What Is Direct Mail Marketing?

Direct mailers often go to the most influential family members.

Direct mail marketing is advertisements sent from businesses through the mail directly to potential customers. Business marketers use several different methods to decide who receives the company's direct marketing mail. Some companies use research to determine people who are most likely to act upon the advertising message in the marketing. Other businesses keep a database of information on previous customers who regularly receive direct marketing mail. A few businesses send marketing mailers to everyone in a geographic region.

Direct Mail Marketing Advantages

Direct mailers offer a sense of familiarity that's hard to achieve with other advertising mediums. Usually, the receivers and openers of a household's mail are also the family decision-makers. This means that direct mailers end up in the hands of the most influential family members. Marketers usually add direct-response messages to the mailers, encouraging customers to act on the information in the mailer to receive special promotions. This perception of urgency can be difficult to convey in television or magazine advertisements.

Direct Mail Marketing Disadvantages

Direct mail marketing campaigns are fairly costly compared to other types of advertising campaigns, especially as the price of postage rises. Direct mailers are not environmentally friendly, even messages printed on recycled paper may still seem wasteful to "green" consumers. Many consumers feel that the letters are a nuisance that results in clutter in their homes -- this is where the term "junk mail" comes from. Some individuals actively attempt to keep direct mailing from their homes by requesting to be removed from mailing lists.

Users of Direct Mail Marketing

Direct marketing campaigns work best for well-known companies looking for a swift consumer response. Direct mailers create rapid consumer reaction because of the sense of urgency generated by promotions and familiarity. Mail messages might also be used to reinforce the information presented in other mediums, such as radio or newspapers, for the same marketing campaign. Businesses that rely on catalogs (clothing, books) are candidates for direct mail marketing, as are "club" (CDs, magazine) type companies.

Direct Marketing Databases

Direct marketers compile lists of people's address in computer databases. Direct marketers interested only in geographic region just send mailers to every address in a particular area. However, sophisticated demographic technology makes it possible for marketers to create database lists of people who fulfill certain characteristics and send mail to just those potential customers. For example research may pinpoint all bachelor's degree holders or everyone who makes under $45,000 a year in a certain area. Using database research, direct marketers raise the probability that their messages will wind up in the hands of someone who will act on the information.

References

• United States Postal Service: Benefits of Direct Mail
• "Integrated Advertising, Promotion, and Marketing Communications, Third Edition"; Kenneth E. Clow, Donald Baack; 2007
• "Contemporary Advertising, Eleventh Edition"; William F. Arens et al.; 2008

Resources

• Business Link: Direct Marketing