Why Direct Mail Marketing is STILL An Effective Option

Traditional marketing has recently been pushed aside when it comes to marketing strategies small businesses are interested in – but these strategies are still powerful tools. Direct mail marketing is still one of the top performing marketing strategies out there. Here’s why your small business should consider creating a direct mail marketing campaign.

What is Direct Mail Marketing?

Direct mail marketing includes all the postage a business can send out to their target audience. This includes postcards, catalogs, coupons, and more. 

Interesting Statistics from the USPS:

“Is direct mail marketing actually popular? Who actually likes getting mail?” A surprising amount of people love getting mail! According to a recent USPS study, boomers prefer direct mail over any other marketing communication method. 

Not only that, but 72% of Gen Z would be disappointed if they stopped receiving mail, and are actually excited to see what has come in the mail every day. 33% of Gen Z participants said they are more likely to make a purchase if they receive promotional content in the mail.

While millennials are the generation that prefer email marketing the most, their second preferred communication method is direct mail. They also have the strongest positive sentiments toward direct mail.

What Can Direct Mail Marketing Assist With?

Direct mail marketing is the perfect option if you are trying to build brand awareness for your small business, and if you are trying to target a very specific audience.

Example: The Seasoned Marketer created postcards to send out to new small businesses in the area. Our goal is to not only congratulate these S.O.B.’s for their new business and exciting future, but to also introduce them to our hub of marketing resources. The postcards include handwritten messages from either of us – which is a stronger sentiment than an ad or an email saying congrats.

Can Direct Mail Marketing Reach A NICHE Audience?

With developments in technology, most people believe that the best way to reach a very specific audience is to create digital ads. This is not the only way to target your niche audience. Direct mail marketing has the potential to target a very specific audience, especially if you work with a printer company. 

You can narrow down who will receive your direct mail by: location (i.e. 10 mile radius from location), age, family status (i.e. do they have kids or are they DINK’s), where they are in the family cycle (i.e. empty nesters vs newly married), financial level, education level, sex, gender, and even more.

Example: We worked with Barrow County Farmer’s Market to send out postcards relating to their fall festival event. We sent these postcards specifically to families (with children) within a 10 mile radius of the location. 

Before you write off direct mail marketing as an outdated marketing strategy – consider what goals you are trying to achieve with your marketing campaign. There is a strong possibility that direct mail marketing can help your small business reach these goals easier than any other strategy.

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