Offline vs. Online
Digital marketing has become increasingly popular among businesses to reach their target audiences. However, it is important not to overlook the power of print. A printed mail piece such as a postcard, letter, printed magnet or a business card, can be much more memorable than even the most sophisticated digital marketing efforts. This is because a printed mail piece is tangible and can be held in your hand, hung on the fridge and kept for future use. This tactile experience creates a deeper connection with the piece and with the brand it represents. In contrast, an email or social media post can be easily scrolled past and forgotten.
In today’s digital world, it’s easy for digital messages to get lost in the shuffle. Printed mail can actually stand out in a world that’s bombarded with digital noise. A printed mail piece might catch your attention precisely because it’s not digital. In addition, well-designed printed mail pieces can take advantage of various design elements that digital marketing cannot. For instance, a printed piece can use various paper stocks, finishes, and inks to create a unique look and feel.
Perhaps this is why direct mail continues to play a powerful role in modern marketing strategies. This article explores the impact of direct mail, considers why marketers continue to use it, and discusses how digital integration can further affect a direct mail campaign.
How Powerful Is Offline Marketing in 2023?
According to Statista, the average American remote worker receives an average of 170 emails per week, while the average household mailbox gets fewer than seven direct mail pieces weekly. This means that consumers receive only one direct mail piece each day on average, which gives brands an opportunity to use print to stand out and connect with their audience. As a result, it’s not surprising that business respondents to a recent Keypoint Intelligence survey said that their direct mail spend was nearly equal to their digital marketing spend. What’s more, 68% of respondents plan to increase their direct mail spend over the next two years.
As marketers continue to compete for attention, they must find a way to put that print to work so they can get the most from their investment. After all, it’s quite difficult to measure engagement with static mail. In a survey conducted on a group of 150 businesses, nearly 70% of marketers are integrating a digital call to action with their printed direct mail.
Direct mail and email continue to sit at the top of the list when it comes to the most popular channels used to reach an audience. One of the top reasons why marketers continue to use direct mail is that print is easy to use and provides a tactile experience that engages the audience in its own unique way. If used correctly, direct mail can be very effective, which might be why over a 30% of same survey respondents plan to make direct mail a priority moving forward.
Closing Arguments
The debate over whether printed or electronic content is better for retention and prompting people to act continues to unfold. When reading content online, our brains are being retrained to skim and scan. According to researchers at the University of Maryland, “when people read on-screen, their eyes scan the pages and words faster than if they’re reading from a piece of paper.” This can make connecting with a brand and truly absorbing the marketing message difficult. However, the answer often depends on the type of content consumed and personal preferences.
How Our Service Fits In
As a business owner, especially in micro to small businesses, it is hard to run the daily business and keep tabs on trends and marketing optimizations.
This is what our mailing list and direct mail experts at Homeowners Marketing Services do for our customers, day in day out, as part of our service – support, consult and assist.
Call us today if you wish to find out how to reach the right audience at the right time for your business and make new customers in your area of service every week.
We’ve been doing this for over 50 years and there’s a reason we’re still around – because we’re good at helping businesses grow and reach new customers in affordable ways, without investing too much of their time or budget.
Contact us and share with us your goals, so we can help realize them. When you succeed, we do too, so please let us try. Contact us now, don’t wait.