Technologies transforming direct mail
The direct marketing sector is still a viable market for companies employing direct mail software. In 2014, spending on direct mail in the United States accounted for $44.5 billion dollars. Since 2009, the spending levels have all remained near $45 billion. In terms of direct marketing expenditures, direct mail is the largest. In a close second at $41.2 billion dollars are those in the teleservice industry.
Email was quickly embraced by direct mail and has become the go-to channel for marketers, as HubSpot cited email marketing as the most effective digital marketing medium for customer retention in the U.S.
However, technology has introduced more channels for effective direct marketing. For instance, advancements in internal components have led to smartphones and other devices to become a powerful new way to market products and services. Direct mailing will always exist, but the following technologies allow direct mailing companies to reach an even greater audience.
"Near Field Communications has increasingly become a hallmark in smartphones."
NFC Chips
Near Field Communications was first patented in 1983 but has increasingly become a hallmark in smartphones, devices that are already an integral part of everyday life. These chips allow mail to establish connection with other NFC-enabled devices. Direct mail companies can utilize this technology to embed print mail that communicates with NFC-enabled devices. Users will then use NFC to add events to their calendar, open up maps or video on their device.
QR Codes
Another relatively new area, QR codes allow users to scan a unique barcode to open pull-up more information. Marketers can embed these codes in mail that, when scanned, will send users to designated webpages and/or applications.
Webkey
USB drives are the standard when it comes to sharing data in a physical manner. Direct mail can utilize these drives by including USB webkeys in their print material. Webkeys, when inserted into a computer, will take the user to valuable long-form content, such as how-to guides in PDF format or videos.
Electronic Mail
Different from email, electronic mail is a new avenue for direct mail marketing. These print mail pieces are built with digital displays to deliver native and video experiences. These effective mailpieces are currently expensive, and therefore, should only be targeted towards high-value prospects.
Conductive Inks
With nanometals embedded in the conductive ink, the electricity emitted will activate nearby devices. When paired with a device's Bluetooth capability, direct mail companies can use conductive inks to trigger rich multimedia experiences for users.