It’s no secret that we live in a world completely saturated by digital content. Every day we wake up to the familiar ding of emails, social media notifications, and instant messages arriving all the time—both at work and at home. 

How are businesses (or anyone really) supposed to cut through that noise to get their message to the right people? It turns out that—even though our digital-first world is here to stay—the answer is a little more traditional.  

And that answer is direct mail. 

First, what are the strengths of each channel?

Traditional marketing tactics like direct mail and modern digital marketing both have their own strengths. It’s tempting to go all in on digital, but ultimately these two function best as a pair. 

Direct mail 

Direct mail marketing is tried and true, and it’s likely been happening for as long as people have been getting mail. We may have traded tinctures and salves for exercise equipment and financial products, but mail has been a trusted medium throughout modern history. 

To put into perspective how much people care about their mail, 98% of people check their mailbox every day, and they open 66% of the mail they receive. Compare that to email’s average open rate of 20-24%, and you can see just how potent direct mail is. 

Direct mail also offers high engagement, with 42% of direct mail recipients either reading or scanning the mail they receive. This stems from the lasting impression and ability to better recall messages we’ve held in our hands, and it makes sense when you consider the sheer amount of digital noise out there today. 

Digital marketing

Since digital marketing doesn’t require print materials, it’s naturally more cost effective and easier to scale than direct mail. There are an incredible amount of channels and tactics to engage in, meaning businesses can freely choose based on initial resources then analyze ongoing performance and adjust. 

With 64% of the world’s population (5.17 billion) on social media, the potential reach of digital marketing cannot be overstated. And that’s just one channel. Email is now universal, and people use search engines to find information on just about anything you can imagine. The ability to reach more new people—and engage in different ways—is an undeniable strength of digital. 

Digital marketing also offers the ability to track performance in real time. Results start arriving from the moment you publish a blog, send an email, or post a piece of social content. This allows you to immediately engage with people who have shown interest, adjust creative quicker, and post follow-up content based on audience response.

The benefits of combining direct mail with digital marketing

While these two strategies have distinct benefits, it’s best to combine them as part of a multi-channel approach. And consumers agree. In fact, campaigns that combine direct mail with digital marketing get 39% more attention than their digital-only counterparts. If that wasn’t enough, consider that 92% of direct mail recipients report being driven to digital activity. 

From these stats alone, it’s crystal clear that a combined approach is the most effective. Now let’s look at why that may be the case. 

More customer data 

Using multiple channels means more chances for customers to offer valuable data. And with the combination of direct and digital boosting engagement, this data comes in at a higher rate as well. With first-party customer data, you can improve the relevancy of messages to personalize content and foster brand loyalty.

Enhanced omnichannel approach

Consumers expect to enjoy a seamless experience no matter where they interact with your business—online or off. Combining direct mail and digital marketing lets you craft the experience as a whole, avoiding the mistake of focusing on one channel and letting customers weave between channels without friction. 

Increased effectiveness of campaigns 

Improving marketing performance over time requires testing and iteration. More customer data of different types supercharges the process by offering insights into what works at various stages of the customer journey. Even better if you can combine these sources of data with a multi-variate testing approach. 

Reach different demographics 

Since different demographics (life stages, socioeconomic status, age, etc.) engage with businesses in different ways, it’s important to use a variety of tactics to reach these separate groups. With mail being so effective across the board, you can ensure you’re covering the largest swath of potential customers by combining highly targeted mail with the much broader reach of digital marketing. 

Ok I’m convinced. How can I get started?

You’re likely taking some of these steps already, but for those just getting started here’s a brief summary of best practices to ensure your direct-digital combo is firing on all cylinders. 

Leverage customer data to track, compare, and improve performance over time 

The importance of first-party customer data can’t be overstated, which is why we’re repeating it here. Customer data is the lifeblood of any effective data-driven marketing program, so analyze and adjust current processes to ensure data from all sources is being properly utilized.

Offer incentives for multichannel interaction 

Whether it’s special offers or gamification to encourage engagement, providing incentives to foster multi-channel interaction is a great way to keep customers on board with your brand. 

Sync personalized messaging across channels 

Consumers crave a seamless omnichannel customer experience. Personalized messaging should reflect across channels, and customer actions should be “remembered” from one channel to the next. 

Use cross-channel CTAs to encourage engagement on both channels

As an example from the previous point, if a customer visits a link from a mailer but doesn’t complete the offer, follow up with an email recognizing they took that action and inviting them back.

Taking advantage of a potent combo

Direct mail may be traditional, but it’s still as effective as ever—perhaps even more so. Combining it with modern digital marketing tactics creates a compounding effect that will always be more potent than the sum of its parts. 

Whether you’re running a well-oiled machine or need help connecting the dots, having a partner in your corner makes achieving your goals easier.

How we can help

As part of the Franklin Madison family, FM Engage draws on over 50 years’ experience in the insurance industry and a wealth of data-driven insights to take your marketing growth to the next level.

Reach out to us today to find out how our team can help your business reach its goals.