Direct Mail Trends in the USA


Last week, Forbes published the article “An Appreciation For An Old Friend: Direct Mail” by Steve Olenski, CMO Network.

What makes it interesting to us is that the US experience is something we’ve experienced in Australia as well – many companies that have gravitated to virtual reality, digital ads and boosted social posts as advertising tactics are finding they don’t yield the same results as traditional marketing strategies.

The article cites some interesting statistics and a case study, which is worth reading in full (see our link to the original article below).

In the US, the thriving direct mail is a $44.2B industry, due to its effectiveness at customer engagement and conversion, especially when compared to other forms of advertising tactics.

US advertisers spend $167 per person on direct mail to earn $2,095 worth of goods sold – in other words, enjoy a 1300% ROI. The response rate to direct mail pieces is much higher at 3.7% compared to 2% for mobile, 1% for email, 1% for social media and 0.2% for Internet Display.

For brands looking to target millenials (those born between 1980-1995), InfoTrends research shows that US millenials, although glued to their smartphones, prefer direct mail (38%) to email marketing (26%). The US Postal Service found that 47% of millennials check their physical mailbox each day and they spend more time going through the mail they receive, including direct mail marketing material.

The key to a successful direct mail campaign is adding a call to action that prompt the recipient to do something, typically within a limited time frame, says Steve Olenski. Coupons are still a successful tactic in the US, with 93% of shoppers surveyed by Valassis saying they use coupons from the mail during 2018.

Read the original article: An Appreciation For An Old Friend: Direct Mail