What is direct mail?

Direct mail is a form of direct response marketing in which print materials are sent to consumers using the postal service, and designed to get them to take a specific action. Direct mail is commonly confused with the terms bulk mail, junk mail and admail. The term bulk mail refers to direct mail where a significant volume of mail is sent, making it eligible for special lower cost bulk postage fees. The term junk mail refers direct mail that is not relevant to the recipient; this is a bad business practice and can permanently damage a brand. Admail is actually a shorter term for advertising mail, which uses database analysis, target-mailing to consumers who might have an interest or use for a specific product or service.

Direct mail is a category of printed materials that includes letters, fliers, college search pieces, postcards, invitations and circulars. In addition, packaging and dimensional mailers such as boxes are utilized because they are more distinct and are capable of breaking through the clutter of traditional direct mail.

Is direct mail still effective?

Today there are distinct advantages and disadvantages to using direct mail in a marketing strategy. Unlike other forms of advertising, the advantage of direct mail is you can target specifically who’s getting your message, and it lets you communicate one-on-one with your target audience. That allows you to control what the message is, who receives it, when it’s delivered, and how many people you reach. Effectiveness of direct mail can also be easily measured, especially when the call to action drives the consumer to the Internet.

The major disadvantage of direct mail is many consumers view this unwanted solicitation as intrusive, and this can cause damage to the brand. When determining whether or not to use a direct marketing strategy, its advantages should be weighed carefully against its disadvantages.