Is Email Creating Higher Visibility for Conventional Mail?

posted by Dave Ward in Direct Mail.

Though it is perhaps somewhat of an understatement, there is no doubt that email is a powerful tool that has revolutionized how we communicate at virtually every level.

As direct marketers, we have clients that use a mix of both email and conventional mail very effectively in their marketing programs. This is particularly true of those with qualified opt-in email lists, where consumers and businesses openly accept their email blasts.

It is also clear that it is far less expensive to send an email blast than to print, prep and mail coloured newsletters, catalogues and brochures. And many of the electronic newsletters that we receive are nicely formatted and have interesting articles.

All of this being said though, as more and more people move towards “e” as their preferred means of communication, we have to wonder to what extent visibility is being diminished in the e channel. Of course, we also have to recognize that many emails never make it to their destination as they are filtered out by anti-spam software.

Now, we can’t say that all of the mail in the e channel would be mailed as conventional mail before the dawn of the internet. The fact is that many people who did not market via conventional mail before are now marketing via email. At the same time though, almost all studies to date report that email has displaced conventional mail in many areas.

Direct marking communications must first be noticed before they can persuade your client to look at your product or to call you. If they are not noticed there cannot be a response. Of course it is always easier to get noticed when there is less clutter.

Considering that email volume is way up and conventional mail volumes are down, it becomes apparent that there may be even more visibility for marketing pieces when using conventional mail. Combine this with the fact that conventional mail is a medium that is both physical and portable, and we can see even more valuable reasons for using it in some instances.

Like most people, we like email and we will continue to use it send out snippets of information. At the same time, though, we will continue to introduce new products and services via conventional Addressed Admail or Unaddressed Admail, supported by complementary emails where appropriate. We see it as a good mix.