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15 Direct Mail Statistics That You Probably Didn’t Know

It’s always a good time to review inserting direct marketing statistics and refresh your knowledge, and 2016 is by no means an exception.

Direct mail gets a bad rap compared to most other marketing strategies. But that trend is changing. Lately, I’m been seeing a lot more being written about the benefits and successes that direct mail has. One of the reasons is that direct mail can have a better long-lasting impact on your customers, compared to other digital marketing channels.

Here are 15 great direct mail statistics that our research team put together that we think just may impress you:

  1. 73% of US buyers said they prefer direct mail for brand communications since it’s convenient to read it at any time.(Source)
  2. Per the Direct Marketing Association, a stunning 70% of Americans say snail mail is more personal compared to the Internet.
  3. As per DMA research, everyone does not sort his/her mail over a waste basket. Approximately 56% of Americans reveal receiving mail is a real delight.
  4. 79% of buyers will act on direct mail instantly, compared to just 45% who will act on email instantly.(Source)
  5. Direct mail is also an efficient method to entice new customers. About 40% of clients try a company the first time as a result of DMA.
  6. According to an Epsilon study, as many as50% or half of US consumers prefer direct mail over email.
  7. Direct mail response rates are on top of other ways; the typical direct mail response ratio is 1.3% as compared to 0.03% for email, 0.04% for internet display and 0.22% for paid search. (Source)
  8. As per a USPS study,over 60% of direct mail recipients were induced to visit a sponsored website – with the maximum impact on first-time shoppers.
  9.  Most emails blasts are never read, while a DMA survey revealed that most people open direct mail letters.\
  10. Cost-per-acquisition for direct mail is very economical. On average, across a wide range of industries, customer acquisition for direct mail stands at $19, mobile and social (both at $16-18), paid search ($21-30), internet display ($41-50), and email ($11-15).(Source)
  11. Direct mail induces action. The USPS revealed that 23% of direct mail recipients visited the sender’s store location.]
  12. According to the USPS, nearly 60% of online consumers like receiving catalogs.
  13. Only 20% of buyers discard direct mailings, on average, without opening them.
  14. The USPS research revealed that direct mail receivers bought and spent 28% more as compared to non-direct mail recipients.
  15. While millennials and younger consumers are digitally focused, an estimated 92% of young buyers say they enjoy receiving direct mail.
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