Picking the wrong fight? Direct mail v Email

When it comes to digital or postal marketing the choice of ‘weapon’ is not simply a question of what would win in a fight – email or direct mail.

According to Royal Mail, around 13.8 billion letters are sent every year in the UK compared with around 74 trillion emails. However, the way they are treated on receipt is very different.

It may surprise you to learn that 65% of people in the UK give mail their full attention and has a lifespan of 17 days. An email has a lifespan of just 2 seconds and a response rate of 0.2%. The advantage that emails have over direct mail is volume whereas direct mail, particularly targeted and personalised, is engaging, tangible and trustworthy.

However, comparing these two marketing tools is, in many respects, comparing apples with oranges as each has its merits.

A high-volume email campaign may reach a lot of people, but you will need consent under the e-Privacy Directive and the response rate is much lower compared with direct mail. Under GDPR you won’t need consent for postal marketing as it qualifies in the category of legitimate interest.

So, for a small mailing list a targeted, personalised postal campaign could be the weapon of choice, providing a high return on investment. If, on the other hand, you want to share news or simply remind your customers about your company then you may be better off using email.

Furthermore, it is important to point out, these marketing tools need not be mutually exclusive. Used properly, this form of cross-marketing results in the campaign being greater than the sum of its parts. Direct mail can be the perfect complement to your digital marketing channels. In fact, post paired with digital advertising is proven to produce 28% higher conversion rates. Following up a direct mail piece with an email increases the impact of your marketing and increases your brand awareness.

So, the real fight is, not which is better – direct mail or email – the real fight is how to do it smarter!
At Print4UK we offer both email and direct mail services and, with our own in-house creative services team, we can, together, help you choose which is best for your project.

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