\n\t\t Entrepreneur \t<\/p>\n
We\u2019re living in a strange time for marketing.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ve never had more ways to reach people, and yet it\u2019s never been harder to actually stick<\/i> in their minds. Messages flash by. Feeds refresh endlessly. Ads disappear the second you scroll.<\/p>\n
But the things we can touch, hold, and spend time with \u2026 those linger. They\u2019re processed differently by the brain, and they\u2019re recalled more clearly after the moment has passed.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s where print \u2014 and the tangible experience it creates \u2014 lives.<\/p>\n
Some of the biggest brands in the world have quietly come to the same conclusion. Walmart launched its first-ever home catalog just a few months ago on the heels of J.Crew and Patagonia bringing theirs back. Nordstrom returned to mail with a new piece this past Christmas that\u2019s fully interactive \u2014 complete with stickers! And IKEA expanded beyond catalogs by mailing a letter that was also a flat-packed apartment.<\/p>\n
None of these companies abandoned digital. They balanced it. It\u2019s a high-wire act that I\u2019ve spent years mastering. My current marketing outlay includes mailing over 232,000 postcards and spending more than $50,000 on digital advertising each and every week<\/i>! I hear you wondering: \u201cHow\u2019s that working out for you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Well, we entered 2020 as a $60 million business, and last year we nearly hit $120 million in annual revenue.<\/p>\n
The truth is clear: Direct mail is back. Here\u2019s why it\u2019s happening.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s real science behind this.<\/p>\n
A study conducted by the University of Tokyo showed stronger recall among participants when writing on physical paper instead of using digital devices for notes. Researchers concluded that the tactile quality of paper was a key factor in helping the brain encode information more effectively.<\/p>\n
Additional university research reinforces these findings. A more recent study from the University of Valencia found comprehension is 6-8 times higher with physical reading materials, and that print helps readers take in and recall information more effectively.<\/p>\n
Print is also easier on the brain. Research shows people expend <\/b>21% less cognitive effort when engaging with physical mail compared to digital ads. Less effort means less resistance \u2014 and more openness to the message.<\/p>\n
And mail doesn\u2019t just stick in people\u2019s minds; it hits them emotionally, too. Research highlighted by the USPS found that people felt more excitement and desire for the products being advertised when they interacted with direct mail compared to digital ads.<\/p>\n
For me, it\u2019s simple: We\u2019re human beings, and direct mail offers the type of experience we\u2019re biologically engineered to respond to.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s a persistent myth that younger generations prefer digital while older generations favor traditional marketing. But the data tells a very different story:<\/p>\n
About 72% of Gen Z say they\u2019d be disappointed if they stopped getting mail altogether, and 82% of millennials say they find print ads more trustworthy than digital ones. And a majority of both (81% of Gen Z and 78% of Millennials) wish it were easier to disconnect from digital devices.<\/p>\n
That trust gap shows up across all age groups. Roughly 76% of consumers say they trust direct mail, compared to just 43% who trust ads on social media. What\u2019s even more telling is 39% of consumers say they\u2019re less likely to trust brands that communicate only through digital channels.<\/p>\n
That tells you something important. Trust is built when your marketing shows up in the real world and in more than one place. That\u2019s why the best strategy isn\u2019t print or<\/i> digital \u2014 it\u2019s both. Mail creates credibility and emotional connection. Digital reinforces that message and makes it easy to respond.<\/p>\n
Leverage this by reinforcing your marketing across different channels with a cohesive message. Use the same images, colors and offers when you can, and ensure that cohesive feeling translates from one step to the next \u2014 from direct mail to online ad to landing page or website.<\/p>\n
Each marketing channel should echo and reinforce the others, guiding prospects from awareness to interest while building enough confidence to prompt action.<\/p>\n
Yes, global household names are bringing back direct mail. But the real proof shows up in small and mid-sized businesses every single day.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve seen countless firsthand examples that direct mail grows businesses at every stage.<\/p>\n
For more than two decades, my team has collected and published 1,168 real-world case studies showing how print mail drives trust, recognition and results \u2014 and we\u2019re still adding new success stories every single day. Here are just a few of the most recent ones contributing to the grassroots comeback of direct mail.<\/p>\n
One of my ecommerce clients credits integrated online and offline marketing with growing her business from just two employees to 12 and more than doubling her average sale from $24 to $54. Just as important, it helped her step out of the long shadow of Amazon\u2019s marketplace and build a brand she owns and controls.<\/p>\n
A real estate investor tied direct mail retargeting into his follow-up, sending postcards automatically to website visitors who left his site without converting. He mailed 111 postcards and closed on a new property worth $70,000 in revenue. He only spent $647 on this approach, putting his ROI at a staggering 10,710%.<\/p>\n
These aren\u2019t outliers. They\u2019re what happens when print is used strategically, consistently and as part of a bigger system.<\/p>\n
If your goal is to be remembered, trusted and chosen \u2014 the evidence is clear.<\/p>\n
Direct mail isn\u2019t old-fashioned. It\u2019s human. And when you test it, integrate it and stick with it, you\u2019ll understand why so many business owners and marketers keep reaching for it.<\/p>\n
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