Direct Mail Rises Like a Phoenix

Direct mail has fallen in and out of grace many times over the decades. An easy option for communicating to an audience, the simplicity of this form of marketing soon saw it tarnished with the nickname ‘junk mail’. Piles of leaflets filling your doormat, totally irrelevant to you were quickly thrown in the bin.

Digital Burnout creates an opportunity for Direct Mail once more

Today, we are seeing a resurgence in direct mail. Digital burnout coupled with isolation has meant people welcome a tactile form of communication. Recent research by Print Week has found a direct link to receiving direct mail and website traffic with increases of 33% reported. The research goes on to state that the average interaction with a door drop is up 15% year on year.

Brand must move with the times

A study conducted by Royal Mail, Market Reach found that marketing budgets have been squeezed with a 49% drop in spending due to the pandemic. As many looked to reduce the size and length of campaigns, marketers sought robust ways to engage with their audience in an ever-changing world.

As consumers took to setting up camp at home, embracing zoom calls, and having virtual socials, marketers recognised their campaigns were getting lost as everyone jumped on the digital bandwagon.

Know your audience

Direct mail has allowed marketers to reach audiences without knowing a great deal about them, it was this spam type approach that gave rise to its reputation as junk mail. The research by Royal Mail went on to find that engagement with direct mail did not just come from the older generation who still view this as a trusted source, but also younger generations who view direct mail as a novelty. With this level of engagement, it is crucial that you target your audience and use DM to your advantage not as a one size fits all.

Direct Mail today is not just a leaflet

With a myriad of print finishes and even paper with flower seeds, the options to add value to your DM is always growing. Greener options, tactile finishes, and event scented paper can all contribute to the experience of the recipient.

Your audience is spending more time at home, DM has also grown to include gifts, this may be a teabag and a cup, a cocktail kit for a virtual work social, or an induction training pack that will be held on Zoom instead of a face to face.

Coke has yet again excelled at this with their latest #opentobetter campaign. Following a series of personalisation campaigns, names at Christmas, bows, and now messages aimed at a post covid world, it is an example of a brand reading their audience and delivering a personal message – on mass.