For years, the answer to that was easy: direct mail was good old, USPS delivered letters and postcards. These days, there isn't a single "one-size-fits-all" answer as to what exactly constitutes it. Truth be told, the definition of direct mail seems to change every day.
Now that it's no longer limited to the USPS, direct mail today can also be email, a text message, an instant message, a Facebook post, or any of a number of different kinds of social media communiques, from chat room interaction to a wiki entry.
The method of delivery for direct mail is important, sure. (And we'll go into the pros and cons of direct mail media below.) But even more important is distinguishing between direct mail and display advertising. Ads placed on the side of a website, and in an actual physical newspaper, are not directed towards anyone; they are billboards hoping frantically to catch anyone's attention that happens to glance over. Conversely, direct mail marketing focuses on speaking to people, treating them as individuals and getting as specific as possible.
In the best of worlds, an all-around marketing approach that includes both traditional and new media may be the wise choice. What follows is a short checklist that could offer advice about where to direct your efforts:
USPS Direct Mail Advantages
* Less annoying: Prospects may disdain 'junk mail,' (at least when it comes at the wrong times) but they hate spam more;
*More engagement: It's more tactile, people can touch, see, even sometimes smell, a colorful mailer, which better captivates their attention;
*Better lists: Because direct mail has been around longer, you'll likely have better access to solid lists, as opposed to email lists that are collected online.
Disadvantages
* Cost: Design, printing, postage and list costs could get steep, compared to cheap-as-dirt email;
* Response rate: The typical response rate for direct mail is 1 to 2 percent. It's not unheard of today to beat that response through targeted email;
* Not earth friendly: DM produces a waste stream which is not recycled, in many cases.
Email/Text messages Pros:
*Cheap: Even if response rates are small, you're talking less loss than an investment in a printed DM campaign;
* Quick: Not only can recipients receive email as quickly as you can send them, replies can just as quickly come back to you;
* Flexible: You can alter headlines, boost offers, even totally change the whole email in a moment, then resend in minutes. With printed DM, that process would take days
Cons
*Will they open it or even see it? Thanks to spam protection, it's hard to know. People are more reluctant to open messages even from companies they've done business with before.
*Lists: Decent email lists are hard to come by; you never know how good they are beforehand. But this is a problem with regular print mail, as well. Pick your mailing company wisely.
*Be careful: The CAN-SPAM law is of the highest importance. The general rule is you can't email to any recipient who hasn't given their thumbs-up to it, even if that approval was to a third party.
What's the take-away from all this? Do your homework. Then choose the medium -- or media -- which is right for your campaign.
Now that it's no longer limited to the USPS, direct mail today can also be email, a text message, an instant message, a Facebook post, or any of a number of different kinds of social media communiques, from chat room interaction to a wiki entry.
The method of delivery for direct mail is important, sure. (And we'll go into the pros and cons of direct mail media below.) But even more important is distinguishing between direct mail and display advertising. Ads placed on the side of a website, and in an actual physical newspaper, are not directed towards anyone; they are billboards hoping frantically to catch anyone's attention that happens to glance over. Conversely, direct mail marketing focuses on speaking to people, treating them as individuals and getting as specific as possible.
In the best of worlds, an all-around marketing approach that includes both traditional and new media may be the wise choice. What follows is a short checklist that could offer advice about where to direct your efforts:
USPS Direct Mail Advantages
* Less annoying: Prospects may disdain 'junk mail,' (at least when it comes at the wrong times) but they hate spam more;
*More engagement: It's more tactile, people can touch, see, even sometimes smell, a colorful mailer, which better captivates their attention;
*Better lists: Because direct mail has been around longer, you'll likely have better access to solid lists, as opposed to email lists that are collected online.
Disadvantages
* Cost: Design, printing, postage and list costs could get steep, compared to cheap-as-dirt email;
* Response rate: The typical response rate for direct mail is 1 to 2 percent. It's not unheard of today to beat that response through targeted email;
* Not earth friendly: DM produces a waste stream which is not recycled, in many cases.
Email/Text messages Pros:
*Cheap: Even if response rates are small, you're talking less loss than an investment in a printed DM campaign;
* Quick: Not only can recipients receive email as quickly as you can send them, replies can just as quickly come back to you;
* Flexible: You can alter headlines, boost offers, even totally change the whole email in a moment, then resend in minutes. With printed DM, that process would take days
Cons
*Will they open it or even see it? Thanks to spam protection, it's hard to know. People are more reluctant to open messages even from companies they've done business with before.
*Lists: Decent email lists are hard to come by; you never know how good they are beforehand. But this is a problem with regular print mail, as well. Pick your mailing company wisely.
*Be careful: The CAN-SPAM law is of the highest importance. The general rule is you can't email to any recipient who hasn't given their thumbs-up to it, even if that approval was to a third party.
What's the take-away from all this? Do your homework. Then choose the medium -- or media -- which is right for your campaign.
About the Author:
Want to find out more about direct mail and email campaingns, then visit Commercial Letter to see some great examples of integrated campaigns.
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