Direct mail spending increases, USPS offers tips
A recent U.S. Postal Service press release reported that direct mail spending increased 2.9 percent from 2010 to $21 billion in 2011, according to the Magna Advertising Group. This figure illustrates how important direct mail is for business marketing campaigns, and it remains one of the largest and most valuable advertising methods in the United States.
"Direct mail creates a one-on-one connection that's hard for other media channels to match," said Tom Foti, manager of direct mail and periodicals for the USPS. "The average household receives only two pieces of direct mail a day compared with 157 emails. It lets you incorporate coupons, reply cards, mobile barcodes - such as QR codes - URLs and other response mechanisms."
Foti also called direct mail a "workhorse for generating leads, traffic and sales," crediting the fact that direct mail tells a full story rather than a seconds-long pitch.
The USPS recommends businesses get the most out of direct mail by following a few marketing tips and guidelines:
1. Select the mail type and format that will guarantee the highest return on investment instead of the lowest cost.
2. Avoid crying wolf by marketing mail "urgent" when it isn't.
3. Use appealing, high-quality graphics, but avoid overwhelming the recipient by using too many design elements.
Web-to-print solutions and careful material selection may prove to be practical when designing and sending multiple versions of direct mail to various test groups.