Direct mail works.

When I speak to prospective clients, I'm often surprised at how few consider printed postal mail as part of their customer acquisition strategy. Most think only of email because it seems to be easier and more efficient, but that's not always necessarily true. So I generally invest the time to help them see the value of multi-channel direct outreach.

Generally, it's understood that postal mail is more expensive than email. Paper, printing, postage, sorting, and inserting cost more than clicking Send.

But it's ignorant to think of marketing as an expense that needs to be minimized. Businesses should invest more money in the marketing methods that drives more profit, no matter the cost. Most understand that it's better to spend $1k to make $5k than to spend $100 to make $150, all things being equal.

The keys to direct mail success are similar to those of email marketing success. In ranked priority, these keys are:

1. Quality of your database. It must be a permission-based opt-in list and never purchased or leased. It should have as many data fields as possible. The more you know about your prospects, the better you can segment your audiences with customized and relevant messages.
2. Quality of your CTA (or offer). This is about relevance and value. Your offer or call to action can be more relevant and valuable when you know more about your audience. Obviously, this is again linked to the quality of your database.
3. Timing and frequency of your message. Data quality comes in once again. Learn about your audiences' seasonality, peaks, and macro environmental factors. This knowledge may help you to know when to reach out to them and how often.
4. Design, attractiveness, and readability of your message. This should be obvious, but it's not. Attractiveness is also subjective, but you should invest the time and resources in compelling copywriting and graphics. Typos and errors are unacceptable. Read it, re-read it, get a second set of eyes.
5. How you follow up. If your sales and marketing teams are well aligned, you can schedule your email to be followed by a printed mail piece and then followed up with an outbound sales call. If you have a natural and timely series of touches, your prospects should be more receptive and knowledgeable when you reach out.

When email AND postal mail are coordinated in the same campaign, response rates can be exponentially higher than email alone. It's notable that 68% of marketers say their email+direct mail combo campaigns drive higher traffic to their website.

Consider the additive value of printed direct mail as a supplement to email:

• 90% of direct mail gets opened. 20% of email gets opened. 40% of consumers say they have at least 50 unread emails in their inbox. 57% abandoned their email addresses because they receive too much marketing material. Therefore, the common user behavior with mass promotional email is: Select all >>> Delete. Done.
• On average, Americans receive 605 emails and 16.8 pieces of mail every week. That means that for every 36 emails we receive, we get one card/envelope in our mailbox.
• 75% of people can recall a brand from seeing a direct mail piece compared with 44% who just saw a digital ad. Printed mail is interruptive, tactile, and engaging. 39% of consumers try a brand for the first time because of a direct mail piece they received.

The list of proof points goes on, but the summary message is that direct mail works. So does email. When combined, the one-two delivery of a relevant message and compelling offer to a qualified audience can be wonderfully effective and profitable.