Whether you’re looking for new customers or see an old customer become a returning customer, direct mail reaches your audience and through all of the clutter and messages a person receives, your message is read.  Because 85 percent of direct mail pieces are at least skimmed, the chances of your direct mailer actually being seen and read are higher than other media, such as email, which has a much lower open and read rate.

According to a Sappi Report, between 60 and 70 percent of direct mail is used by brands to reach out to a customer who has not made a purchase in a while.  Using your company’s CRM tools to create a relevant follow up for your customer increases the chances that they will respond to your message and/or call-to-action.

According to the report, direct mail is so successful at reaching and engaging current customers because, “Direct mail received from companies which are already familiar to consumers is more positively received than “cold”direct mail. These companies experience a “halo effect” and their goods and services are viewed in a more positive light.”

While direct mail is a fantastic tool to reach a past customer that you may not have heard from in awhile, it’s also a great tool to use to reach potential consumers in new markets.  Because direct mail mailing lists can be highly targeted by demographics you can choose which households receive your message simply by their geographic location – if you’re looking to expand your geographic reach, household income or by the age ranges of people in that household.  According to the Sappi study, about 20 percent of direct mail is sent to potential customers who have never visited the brand’s establishment or purchased their products and/or services.

Timothy Freeman
President
Print & Graphic Communications Association