Direct Mail (DM) has been around in some form since 1,000 BC when a landowner wrote an advert on a papyrus, offering gold in exchange for a returned slave. While the advent of the internet and digital marketing has dramatically lessened the domination that Direct Mail once had on the advertising industry, reports of its death are vastly overstated.

As the phrase goes, what’s old is new again, and this is undoubtedly true of direct mail, which continues to innovate and find its place in the overall marketing landscape. Here are five reasons why direct mail should be part of any marketing strategy.

1.      It is the Perfect Complement for Digital Marketing

A direct mail strategy can work perfectly alongside your digital system and act as another crucial part of the journey to make you stand out. A classic example is running an email campaign leading up to a mailing dropping, then sending a follow-up afterward. It’s a consistent message and user experience, something that customers want.

Why not use a couple in your mail pack to get people to your website? Let them scan a code that directly adds a discount or opens the App with free shipping applied.

2.      It Will Freshen Up Your Strategy

There was a time when you got excited by an email, while your letterbox was full of leaflets and over forms of direct mail, but that’s reversed now. Your inbox is full of spam, and it’s your letterbox that brings the occasional moment of joy. Direct mail can help you stand out.

Suppose you are struggling to cut through with your digital marketing campaigns, particularly other direct methods like email. In that case, direct mail is the ideal alternative that you know will be delivered directly to your customer or prospect.

Just think about how hard it is to rank at the top of Google so people will see you. Now imagine you have a method that will get your message right into their hands. You’d jump at that chance, and this is exactly what direct mail can achieve.

3.      People Don’t Delete it

Ok, so people might throw your mailer in the bin, just as they might delete an email or ignore a social media post (if they even see it!). But those that don’t can retain it for later use.

Let’s say you put a coupon on the leading pack. Your customer can stick this up on the fridge to use when the time is right. Think of the brand awareness this is creating as well.

4.      Direct Mail is Ageless

Most 60-year-olds don’t use Instagram. The majority of under 21’s are no longer interested in Facebook. Middle-aged business people rarely look at sales emails because it gets lost amongst work email. Guess what? Direct mail doesn’t have this problem. Receiving mail goes across all age groups, making it the single most democratic form of marketing. No one is excluded because everyone gets and reads their correspondence.

5.      It Touches All the Senses and is Memorable

Digital marketing appeals to your sense of sight and hearing. Direct mail has the opportunity to hit on taste, touch, and smell as well. Take the example of a recent KitKat mailing, which teases the sense of taste and touch.

You are getting a mailing that indicates that the KitKat was too chunky for your letterbox and gives you a completed order form to take straight to the shop to get your free KitKat.

Direct mail campaigns can provide an ROI that challenges paid ads or social media campaigns, while they work well as part of the overall customer journey, so they should be part of your marketing strategy for years to come.