Six Statistics That Underscore the Benefits of Direct Mail

In the digital age, marketers naturally shift their attention and resources to channels like email, social media, and search engines. But it would be a costly mistake to exclude direct mail methods from your marketing strategy.

Six Things to Know about Direct Mail

If you’re on the fence about direct mail marketing – or haven’t considered it at all, here are six direct mail stats you need to know before launching your next campaign.

70% of Americans think direct mail is more personal than email

You don’t need to be a marketer to know the importance of personalization. Hyper-targeted marketing materials have a much higher chance of converting readers into customers. And, according to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), most Americans consider physical mail to be more personal than digital mail.

Direct Mail Has a 17-Day Lifespan

Direct mail has a knack for sticking around on your kitchen counter. Per a study by Go Inspire Group, direct mail has a shelf-life of 17 days. A longer lifespan means more opportunities for conversion. On the other hand, emails typically survive long enough to garner only a quick glance (2 seconds, per the same study).

79% of Consumers Find Reading Physical Mail More Convenient

As long as you have a smartphone, your email inbox is accessible at just about any point in time. So, one would think reading emails would be more convenient than reading direct mail. However, one USPS study found that 79% of consumers prefer the convenience of reading direct mail compared to emails.

Direct Mail Campaigns Generate 5x Larger Purchases than Email

Another Go Inspire Group study created a hybrid direct mail and email campaign and targeted 240,000 random U.K. consumers, who were segmented into three groups. One received an email, the second received direct mail, and the third received both. The results? The group that received both ads earned the most, realizing over £6 per customer. That said, the direct mail group generated five times as much revenue per customer (£5) as the email group (£1).

79% of Consumers Immediately Act on Direct Mail

Even though emails are practically instantaneous, they don’t necessarily drive immediate action. According to a DMA report, only 45% of consumers act on email ads immediately, which is much lower than direct mail’s 79%.

Adding Recipients’ Names Can Increase Response Rates by 135%

As Dale Carnegie so eloquently stated, “A person’s name is to him or her the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Direct mail campaigns specifically addressed to the recipient have a much higher chance of generating a response, according to the DMA. To accomplish this level of personalization, marketers can leverage advanced printing technology, like variable data printing (VDP), to produce customized postage.

Personalized, Targeted, Efficient: Direct Mail by Sepire

Keep these direct mail stats in mind when you plan your next marketing campaign. For instance, if your company would like to take advantage of VDP, we offer high-volume VDP with the ability to produce over 1 million full-color, fully personalized pieces per day. Personalization is the key to differentiating your brand from the advertising masses. Sepire can help. Let’s get in touch.

6 Direct Mail Statistics You Should Know before Launching Your Next Campaign