge tangible, personalized connections in an increasingly digital landscape.

Is Direct Mail Dead? No. Direct mail is not dead. Its resilience stems from its ability to forge tangible, personalized connections in an increasingly digital landscape.

Absolutely. Consumers across all demographics respond to mail because our brains simply cannot resist. Neuroscience research has found physical action of holding print advertising plays an influential role in consumer decision-making and purchasing behaviors.

Statistics show that for every $167 marketers spend on direct mail, they'll make $2,095 in sales. That means their ROI is a whopping 1,300%. Of course, your numbers will vary based on a variety of factors (like how much you're spending to make your campaigns amazing), but there's no denying the results.

The balance has shifted for these consumers, who are not overly saturated with direct mail, but are highly overwhelmed by emails and social media ads. The stats show a growing interest in direct mail among consumers: In 2022 alone, direct mail showed an ROI of 43%.

The notion that direct mail is dead oversimplifies the complexities of modern marketing. Direct mail continues to thrive due to its tangible impact, personalized approach, and credibility. Its integration into a multichannel strategy ensures that it remains a relevant and effective tool for marketers in 2024.

You often hear about 2% being the average response rate. This is true for certain applications and situations, but not for all. It's important to understand the applications and situations before you try to predict your response rate. The people on outside mailing lists have no relationship with you.

According to our 2023 Direct Mail Benchmark Report, 89% of marketers have increased or maintained direct mail investments in the last year. The best part? It's predicted mail volume and spend will continue to rise in 2024 and beyond. The short answer is yes, direct mail still works.

Mailers can provide a better return on investment (ROI) than digital media campaigns. A 2022 study by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) found that real estate direct mail still leads in ROI by a wide margin over email and social media marketing. The average ROI of real estate mailers is between 15% and 17%.

Is direct mail on the decline? ›

Early industry data from Competiscan shows direct marketers mailed more than 6.5 billion pieces in Q4 2023 – a slight decrease of 3.3% from Q3 2023. This brings 2023's total marketing direct mail volume to 28.4 billion* pieces.

The future of direct mail is characterized by innovation, integration with digital technologies, personalization, sustainability, and the use of big data for targeting. This time-tested strategy is poised to remain a relevant and effective component of comprehensive marketing campaigns.

Yes, Direct Mail Marketing Is Still Valuable!

While technological innovations and the emergence of digital marketing have led many brands to question the effectiveness of direct mail, there are ways to ensure success.

More research found that 90% of Millennials prefer direct mail over email and believe it's more reliable. And 75% said that what they receive in the mail is valuable to them. Experian even reports that 67% of Millennials see physical mail as more personal than email.

USPS may not deliver mail to your home if they cannot access your mailbox for some reason, if the weather conditions are too hazardous, or if there is an animal that makes it potentially unsafe for the mail carrier to approach the mailbox.

A vehicle may be parked in front of it, or a fallen tree limb, a huge pile of snow, or some other object could be blocking the way. In rural areas, the delivery can be stopped if there is no safe road to your property.

Direct Mail Offers More Chances of Engagement

Because it's less common and more personal, people are more likely to remember direct mail pieces they've received over a longer period of time.

Overall, the DMA found that direct mail's response rates are actually anywhere from 10 to 30 times higher than that of digital. It notes that consumers, overwhelmed by inboxes cluttered with unsolicited marketing emails, are more receptive to direct mail, which arrives on a much less-cluttered channel.

Early industry data from Competiscan shows direct marketers mailed more than 6.5 billion pieces in Q4 2023 – a slight decrease of 3.3% from Q3 2023. This brings 2023's total marketing direct mail volume to 28.4 billion* pieces.