State of Direct Mail 2025
Automotive brands are accelerating their direct mail programs.
Automotive marketers and operators believe in the power of direct – with 83% calling it their top-performing channel – using it to drive acquisition, retention, and service marketing. And, they’re leaders in automation, making every piece work harder with smarter targeting, automation, and seamless digital integration.
Insights-at-a-glance
Direct mail is growing
Across industries, surveyed respondents plan to double direct mail volume in 2025.
Automation experts
Nearly 80% of automotive and ecommerce companies partner with an automation platform.
Direct mail outperforms digital
While it can be campaign dependent, 76% of automotive marketers say direct leads their digital channels.
Outdated data is slowing teams down
44% say inaccurate customer records are leading to missed opportunities.
About Lob’s State of Direct Mail 2025.
Lob and Comperemedia, a Mintel company, surveyed 405+ marketing and operations leaders across healthcare, financial services, and insurance to uncover the key trends shaping direct mail strategy—revealing best practices and insights for the industries that rely on it most.
Where financial and automotive Intersect
The automotive and financial services industries share more than just a reliance on direct mail – they often run interconnected campaigns, from auto loan pre-approvals to lease-end financing offers. Both sectors use mail to target high-intent consumers and drive conversions. See our Financial Services Report for how banks and lenders optimize these strategies, or explore below for trends on automotive consumer engagement.
Personalization drives action – but there’s more to tap into.
83% of automotive marketers and operators say direct mail is their top-performing channel – and 90% say that personalization is the strategy that drives the strongest response rates. But, there’s still untapped potential. The most effective brands go beyond basic name inserts and tailor their outreach to each driver’s journey.
Here’s a look at some of the key ways automotive and ecommerce companies personalize their campaigns:
Which direct mail elements are you personalizing?
How tO take action with personalization:
- Make it personal, down to the VIN – Send service reminders, warranty updates, and upgrade offers based on the customer’s actual vehicle.
- Turn QR codes & PURLs into fast lanes for action – Connect drivers directly to scheduling tools, trade-in assessments, or financing applications.
- Trigger mail based on real behavior – Send service reminders based on mileage, lease-end offers ahead of renewal, or financing deals when browsing activity spikes.
Direct mail’s role in the marketing journey
“Direct mail serves as a valuable tool for nurturing existing customer relationships by offering exclusive discounts and personalized messages, ultimately strengthening customer loyalty and encouraging repeat business.
As a physical piece, it captures attention more effectively than digital channels alone, even when those channels are also utilized.”
Lob Customer
Automotive Marketing-as-a-Service Provider
Get the right format in front of the right customer.
Not all mail formats are created equal, and choosing the right one can mean the difference between engagement and being ignored. In automotive, 43% identify self-mailers as their top format, followed by brochures at 32%. Letters and checks are less commonly used. Automotive brands are leveraging different formats based on their marketing goals– here’s how to make them work harder.
Letters
The go-to for high-trust, compliance-driven communications. Common use cases include:
- Financing pre-approvals with personalized loan or lease offers.
- Warranty expiration notices that remind customers of coverage end dates.
- Recall alerts for safety updates that require immediate attention.
Postcards
High-visibility and cost-effective, postcards are perfect for:
- Service reminders that highlight upcoming maintenance or oil changes.
- Seasonal promotions like winter tire discounts or summer road trip readiness checks.
- Limited-time incentives on trade-ins, lease buyouts, or new model releases.
Brochure
A premium format ideal for campaigns that require more space to educate and persuade, such as:
- New model showcases with high-quality images and key performance details.
- Dealership events like test drive promotions or VIP sales.
- Service package details that explain extended maintenance plans or protection programs.
Smarter targeting can fix automotive’s data woes.
44% of automotive marketers say outdated data or limited behavior data is hurting their campaigns. The best-performing teams are getting ahead of the problem with better data hygiene and real-time insights.
Top data targeting challenges for automotive companies
Which direct mail targeting strategies do you use in your campaigns?
How to take action
- Keep addresses accurate with verification tools – Reduce undeliverable mail and wasted spend.
- Segment smarter – Adjust messaging based on ownership history, service needs, or browsing behavior.
- Let customer actions do the talking – Send mail when someone browses trade-in options, schedules a test drive, or requests financing info.
Direct mail and digital are a winning combo that’s underutilized.
Today’s car buyers don’t just visit a dealership – they engage across multiple touchpoints before making a decision. The smartest automotive brands are making direct mail a seamless part of that journey.
How does your organization integrate direct mail with digital channels?
How to take action
72% of automotive companies use direct mail to drive traffic to digital assets (e.g., landing pages, apps). Here’s other strategies to consider:
- Follow up online leads with direct mail – Retarget shoppers who browsed a model but didn’t schedule a test drive.
- Track engagement, don’t guess – Use QR codes and PURLs to see how direct mail is driving online actions.
- Keep messaging consistent across channels – Reinforce direct mail offers with email, SMS, and social media campaigns.
Direct mail + DIGITAL
“Direct Mail effectively integrates with other marketing channels by delivering a tangible message to consumers at the precise moment they are most receptive to taking action.
This multi-channel approach allows consumers to engage with physical mailers while seamlessly transitioning to online platforms for further browsing and purchasing.”
Lob Customer
Automotive Marketing-as-a-Service Provider
Automative companies are leaders in automation.
Nearly 80% of automotive and ecommerce companies partner with an automation platform – the highest among industries surveyed. And 93% predict their company’s use of AI and/or automation will only continue to increase in the next five years.
The data shows these leaders are on the right path – teams that use automation software were more likely to reduce manual pain points and deploy sophisticated strategies in personalization, measurement and targeting.
79% of automotive and ecommerce companies partner with an software automation platform.
How to take action
Automotive leaders can continue building automated practices by:
- Creating trigger-based campaigns and automate warranty expiration notices, recall alerts, and required customer communications.
- Tracking delivery and engagement in real time to optimize future campaigns.
- Choosing the right-fit automation partner – The right technology and support can help you execute smarter direct mail strategies and drive better results.
Operational Direct mail
“By utilizing an automated platform for direct mail, we streamline the production process, ensuring rapid and accurate movement of mailers from creation and proofing to print.”
Lob Customer
Automotive Marketing-as-a-Service Provider
The best automotive brands aren’t just sending mail – they’re making every piece work harder.
Ready to make direct mail a high-performance channel for your brand? Schedule a demo.