Expert: Direct mail marketing is irreplaceable
By: Mark HaslanApril 16th, 2010
With the rising popularity of digital marketing, many businesses are devoting more of their resources to the online realm. Despite this, direct mail marketing is still one of the most effective ways to reach a new customer. In a recent article from the industry news website What They Think, marketing expert Bob Lieber argues that direct mail marketing is irreplaceable, and has some definite advantages over digital marketing.
A significant chunk of time goes into planning the design and look of a direct mail marketing campaign. Everything from the paper stock of the included business cards to the colors used on the brochures is carefully thought out in advance. While digital marketing is consumed with the eyes and ears, direct mail can also appeal to the sense of touch.
Lieber claims that this physicality is one of the things that makes direct mail marketing so effective. The feel of the finish, the thickness of the paper, and the size of the package all affect a customer’s perception of the product or service being offered, says Lieber. By applying finishing touches like foil embossing, a marketer can make a business appear more high-end and appealing to the consumer. Lieber points to credit card and luxury car companies as models for this type of marketing.
Lieber also says that physical mail conveys a sense of legitimacy that can’t be conveyed over the internet. Having a physical product confirms that a company is a real entity and helps to alleviate customer skepticism, which is something online retailers may suffer from.
Finally, a business can include accessories that encourage a consumer to act. Lieber specifically mentions a package he received from the Lupus Foundation of America that asked for a clothes donation. The package included a large donation bag, which pushed Lieber to make a donation. This is, again, something that just can’t be done via digital marketing.
Of course, the actual wording on direct marketing materials must also be able to convey the same message of its physical design. In a recent article from Entrepeneur.com, an expert recommended that business owners write from the perspective of the client, steer clear of using excessive jargon, and include a direct call to action in their sales letters.
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