With the recent postage increase in the U.S. from $0.42 to $0.44, along with the increase in social media marketing via electronic, and the f*r*e*e* factor, I’ve got to believe that there is a huge impact on direct mail marketing campaigns.
The direct mail I’m referring to comes in a variety of formats—postcards, business letter, self mailing trifold brochure or even the 2-D or 3-D packages, to name just a few.  It’s what we call in my house “junk mail.”  Based on a 2006 report by the Direct Marketing Association, most of these formats pull about the same percentage of responses, when used correctly.
2006 READ RATES*:
Postcards 42.0%
Catalog 36.0%
Flyers 35.5%
Larger Letter Envelopes 35.2%
Letter Envelopes 34.0%
*According to the DMA Statistical Fact Book 2006
I am curious to find out how the increase of electronic marketing is changing the read rates of “junk” mail. The 2009 DMA Statistical Fact Book came out in February this year. Some of its findings:
- Email to customers and direct mail (other than catalogs) are top direct marketing promotion methods.
- The average US consumer receives 25 pieces of any type of mail per week.
- About 81 percent of households either read or scan advertising mail sent to their homes.
- In response to mobile offers — text messages are most effective.
Although I’m an avid reader of email, blogs, twitter and all things electronic, I know that many people still are not. In the rush to embrace the new, shiny and growing areas of marketing, it’s important not to abandon what still works for your marketplace.
I think the key is to focus on your target market’s method of delivery (and receiving.) A text message campaign may work GREAT for some markets and not have a single response in others. As a marketer, what’s your marketing choice? A text message or a postcard? Tell me why.
