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Direct Mail Can be More Effective When Used in Conjunction with E-Mail
Washington might be trying to tell us that the economy is on solid footing, but the underlying economic data suggests otherwise. And by that, I mean jobs data and housing numbers have been disappointing and wages are flat. I’m not trying to paint a doom-and-gloom picture; I’m just saying that it’s tough out there.
And no matter what industry you’re in, everyone could use a little help when it comes to acquiring new customers and business in 2014. One of the best ways to connect with potential customers is with one-to-one communications—direct mail marketing.
But in the evolving, fast-paced world of technology and communication, it’s important to remember that some of the most effective direct mail marketing campaigns do not take an all-or-nothing approach. When it comes to reaching prospective customers, a multipronged approach might work best.
Industry studies show that marketing campaigns that integrate e-mail with physical mail generate a higher overall return on investment (ROI) than e-mail or direct mail campaigns do on their own.
Broken down, direct mail yields one of the highest response rates at 4.4%, compared to other methods, such as e-mail (0.12%), paid searches (0.22%), and display ads (0.04%). That said, a direct mail marketing campaign can be even more effective when used in conjunction with e-mail marketing.
That’s because each communication avenue plays on different strengths. People don’t just love getting physical mail—they also trust it; consumers rate direct mail highest for being trustworthy (56%) and authoritative (56%). On top of that, almost half of consumers (48%) say they open a direct mail piece if it is personally addressed to them, while a whopping 41% will throw a direct mail piece away unopened if it isn’t.
Direct mail also gets results: 79% of consumers say they act on direct mail immediately, compared to only 45% who say they deal with e-mail straightaway. That doesn’t mean businesses should forsake e-mail marketing campaigns, as e-mail scores highest for being easy to respond to at 67%.
The ease of e-mails is both its strength and weakness. On one hand, e-mails are interactive and easy to send and share. But e-mails are also easy to purge; one-quarter of all consumers delete e-mail messages from a sender they do not recognize, and e-mails that are obvious marketing pieces get deleted by 17% of recipients. The reverse is also true: an e-mail received by a recognized brand gets opened right away by 15% of people.
If you have an online presence, a multipronged marketing campaign is a must. More consumers respond to a direct mailing piece (44%) by going to a brand’s web site to find out more about their products and services than by using a search engine (34%) like Google for the same purpose.
By incorporating both a direct mail and e-mail marketing campaign, brands can simultaneously reduce expenses and increase response rates. A multi-channeled direct mail marketing campaign also enhances brand awareness; the more recognizable a brand’s name and logo are, the more likely a potential customer is to respond to them.
When it comes to getting the highest response and ROI, direct mail and e-mail are the perfect combination.
With access to over 70,000 lists, Macromark is one of the largest postal mail and e-mail list brokers in the country. The company specializes in providing its customers with targeted and relevant consumer and business lists they can use for prospecting, lead generation, and direct marketing sales.
Whether you’re looking for direct marketing options or new multimedia business solutions, Macromark has the right information, staff, and tools to help your business in whatever capacity it needs. For more information, contact us at (845) 230-6300, e-mail us at sales@macromark.com, or check out our web site at www.macromark.com.
Source:
“From letterbox to inbox: Building customer relationships,” Direct Marketing Association web site, 2013; http://dma.org.uk/sites/default/files/tookit_files/print_tracking_2013_report.pdf.
David Klein
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