Direct Mail – The Missing Link In Your Marketing Strategy

I can almost hear you through the screen “Direct Mail? Are you kidding me?” You’d think this marketing channel would be a thing of the past, but you’d be wrong and let me explain why.

It’s no secret that the population is increasingly aging and that these over ‘60s still enjoy picking up a newspaper, a paperback book, and even a letter! In fact, it’s noted that over 54 % of the North American population aged 56 and over still mails out their check payments (1). Seniors aged 65+ send and receive an average of 3.1 pieces of mail like greeting cards and letters per week (2) and still loves ordering from mail order catalogs. And if we compare direct mail and email, American households (all age groups) open around 90% of the direct mail they receive and open only 20-30% of the emails they receive. (3)

Direct mail remains the most effective way to reach the exact targeted audience you know will be interested in your brand. Whether you are selling a natural supplement, a geriatric device or something to make seniors’ lives easier, direct mail continues to be the best way to reach this aging demographic. Not only is it the most detailed for targeted marketing, but also the most transparent for conversions and consumer behavior. 

Get precise reporting for your campaign

With Direct Mail, we can accurately report exactly who received your advertising and what percentage response you received from each source file. We know how many of those responders actually convert which allows us to calculate the exact ROI per lead source. We also know that the most successful lead sources will almost certainly convert at the same rate they did on the first test run, which is fabulous for projections of future spending and profit margins. 

Direct mail buyers are also very likely to repeat buy from your company catalogs and respond very well to back-end marketing efforts such as online retargeting, email marketing, direct mail loyalty letters and rewards programs.

Always be testing your creative

We also use direct mail effectively for testing creatives, determining which designs, pricing, and copy will attract the most buyers. It allows us to use the same variables when establishing online marketing and branding strategies. In the end, today’s competitive market requires a mutli-channel approach to your branding and marketing strategy and we believe that direct mail should definitely be included in that strategy if you are marketing products for the over 60 demographic.

Keeping your ecological footprint low

You may be concerned about the environmental issues associated with so much print and paper, but actually, today’s leaders in printing use 100% recycled paper most of the time. Moreover, 42% of North American households recycle religiously and another 38% do so as often as possible. (4) So, all told, very little paper is actually wasted.

The takeaway?

Direct mail was, and continues to be, an integral part of a well-rounded marketing strategy. At C2U Marketing, we have developed, tested, analyzed and ultimately, mastered this strategy.

Reach out to us today and let us take your business, product or idea to the next level.

1. https://www.aciworldwide.com/news-and-events/press-releases/2017/january/americans-pay-more-than-half-of-their-bills-online
2. https://www.uspsoig.gov/sites/default/files/document-library-files/2018/RARC-WP-18-004.pdf
3. https://www.smallbizgenius.net/by-the-numbers/direct-mail-statistics/
4. https://www.statista.com/statistics/695426/americans-participating-in-recycling-in-the-united-states/