7 Scary-Good Direct Mail Marketing Stats

The spookiest time of the year is upon us! To help you get in the Halloween spirit, let's share with you some of the most shocking, revealing, and terrifying truths in the whole wide world...

That's right, direct mail marketing stats. Get ready to be shaken to your very core at these figures that show the insidious power of direct mail marketing!

Fact #1: 72% of people read direct mail the day it comes

Over 7 out of every 10 consumers who receive a piece of direct mail read it the same day they receive it. Is it due to insidious powers of mind control?

Thankfully for the concept of free will, the answer to that is no. In our State of Direct Mail: Consumer Insights report, we found a much simpler reason for this direct mail marketing stat: well-designed campaigns. One consistent finding is that direct mail best attracts consumer attention when combined with personalization and multi-channel campaigns encompassing digital mediums.

Fact #2: Direct mail inspires 62% of consumers to take action

Whether it be through motivating people to head to a website, visit a retail location, check via a search engine, or buy a product or service outright, direct mail has at some point motivated 6 in 10 people to take action. We've yet to confirm whether this power has been used for spooky evil-doing...

The best way for direct mail to encourage consumers to take action is to ensure that every touchpoint in a marketing campaign — whether it be your emails, social posts, or webpages — has consistent visuals and messaging. Through consistent imagery and stories, you can be in the best place to reinforce and encourage customers to move from curiosity to active engagement with your brand.

Fact #3: 78% of consumers have shared direct mail with their family

Something is spreading among friends and families around the world. Should we be afraid of a zombie pandemic overwhelming all of us?!

Thankfully, no. We're still talking about direct mail. Our Consumer Insights survey also found that nearly 4 out of every 5 people have shared direct mail with their family, with 40% of consumers reporting they do it sometimes and 11% stating that they share direct mail with family members often. That means a lot of direct mailings that can secure multiple viewings from a single send!

Over half of those who've shared direct mail with family did so because it contained a coupon, shared discount, or promotion. So if you want to get in front of tonnes of relatives, incentives are a great place to start!

Fact #4: Half of consumers expect direct mail to be personalized

Consumers aren't happy with a generic salutation for their direct mail anymore. Instead, they want you to peer into your crystal ball and ensure that their direct mail reflects them, their life stage, and their preferences.

We've found that 52% of consumers now expect direct mail marketing to be personalized to them. This direct mail marketing stat should always be in your mind when sending out campaigns, with consumers developing ever keener eyes to discriminate between personalized and un-personalized direct mailers.

Fact #5: 44% of consumers prefer to be introduced to brands by direct mail

A stranger shows up at your door. Although that sounds like a hook for a horror movie, it's actually the preferred way for consumers to be introduced to brands. We've found that 44% of consumers find that direct mail is their preferred communication channel with brands they don't know.

Direct mail is a significant first point of contact with brands for every age group. 53% of consumers aged 55+ report that they're often introduced to brands by direct mail, followed by 51% of those aged 34-54 and 44% of those aged 18-34.

Fact #6: 70% of consumers opt for at least some paper statements from brands

Isn't it true that digital (marketing) has killed the paper(-based marketing) star? In fact, no! Seven out of 10 consumers report that they still want to receive at least some paper correspondence from brands.

This even holds for younger generations, with 72% of 18-24-year-olds reporting that they still receive at least some paper statements from brands, with 17% reporting they've not opted into any paperless scheme. Ultimately, this all means that direct mail marketing is still aligned with consumer preferences, especially when included as part of omnichannel campaigns that leverage digital mediums.

Fact #7: 55+-year-olds want direct mail as their first point of contact with brands

Rather than being a bother, consumers aged 55 and over actually prefer direct mail over any other medium to connect with brands they don't know, with 62% stating that direct mail marketing was their first preference for such brands. This is also true for brands consumers in this age range are aware of but don't have a relationship with yet, with 56% preferring direct mail for communications from these brands.

But that's not to say that direct mail is the only thing that 55+-year-olds want, with 64% preferring that brands they have a relationship with email them first. That's yet more evidence that direct mail has to be located in omnichannel campaigns to be truly effective!

Take the mystery out of direct mail marketing with Lob

If you want to find out more about any of these stats, check out our Consumer Insights survey today. And if you want to discover how marketers are wielding the terrifying power of direct mail marketing, take a look at Lob's State of Direct Mail report.

And, if you need to give your direct mail marketing approach a startling, then the Lob team is here for you. Our industry-leading direct mail automation platform can help you rapidly design and distribute personalized campaigns that tie into your digital marketing efforts. Get a demo now, or contact us to find out more!