Is This The End For Direct Mail Marketing?

Direct mail is one of the oldest forms of advertising and for good reason. People enjoy getting mail, and if correctly done there’s something quite rsonal about it. However, the advent of the internet – social media especially - opened host of other effective and much cheaper forms of marketing.

Does this then spell the end for direct mail marketing?

As it stands today, the answer is no.

Throughout history, people claimed new technological advances will make their predecessors obsolete. While in some cases this has proved to be true (the computer has wiped out the typewriter, for instance), if old ideas still have a purpose and a place they can continue to thrive.

For example, people said that the television would wipe out the radio and the cinema. But we can’t watch television while we drive, and few of us can fit a cinema sized screen in our living rooms. Some even predicted that the invention of the radio would be the end of the newspaper.

One of the advantages that direct mail has over other forms of advertising and marketing is that it allows companies to supply sample products. No matter how convincing and enticing an email or television advertisement might be; you can’t smell that perfume or taste that chocolate bar.

What’s more, if you employ a mailing fulfilment company to distribute your mail for you, direct mail can be a very simple form of marketing.

Mailing fulfillment companies can execute ecommerce fulfilment (if you’re selling goods online) yet they can also carry out a full direct mail campaign to attract new customers and reward existing customers with loyalty programs.

Many mailing fulfillment and ecommerce fulfilment companies can even produce the marketing material for you. All you need to do is supply the details of those you wish to target.

Are there disadvantages to direct mail marketing?

A few – as there are with all forms of advertising and marketing.

First, you can never target everyone with the same campaign. Direct mail marketing has been around for many years, and lots of people are bored with it. Those who aren’t interested will simply place the mail in the recycling bin.

To reach the best success rate, you need your direct mail to be designed properly and properly targeted.

However, even the most experienced mailing fulfillment company in the world will be unable to please everyone – so you need to accept that many of the mail shots you send out will simply be ignored.

Many people think that direct mail is also bad for the environment, and it’s for this reason that its usage dropped over the years.

Using recycled materials is one way to get around this.

If you employ a mailing fulfillment company, simply ask the firm if they can use recycled materials – if not, source your own.

It’s also a wise idea to adorn the exterior of your mail with a clear message that states it’s made from recycled paper. This could entice someone who would usually put the envelope straight in the recycling themselves to open and read it, since they now see you as an ethical company and are more likely to be interested in your product or service.

In retrospect, it is not the end of direct mail – not today anyway.

Despite its age, if used correctly direct mail continues to be a highly effective form of marketing that should not be discounted by those with the financial resources to employ it.

Peter T. Britton,

Resultant

PTB@novuscom.net