Question: What marketing tool do these companies have in common?
1. JP Morgan, Chase & Company
2. Citigroup
3. Sprint/Nextel
4. Discover Financial Network
5. The American Red Cross
They are the Top 5 direct mailers in the United States so far in 2012. The ranking is not based on total mail volume (because that is generally not reported by direct mailers) but on sales, revenue and fundraising data gathered from public sources. Still experts say a fairly accurate direct mail budget can be extrapolated out from this data and, while down from the peak year of 2007, is almost certainly in the hundreds of millions of dollars for each company or organization on the list. All of this spent on a medium that has endured more eulogies than endorsements the past few years.
But the list proves that direct mail continues to be very effective. For these are companies which cannot be written off as stupid. It includes several of the most intelligent and forward-thinking companies who believe in direct marketing. These marketing pros know how to test and track response, and they leverage direct mail because it gives them that response.
That's not to say direct mail hasn't changed or adapted itself to emerging media, because it has. In fact, one of the chief reasons for direct mail's continued relevancy is its now-complete integration with online media, strategy and tactics. For example, direct mailers have learned to create combined direct mail/email campaigns that work together in a complementary way to increase response - and purchase. In fact, whole white papers have been written laying out just how to coordinate the two media for optimal results. Almost certainly the Top 5 direct mailers this year have adopted this approach, which has breathed new life into USPS-delivered mail.
So the next time you hear a so-called expert say that direct mail is dead, just recall that the companies listed above are far from corpses. Instead, they are gaining new life from direct mail!
1. JP Morgan, Chase & Company
2. Citigroup
3. Sprint/Nextel
4. Discover Financial Network
5. The American Red Cross
They are the Top 5 direct mailers in the United States so far in 2012. The ranking is not based on total mail volume (because that is generally not reported by direct mailers) but on sales, revenue and fundraising data gathered from public sources. Still experts say a fairly accurate direct mail budget can be extrapolated out from this data and, while down from the peak year of 2007, is almost certainly in the hundreds of millions of dollars for each company or organization on the list. All of this spent on a medium that has endured more eulogies than endorsements the past few years.
But the list proves that direct mail continues to be very effective. For these are companies which cannot be written off as stupid. It includes several of the most intelligent and forward-thinking companies who believe in direct marketing. These marketing pros know how to test and track response, and they leverage direct mail because it gives them that response.
That's not to say direct mail hasn't changed or adapted itself to emerging media, because it has. In fact, one of the chief reasons for direct mail's continued relevancy is its now-complete integration with online media, strategy and tactics. For example, direct mailers have learned to create combined direct mail/email campaigns that work together in a complementary way to increase response - and purchase. In fact, whole white papers have been written laying out just how to coordinate the two media for optimal results. Almost certainly the Top 5 direct mailers this year have adopted this approach, which has breathed new life into USPS-delivered mail.
So the next time you hear a so-called expert say that direct mail is dead, just recall that the companies listed above are far from corpses. Instead, they are gaining new life from direct mail!
About the Author:
Want to find out more about direct mail in an email world? Then visit the website for Commercial Letter to learn how to get the most from both media.
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