Direct Mail Effectiveness
8. 42.2% of direct mail recipients either read or scan the mail they get.
(Data & Marketing Association)
When you send a marketing message, you obviously want people to see it. Email might be cheaper, but it’s easily ignored. Direct mail will, on the other hand, get read, or at least scanned by your target audience. The Data & Marketing Association, formerly known as the Direct Mail Marketing Association, reveals that 42.2% of direct mail recipients go through the material you send. Only 22.8% say they don’t read it at all.
9. Advertising mail is kept in a household for 17 days on average.
(Mailmen)
If you were wondering why direct mail works, here’s your answer. Direct mail stats show that people tend to throw out advertising mail after 17 days. This gives all members of the household plenty of time to review it and take action.
10. 60% of catalog recipients visit the website of the company that mailed them the catalog.
(United States Postal Service)
Consumers are very likely to visit a website after discovering a product in a catalog. Modern shoppers turn to the internet for further product information, but what produces the spark that makes them visit a website? In many cases it’s flipping through a good old catalog, according to direct mail statistics published by the US Postal Service.
11. 44.4% of merchants upped catalog circulation last year.
(DMA)
Retailers understand that catalogs boost website traffic in addition to raising brand awareness and increasing conversion rates. That’s why almost half of them increased the number of catalogs they sent out last year.
12. Direct mail recipients purchased 28% more items and spent 28% more money than people who didn’t get that piece of direct mail.
(United States Postal Service)
By keeping a piece of direct mail in a household for days on end, consumers are constantly reminded of the product you are advertising. This makes them more prone to visit your website or brick-and-mortar business and make a purchase. With a direct mail conversion rate of 28%, this marketing method is definitely worth a shot.
13. 73% of American consumers say they prefer being contacted by brands via direct mail because they can read it whenever they want.
(Epsilon)
Leads love to be nurtured. Consumers like having a relationship with their favorite brands, but not based on the brand’s marketing schedule. For example, they hate it when they’re browsing the web and all of a sudden an ad appears. They want to be able to learn what’s new with the brand they support at their own convenience. Epsilon’s direct mail marketing statistics show that the majority of US consumers prefer direct mail as a method of communication with their favorite brands because they can review it when they see fit.
14. Direct mail offers a 29% return on investment.
(Marketing Charts)
The US Postal Service implemented new, slightly higher postage rates in January 2019. Even with the current postal rates, direct mail marketing provides a strong return on marketing investment. In fact, it matches the ROI of social media marketing efforts. Direct mail stats published by Marketing Charts show that direct mail brings a 29% ROI while social media has a 30% ROI.
15. 50.9% of recipients say they find postcards useful.
(Data & Marketing Association)
Their small size makes them stand out in a mailbox, and the fact they don’t come in an envelope means virtually all postcards get read. Combine this with DMA’s stat that half of consumers find postcards useful and you’ll understand why postcard marketing is arguably the most effective direct mail method available.
16. Consumers aged 45-54 are the demographic group most likely to respond to direct mail pieces.
(Data & Marketing Association)
The key to any successful marketing campaign is knowing who to target and where. Just as you wouldn’t advertise a steak restaurant using a vegetarian restaurant’s mailing list, you also need to know which demographic group responds to which marketing method. Individuals aged 45-54 have the highest direct mail response rate: 14.1%. This makes them a much better target audience than members of Generation Z, who are more reachable via social media platforms like Snapchat.