Many businesses rely on emails when it comes to brand promotion. However, letters are still considered to be a reliable means of communication when it comes to raising brand awareness. Over the years, we have witnessed companies using a combination of both email and mailed letters. These Companies have benefited significantly in terms of promoting their products and services when targeting a specific group of consumers.
In this blog, we will discuss the advantages of using emails and letters and find out which one is better for marketing.
The Power of Mailed Letters in Direct Marketing
The best part of using Letters is the ability to make a long-lasting impression on the receiver since Letters are physical and unlike emails, they get longer scrutiny by the recipient as they are physical and tend to be held on to for a longer time than it takes a key stroke to delete an unsolicited email. In many cases physical letters are used exclusively for customer acquisition as it is proven to be more effective in “first touch” (first encounter between brand and consumer). A letter also makes the recipient feel much more cared for and paid attention to, since it clearly takes more time and effort to send a Letter than an email.
In summary, using letters for marketing is much more effective in comparison to emails, even if a bit more expensive.
The top benefits are:
- Tangible and visible reminder of your business
- High open-and-read rates compared to emails
- Stronger emotional connection with recipients
Why Email Marketing Still Holds Value
So far, email seems to an easy choice for businesses looking for effective ways to communicate. Simply because email allows businesses to reach out to a large audience with a little effort. However, since it is easy to send emails and most businesses are using email for marketing, consumers end up receiving massive emails, which often get lost in spam, defeating the purpose.
Thus, email’s top benefits:
- Cost-effective for frequent outreach campaigns
- Provides measurable insights through analytics
- Faster delivery and higher scalability than Letter
Comparing Engagement Rates: Physical vs. Digital
When it comes to engagement rate, Letters clearly take the lead in comparison to emails. Letters are physical and hence have a higher response rate. Emails, on the other hand, have a far lower perceived value and are often discarded by spam filters deployed by most email services and email programs, before even reaching their target, let alone get ignored by the recipient due to the sheer number of emails an individual receives in a given day.
Whereas a letter stays in your mailbox until you take it out, making it much more effective in comparison to emails. Once received, the “ceremonial” opening of a letter and unfolding, the whole ritual has been proven to create a stronger bond and higher perceived value, and as such is many times put aside for later review – not deleted like an email.
For these reasons, businesses targeting a specific group of consumers prefer Letters over emails for marketing campaigns, specifically for new customer acquisition.
- Letters generate higher response rates
- Emails risk being ignored or filtered out
- Physical mail is harder to dismiss
Cost and ROI Considerations
Cost plays a crucial role in choosing between mailing letters and email marketing. Emails are inexpensive to send, but engagement rates are lower, leading to reduced ROI in many cases. Letters involve printing and postage costs, but their higher response rates make up for the expense.
For businesses focused on quality leads and real engagement, Letters often yield better long-term value.
- Email: low upfront costs but lower ROI
- Letter: higher upfront costs but stronger responses
- ROI depends on campaign goals and execution
Integrating Letters and Emails for Maximum Impact
The smartest strategy may not be choosing one method over the other, but rather using both. Businesses can use emails for frequent updates and up-sell campaigns to existing customers while leveraging Letter for more impactful campaigns, such as acquisition; the first outreach to a lead who is not yet a customer. Together, they create multiple touchpoints that improve brand recognition and consumer trust.
A well-planned integrated campaign ensures no opportunity for engagement is missed.
- Emails: best for quick communication and promotions
- Letter: ideal for first and lasting impressions and direct offers
- Integration maximizes reach and overall engagement
Conclusion
Letters and emails both have their place in marketing campaigns, and when used carefully, they can deliver outstanding results. Instead of choosing between either one of them, we would suggest you utilize both to your advantage. We would recommend that you consider using a blend of both Letter and email for marketing.
Companies applying a mix of both channels, will have a competitive edge in the market. Homeowners Marketing Services provides reliable and affordable letter printing and mailing services for businesses looking for effective ways to communicate with their customers.
