The Surprising Facts About Direct Mail Response Rates

Today, the world of business is more crowded than ever before. After all, the internet has turned every field into a global market, which means that competition is fiercer than ever. You not only have to stand out in your local area, but on the national scene as welland online to truly take your company as far as possible. Marketing remains one of the foundations of success for business, and for many, that means that you need to take time and focusing on internet marketing campaigns. But what about direct mail? The fact is, that many companies still rely on this type of marketing – and you should too.

Direct mail – sending correspondence directly to the home of a potential client or customer – is often seen as something of a relic of an older time. After all, it takes little time or money to quickly type up an email and send it to that same customer. And there’s a strong perception that since the world is going digital, that digital, it must means that digital marketing is more effective as well.

But when you look at direct mail response rates, you might be surprised. Here’s two numbers to consider.

• Direct mail has a 4.4% response rate from consumers who receive mailings.
• Email marketing has a 0.12% response rate.

Notice anything? The numbers don’t lie – direct mail has a huge lead over email marketing. The reasons are numerous, but it often comes down to a couple of things. For one, direct mail seems more personable. Remember above when we mentioned that it only takes a second to type out an email? Customers know that, and it’s also easy to make one mouse click and throw that email in the digital trash. Receiving direct mail helps them feel like you’re more invested in attracting their attention, which means that they respond better.

Additionally, direct mail services allow you to offer useful real world items. Sure, a digital coupon might seem attractive. But with direct mail you can send out something like a small notepad or calendar – something your client will actually use, and that will remind them of your company.

All in all, there’s no denying that a good business will focus on all types of marketing – digital as well as physical. But it’s important that you don’t let the perception that digital is the only option rule your marketing plan. The truth is much, much different.