New Study Shows Effectiveness of Consumer Engagement With Direct Mail

The digital age has made it easier for business owners to overlook the power of direct mail services. A recent study by R.R. Donnelley & Sons Company has found that companies have largely underused tangible traditional marketing methods over the past few years. More importantly, the study determined that consumers were more interested in receiving direct mail services than alternative forms of digital correspondence. 

Troi Mailing Services is a Smartmail Marketing Expert Partner focused on design, print, mail, and engagement. We work closely with clients to develop and streamline marketing strategies based on current trends. Here, we’ll talk more about the recent R. R. Donnelley & Sons study and how consumer engagement is a critical part of any customer correspondence. 

More Interest This Year Than Last for Direct Mail Services

The R. R. Donnelley & Sons study not only found that direct mail is becoming an untapped resource full of potential but that more consumers are looking for these types of interactions. Consumer engagement is one of the most important areas of marketing in that it creates the word of mouth phenomenon needed to share praise and company reviews. 

This study on direct mail services found that more than half of all consumers were more excited to receive mail than they have been over the last year. This was most prominent among generations Y and Z. While the recent spike in direct mail popularity could be attributed to COVID-19 and the increase in social restrictions, there could also be a correlation to the waning novelty of digital mail. 

Reinvesting Marketing Initiatives into Direct Mail Services

With this new information in hand, more marketing professionals are recommending businesses turn their attention to the spike in direct mail services. R. R. Donnelley & Sons has proven that this traditional form of marketing is far from outdated and certainly worth a second look. More importantly, businesses should consider getting in early to catch the current wave of success direct mail services are having across North America. 

Donnelley isn’t the only one researching the impacts of direct mail marketing. Millward Brown has conducted a study of their own, using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technology to measure brain response to different marketing materials. The company found that direct mail had a higher neurological response in terms of emotion than digital marketing materials. That is important because emotional reactions have been proven to last longer and be more significant in influencing decisions than non-emotional responses. 

Switching to Direct Mail Services

For companies who have been using strictly digital marketing methods, it might seem daunting to suddenly step into the world of direct mail. This doesn’t need to be a painful process, but it requires careful planning. 

As you begin your direct mail journey, think about things like:

• Who is my market audience?
• What should my design and message tell customers?
• What is my end goal? (Sales, site traffic, brick and mortar foot traffic, etc.)
• How much am I willing to spend on this endeavour?
• Which direct mail service do I want to use to get started?

Working with a professional direct mail company is the best way to start your tangible mailer campaign. There are a variety of types of direct mail to consider, including:

• Postcards and Flyers
• Newsletters and Brochures
• Self-mailers
• Catalogues and Magazines
• Promotional letters

At Troi Mailing services, we provide full-service direct mail services, supporting customers with data processing, variable imaging, printing services, lettershop and more. 

Benefits of Direct Mail Services

Direct mail services have more benefits than becoming a marketing preference among millennials. For example:

• Personalized Marketing – Direct mailers can be personalized to fit a group of people, a community, or an individual. You can have your correspondence tailor-made, so the recipients are getting exactly what they need to see to keep your brand relevant in their minds. 
• Tangible Resource – There’s something to be said for a real piece of paper vs. an email. Emails are quickly pushed down the line of communication by new incoming mail. With tangible mail sources, people are less likely to forget the e-card once the message notification disappears from a smartphone. 
• Measured Easily – One of the issues some companies have with choosing direct mail services is the worry that analytics won’t be as accurate as digital mailers. This isn’t true. Direct mail services can include a variety of methods of follow-up to help you determine how many mailers are successful, including QR codes, promo codes, and more.
• No Junk Filter – The junk mail filter is one of the major problems with digital correspondence. They block incoming messages from unknown sources. This is another area where direct mail services win. Even if the mailer is unfamiliar, the recipient must pick it out from the mailbox and examine it. 

Whether this is your first time considering direct mail services, or you’ve used them in the past and are curious about restarting, it’s clear there are many advantages. Incorporating direct mail doesn’t need to be a long and arduous journey. You can use both digital and tangible mediums for corresponding with customers. 

Be sure to measure your successes and failures to determine which is best for your brand. Remember what’s best now. It might not work in a few years. So, always keep your eye on the evolving marketing horizon to see what’s next. 

Partner with Troi Mailing for Direct Mail Services

Interested in learning more about Troi Mailing and our direct mail services? We want to help. Our team is trained on a broad range of print and mail services, and it’s important that our clients feel supported and well-versed in the direct mail strategies available to them. Our DM 101 guide is a great tool to start with, as you plan your direct mail strategy.

To chat with one of our knowledgeable team members today, we invite you to call Troi Mailing Services at 1-866-486-9350 or visit us online to get a free direct mail quote today!