The ever constant debate between email and direct mail continues. Each side has their supporters with unique positions and arguing points. While there is a time and place for both, which one is truly the most effective? While technology has changed the direct marketing industry, direct mail isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Direct mail is an effective way to get leads to visit a webpage, encourage customers to buy online, or collect information (including email addresses!) from people. Here are some reasons why direct mail is king over email.
Inbox Overload
Think about it. How many emails do you get in a day?
Next question: How many do you actually read in a day?
The fact is most of us get more emails than we want to read, so the majority of them end up in the digital trashcan. In fact, the delivery rate for email is about 50%. With abandoned email addresses, unreliable list data and spam filters that are becoming more rigid with each passing day, its hard for your email to even make it into their inbox. If the email does then make it to the reader’s mailbox, there is a slim chance that it will actually get read. Our inboxes are overloaded with personal communication, updates, news, and offers. While these may be great, we simply don’t have the desire to click on each and every email. Your marketing message could be sitting at the bottom of a long list of ignored emails. When your prospects finally get around to their inbox they’re likely to just “Select All” and “Delete.”
So what makes direct mail different.
Let’s start with the delivery rate for direct mail. 98% of direct mail gets into the hands of their intended recipient. One big hurdle is passed because they will actually see your message in the first place.
Personal Touch
The average office worker receives 121 business emails a day.
Then there are over 100 personal emails that land in the average consumer’s inbox each week.
Compare that with the 16 pieces of physical mail the average household receives each week and it’s no wonder why direct mail stands out. However, how do you get your mail past the garbage shoot? Direct mail has the unique ability to connect with your clients on a personal level. With a strong sales pitch, you’ll walk right into their home, sit down at their dining room table and pitch your product with expertise that only you can deliver. Oversized mailers, personalization, die-cuts, colored envelopes, emboss, and more makes the ways to get noticed limitless.
You can’t achieve the same results with email.
In an age of multitasking, computer users are too distracted. That’s one reason why unsolicited emails get such little attention. Direct mail is all about talking directly to your prospects. Direct mail allows you to step right into prospects’ lives as soon as they open the piece.
Increased Trust
Nearly 3 in 5 consumers say they actually enjoy receiving postal mail from brands about new products.This compares to 43% who say the same about email. Why is this?
Well, 56% of consumers believe printed marketing to be the “most trustworthy” of media channels.
This isn’t surprising when email has the bad rep of being informal and spammy. You can’t get a virus from opening printed mail. With increased technology comes an increased concern for privacy. Hackers are constantly breaking into seemingly secure sites. Identity theft is a problem and people trust electronic communication less and less. Phishing scams are common and people don’t trust fancy emails with multiple attachments. This caution works to the detriment of your email sales message. Direct mail doesn’t have this problem. You can attach as many things as you want without setting off alarms. Plus, added details are seen as bonuses instead of red flags. Your direct mail piece would be trusted a lot more than a suspiciously fancy email.
New York Marketing offers proven expertise to produce dynamic direct mail programs. We stress exceptional service, responsiveness, quality, attention to detail, with significant cost-efficiency. When it comes to impeccable quality products, extremely knowledgable insight, and incredible service, look to us.
