As a child growing up in rural New Hampshire, going to get the mail was an occasion. For some reason or another, our mailbox was located about a mile away from our house, so my siblings and I would often strap on our helmets, hop on our bikes, and tear down the dirt road to see what goodies had been delivered.
To this day, I still get excited to check the mail; it’s the first thing I do when I get home from work (which may be ironic, considering that my work is the mail). And as it turns out, I’m not the only one who enjoys it. According to a Gallup poll, 41% of Americans look forward to checking their mailbox each dayi.
So why do I love (direct) mail? For that matter, why should you love direct mail? Let me count the ways:
- It gets noticed. With the exception of a nice handwritten letter from my mom here and there, the majority of what I get in my mailbox is direct mail, and despite the fact that I am privy to a direct mail secret or two, I still pay attention to it. It takes me all of about 10 seconds to glance through my email, click a button, and send it to the trash. On the other hand, it takes me a minute or more to sort through my mail, decide what’s worth keeping and what belongs in recycling—I’m forced to interact with it, touch it, look at it, feel it, and make a decision about what to do with it.
- It’s trackable—in more ways than one. Advances in technology allow companies like Polaris Direct to track individual direct mail pieces and find out exactly when they are arriving in homes—which takes the guessing game out of when to send your perfectly timed email campaign. Beyond tracking where the mail is, direct mail responses can be easily tracked and attributed as well, through list codes, mail piece codes, and coded reply devices, among other things (like pURLs).
- It still surprises and delights. Marketers are becoming increasingly adventurous in the mail, delving into unusual formats, unique finishes, and interactive pieces in a bid for higher response rates and better customer experiences. And it works. Companies that use unique formats see response rates as much as 3x higher than traditional mail, and for one telecom company, adding texture to a mail piece increased sales by 150%. Plus, through the US Postal Service’s 2016 Tactile, Sensory and Interactive Mailpiece Engagement Promotion, marketers can enjoy a 2% discount on eligible postage by incorporating specialty inks, specialty paper, or interactive elements on the envelope or mailpiece content.
- It’s unexpected. Although a current USPS pilot program—which offers scans of the mail you’re receiving that day—may change this, what’s waiting for me when I get home is a total surprise. Will I get a book of coupons from a national retailer encouraging me to visit their store? A magazine with a bind-in reply envelope? A letter from a charity asking me to support their cause? Until I open that mailbox, it’s a mystery.
I could go on, but I’ll save the rest for another day. Suffice it to say, the mail is not only still a major part of our everyday lives, but it also remains a major player in the multi-channel arena. And dare I say it, it always will be.
For the love of mail, contact us today for help with your direct mail marketing.
About the author: Melanie Gray is Creative Supervisor/Copywriter at Polaris Direct, a nationally acclaimed high-volume direct marketing services company in Hooksett, NH.
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iAnder, Steve and Frank Newport. “Four in 10 Americans Look Forward to Checking Mail.” http://www.gallup.com/poll/182261/four-americans-look-forward-checking-mail.aspx
