The answer was simple in the past: direct mail was good-old, traditional printed mail hand-delivered by the old-fashioned Post Office. These days, it seems there are no such easy answers when it comes to the definition of direct mail. Indeed, the answer seems to change daily.
Today, no longer joined at the hip with the Postal Service, direct mail can also be email, a text message, an instant message, a Facebook post, or any of a number of different kinds of communications on social media, from chat room chatter to a wiki update.
The means of delivery for direct mail is crucial, certainly. (And we'll examine the pros and cons of the different direct mail media in a bit.) But even more crucial is discerning between DM and display advertising. Website banner ads or in a printed news periodical don't speak to any one specifically, they are like highway billboards, waving wildly to passers-by. By contrast, direct mail focuses on talking to prospects directly, engaging them as individuals, and speaking as specifically as can be to them.
In a perfect world, a fully-realized marketing approach that includes both old and new media may be the way to go. Herewith, a brief summary that will help clarify your thinking regarding your options.
USPS Direct Mail Advantages
*Less annoying: People may dislike 'junk mail,' (at least when it comes at inopportune times) but they hate spam more;
* More involvement: Printed mail is tactile, attractive and can even smell good! All of which serves to command 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: Designing, printing, mailing and list costs are not cheap; email, by comparison, is cheap as dirt;
* 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 environmentally friendly: DM produces paper trash which is often not recycled.
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: Accurate email lists are difficult to source, and you can never be sure about them before you use them. But this is an issue with print mail, as well. So partner with a reputable list provider.
* Warning: The CAN-SPAM law should be held in the highest regard. The basic rule is you can't email to any prospect who hasn't given their approval, even if that approval was in response to another company not affiliated with you.
What's the bottom-line? Do your research, then choose either traditional or email media (or both), depending on your needs.
Today, no longer joined at the hip with the Postal Service, direct mail can also be email, a text message, an instant message, a Facebook post, or any of a number of different kinds of communications on social media, from chat room chatter to a wiki update.
The means of delivery for direct mail is crucial, certainly. (And we'll examine the pros and cons of the different direct mail media in a bit.) But even more crucial is discerning between DM and display advertising. Website banner ads or in a printed news periodical don't speak to any one specifically, they are like highway billboards, waving wildly to passers-by. By contrast, direct mail focuses on talking to prospects directly, engaging them as individuals, and speaking as specifically as can be to them.
In a perfect world, a fully-realized marketing approach that includes both old and new media may be the way to go. Herewith, a brief summary that will help clarify your thinking regarding your options.
USPS Direct Mail Advantages
*Less annoying: People may dislike 'junk mail,' (at least when it comes at inopportune times) but they hate spam more;
* More involvement: Printed mail is tactile, attractive and can even smell good! All of which serves to command 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: Designing, printing, mailing and list costs are not cheap; email, by comparison, is cheap as dirt;
* 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 environmentally friendly: DM produces paper trash which is often not recycled.
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: Accurate email lists are difficult to source, and you can never be sure about them before you use them. But this is an issue with print mail, as well. So partner with a reputable list provider.
* Warning: The CAN-SPAM law should be held in the highest regard. The basic rule is you can't email to any prospect who hasn't given their approval, even if that approval was in response to another company not affiliated with you.
What's the bottom-line? Do your research, then choose either traditional or email media (or both), depending on your needs.
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.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment