Direct Mail in the Digital Age: Essential Ammunition

As the digital age continues to progress at the speed of light, bringing with it new ways to market seemingly any type of product, the average eye may foresee direct mail marketing to be a thing of the past. This, however, as the data itself proves, could not be further from the case. Direct mail marketing campaigns have not only stood the test of time in delivering unparalleled results for brands and organizations of all sizes, but thanks to these emerging technologies, is being reinforced and leveraged in new ways to enhance the customer experience, and ultimately produce valuable insights and overwhelmingly remunerative results. Direct mail is no longer the lone agent it once was, but a key asset to a new type of campaign, serving as a powerhouse omnichannel marketing enabler.

The Answer to Combatting the Increase in Digital Fatigue

Between e-blasts, social media ads, retargeting and the like, consumers are inundated with non-stop digital noise. In an increasingly saturated space, it is becoming near impossible for brands to stay in the fight for the attention of their end user employing digital tactics alone. Never mind their trust. In steps direct mail to save the day. 87% of surveyed consumers trust the direct mail they receive (Royal Mail Market Reach, Neuro-Insight 2018) with a 66% open rate and 82% of pieces opened read for a minute or more (Infotrends 2015). 71% of consumers also feel that direct mail delivers a more personable experience than online digital communication (USPS Delivers 2020/21) resulting in a more intimate connection to the brand. This increase in trust and attention has the power to inspire greater action from the customer. 25% of those that have received direct mail marketing within the past 12 months have gone on to convert, resulting in a year over year increase in gross revenue by 16.09% for companies utilizing this tactic (ANA Presentation, 2022). While these numbers undoubtedly hold strong, there is no arguing that most businesses would not survive without a digital presence, or the accessibility and reach that digital marketing provides. Imagine a world in which direct mail wasn’t the adversary of digital tactics, but added ammunition in developing a versatile, powerhouse strategy that seamlessly cuts through, builds trust and converts in measures that neither strategy could without the other. Let us introduce you to Interactive Direct Mail. The evolved solution for omnichannel marketing in the digital age. This omnichannel method proves the most favorable ROI, higher in fact by 112% (ANA Response Rate Report, 2021) versus its closest rivals being SMS (102%), e-mail (93%) and paid search (88%).

Interactive Direct Mail: Omnichannel Strategy, Endless Opportunities, Outstanding Results

Consumers, when provided with the opportunity to connect with a brand on a unified channel of their choice, not only feel they are in the driver seat of their relationship with a brand, but have shown an increased long-term value of 232% over those given a single channel for connection. Interactive Direct mail is particularly conducive to omnichannel marketing as it can provide consumers with seamless access to aligned content on a platform of their choice. When powered by Augmented Reality, it can then take this to the next level with mail list synchronization delivering exceptional brand experiences through unique WebAR QR codes that serve consumer bespoke content, calls to action and even landing pages via PURLs. These same unique WebAR QR codes can even supply geo-related content and calls to action specific to a region where the mail piece was scanned from, and even support social sharing, digital retargeting and automated communication functionality. Augmented Reality has been shown to deliver 1.9x the visual attention and 70% more memory encoding than non-AR interactions, resulting in an engaging and memorable brand experience for consumers. Last but definitely not least; Interactive Direct Mail has been shown to increase response rates to as high as 35% (PI World); which along with USPS’s support through their Emerging and Advanced Technology Promotion. This clearly shows that this highly evolved version of direct mail is here to stay for the long term – and rightfully so. All this from a direct mail piece! READ MORE about Interactive Print & Direct Mail – The New Hero in Omnichannel Marketing.

The Cost-Effective Path to Higher, More Predictable ROI

With increasing popularity and market saturation, costs of digital performance media channels are  continuing to increase. TikTok is leading the charge with an 185% YOY increase, and with this the industry is seeing a 25% swing from consumers back towards direct mail as the marketing channel of choice. This, coupled with the forecasted drop in growth of US Marketing Spend lends itself favorably to marketers continuing to shift spending from more expensive digital channels to direct mail that is capable of providing a higher, more predictable ROI (Spend Analysis, 2023). Plus, businesses are able to further conserve their marketing budget by capitalizing on the multiple promotions offered by the United States Postal Service. For example, the USPS 2023 Tactile, Sensory, and Interactive Promotion allowed for businesses to receive a discount up to 5% on eligible postage by incorporating one or more mailer treatments that create a multisensory experience for the customer. Learn About the USPS 2023 TSI Promotion. American Litho’s Opti-channel platform, Amerlytics, allows companies to track their multi-channel responses across direct and digital landscapes to gain a big-picture view of the ROI each campaign is generating in real time. Contact us today to see learn more about how Amerlytics can help your company cut through the noise and develop effective retargeting and response models through real-time tracking.

Contact American Litho to create your next direct mail marketing campaign today

At the end of the day, the stats speak for themselves. Direct mail is effective, reliable, and here to stay. American Litho is here for all of your direct mail needs. We have been rated a Top 5 US Direct Mail Print & Digital Communications Company by PI World and leverage our professional experience and industry knowledge to deliver award-winning strategies that produce unparalleled returns. Connect with us today to unleash the power of direct mail marketing for your brand and take your campaigns to new heights. Let’s Talk! Share a few details below.