With the surge of new communications mediums, people are constantly bombarded with ads, notifications, texts, posts, emails and more. In this scenario, though all of these stimuli make available to us an always increasing amount of information, this also severely tests our concentration. As a result, it can be difficult to pay attention to any one thing for very long. This creates a significant challenge for companies trying to cut through the noise and engage customers.(Note 1)

However, there is one marketing strategy that still stands out from the crowd,  having fought off challenges from multiple “flavors of the month” to prove again its importance. Several companies have discovered that eliminating direct mail adversely impacts their marketing effectiveness; these marketers have promptly decided to re-add it back into their communication mix. (Note 2)

The reasons behind this choice are many, but the most significant is that direct mail is perceived to have a more lasting impression on consumers than digital marketing. In addition, more than 56% of consumers think that print marketing is the most trustworthy of all marketing channels. (Note 3)

It’s no secret: 69% of 18 to 24-year-olds prefer print and paper communications in comparison to reading off screen! (Note 4) Not only this, studies show that millennials are all about direct mail! A recent Forbes article says that: “…the biggest surprise may be that millennials’ affinity for mail, in general, surpasses that of other generations. They are more likely to scan their mail and more likely to take time to read it and to show it to others.” (Note 5)

The real point is that, it’s not direct mail vs digital. Each medium has its own advantages and weaknesses. To achieve the highest results the best approach is to combine them as different aspects of the same omnichannel experience.

Direct mail can be the activation point of a multi-level campaign where, by receiving a message inside the mailbox, potential customers are going to be more conscious of the same brand/advertisement when they see it in other places, and vice versa.