The Battle Between Direct Mail and Email: Which One Wins?

When it comes to direct mail and email marketing, many people see them as an either or situation; a battle to the death where only one technique can triumph and the other must be banished to the scrapheap of unused ideas. But is there a version of the world where direct mail and email could work in tandem and if so, what sort of benefits would it provide?

What the stats say

Looking at the returns you can expect from both direct mail and email campaigns, the stats seem pretty low. For direct mail sent to house lists, which are made up of existing customers, there’s a 9% response rate and 4.9% for prospects. When compared to 1% with digital marketing, it seems pretty good and of course, percentages are all based on the numbers you send out in the first place.

Fewer barriers to direct mail

While many marketers think direct mail is outdated and expensive, there are a number of things it can do that email can’t. For a start, you aren’t required to have an opt-in to send people direct mail, which means you can get in touch with potential customers to promote your product without them subscribing. Secondly, direct mail doesn’t get caught in a spam filter or pose the threat of containing a virus, so it’s more likely to reach its intended audience.

Longer shelf life

On average, the lifespan of direct mail is 17 days, according to research from Go Inspire. That’s because leaflets, flyers and brochures tend to come into a household and be moved around for a significant amount of time. This increases the possibility of them being picked up or noticed, boosting brand recognition and the chances of a sale. When you compare that with the average two seconds, which is the life expectancy of a marketing email, the difference is stark.

How email can feed into direct mail campaigns

Of course, to run direct mail campaigns you need to have physical addresses to send promotional material to. This is where digital campaigns and email lists can really help. When signing prospects up to your newsletter or asking them to opt into digital correspondence, get an address from them at the same time. This will remain useful, even if your audience hits unsubscribe.

Why email makes a great follow-up to a direct mail campaign

Direct mail grabs a consumer’s attention because it’s tangible and real, but younger generations are less likely to take action based on a flyer or brochure than older demographics. Reminding them of the offer or product that first piqued their interest through a physical mailing by backing it up by email can work particularly well. Email is a medium they’re familiar with and the response is likely to be more proactive. For the best effect, follow up your direct mailing with an email one week after it was initially delivered.

The benefits of combining digital with direct mail

In a recent study, Compu-Mail pulled together a number of statistics that show the benefits of the two types of marketing and what happens when they’re used together in an omnichannel approach. It found marketers could expect 40% conversion rates, 63% increased responses and 60% better return on investment. This shows that the seemingly old-fashioned technique of direct mail can help to boost the more modern email marketing to create a force that’s more effective.