For years, email has been the winner in the debate of direct mail vs email. We get more convenience, speed, and tracking with email marketing than traditional physical mail. However, direct mail has the tangible factor that no digital channel could match. 

Direct mail is making a comeback with automation technology. Instead of managing everything in-house, now businesses can outsource their operations to a reliable provider. Then, they can use online dashboards or integrations to manage everything from anywhere. Can we combine email and direct mail to create a unique marketing recipe? Let’s find out.

TLDR

• Direct mail offers tangibility and better response rates, while email provides speed and convenience. 
• Modern automated solutions let you outsource direct mail and integrate mailing workflows with CRMs. 
• An omnichannel strategy works perfectly to build trust and brand recall by creating multiple customer touchpoints. 
• Including QR codes and Personalized URLs (PURLs) lets you track physical mail performance from digital landing pages.

Key Takeaways 

• Direct mail has an amazing, tangible, and personal touch that digital messaging lacks. 
• Email communication is faster, easier to initiate, and more trackable than traditional direct mail. 
• People often feel the digital noise with information fatigue from emails. 
• Direct mail automation lets you connect your digital tech stack and synchronize user data in real-time for personalized mailings. 
• You can define custom triggers and workflows to dispatch mailings at specific stages. 
• A short copy, unique design, high-quality images, and a verified mailing list always help you expect more from your direct mail campaign. 
• Multichannel campaigns are perfect for a broader and more targeted reach, solidifying your brand presence.

It refers to sending physical materials like letters, postcards, catalogs, or brochures to a recipient’s address. This approach is fantastic when you want to leave a tangible and personal touch. However, many marketers still debate between direct mail vs email. 

Physical mail could be the ideal choice for long-lasting impressions. Unfortunately, traditional direct mail lags behind the speed and convenience of email marketing. Besides, it could be more expensive and time-consuming if you take an old-school method. Marketers love direct mail for its tangibility and memorability. Later on, we’ll discuss direct mail benefits in this blog.

It is a type of digital marketing where businesses send digital messages to a recipient’s email inbox. Email is more convenient when you talk about direct mail marketing vs email marketing. Above all, you get a cost-effective method to reach a large audience with easy tracking and analytics. 

Most email marketing tools give you complete tools to measure campaign performance. So, you can make quick adjustments if necessary. This level of convenience is perfect when you don’t have enough time. However, email marketing provides lower open and response rates than direct mail. 

When everyone is using email marketing, recipients feel overwhelmed. So, it becomes harder to stand out in a crowded inbox. Moreover, you also need to consider spam filters that block your marketing emails. Now, how do you settle the debate of direct mail vs email? We should draw a head-to-head comparison.

Tangibility 

Direct mail is the clear winner when it comes to tangibility. Each mailpiece is a physical object, so people can interact with it in the real world. Above all, they can see and feel your mailers instead of accessing an inbox. 

Tangibility is a critical factor when you talk about direct mail vs email. In comparison, people will only see an email for a couple of seconds. 

Memorability 

Again, direct mailers are always more memorable than email. The physical factor makes them more memorable and personal than a generic email. 

Even if you put maximum effort into email personalization, a physical mailer will still outperform. Besides, direct mailers also have a better shelf life than marketing emails. Each mailpiece can penetrate the entire household instead of staying in a single inbox. 

ROI 

Many consider email to have a better ROI in the debate of direct mail vs email. However, the reality is little different. How many people actually respond to your marketing emails? Most of the emails go to the spam folder or are left unseen. In comparison, direct mail is more impactful and provides higher response rates. So, you can expect a higher ROI with physical mail when done right. 

Speed 

Time is the biggest challenge of traditional direct mail campaigns. It takes multiple stakeholders and a dedicated infrastructure to run these campaigns. Besides, you have to take care of designing, printing, stuffing, sorting, and posting. So, it means a massive investment in expensive equipment and a dedicated staff. 

Speed is a significant difference between direct mail and email marketing. It is one of the most vital email marketing pros. However, things are changing with direct mail automation. More on this later in this blog! 

Response Rates 

Unlike the popular belief, direct mail still enjoys a higher response rate than email communication. 

Physical mail is the winner when it comes to email vs direct mail response rates. So, you can expect an average response rate of 9% for mailing campaigns. Besides, recipients will engage with at least 91% of any direct mailer. Then, 92% of mailers also drive some online or digital activity. In comparison, email response rates are lower and often depend on industry and campaign type. 

Cost 

Sadly, traditional direct mail can be more expensive than email marketing. You will need to expand your marketing budget for equipment, envelopes, storage facilities, and postage. In fact, a dedicated staff might be necessary as well. 

Email stands out in the discussion of direct mail vs email in the cost criteria. All you need is a service provider and an email list. However, things are leveling up with the introduction of direct mail automation. It works as an on-demand service, allowing you to pay as you go. In fact, you don’t need to pay for expensive setups or a workforce. 

Environmental Impact 

Traditionally, direct mail is not environmentally friendly. It uses a lot of paper, increasing your ecological footprint. Email, on the other hand, works digitally without any physical footprint. However, you can still reduce your physical mail’s impact by switching to a sustainable provider. 

These providers often use Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified recycled paper. So, you can reduce your carbon footprint and support environmental initiatives. 

Information Fatigue 

People often receive hundreds of marketing emails every day. How many of them actually read or even pay attention to? This is the sad reality of today’s email marketing scene. After all, the convenience and speed make it an over-popular communication tool. As a result, people also feel overwhelmed with email fatigue. 

Most people will skip your email after reading the subject line itself. So, your efforts are likely to go in vain when you send an email. 

Direct mail, on the other hand, always feels special and fresh. People actually check their mailboxes for new incoming mail. This difference makes physical mail a better option when talking about direct mail vs email. 

💡Also Read: Direct Mail Infrastructure Into a Partner Growth Engine

Direct Mail 

Physical mail is perfect for building trust and credibility among your target audience. People perceive it as a more personal and authentic communication method. Businesses trying to reach a specific geographic area or demographic should always prefer direct mail. Moreover, companies prefer direct mail for: 

• High-value prospects 
• Highly regulated industries like finance, healthcare, and insurance
• Communications with sensitive personal information 
• Older demographics that prefer physical mail over email 
• Brands with long-term goals 
• Building relationships without tight deadlines 
• Campaigns where physical mail reinforces the message 
• Targeted campaigns with well-defined audiences 
• Premium messages where presentation quality matters 

Email Marketing 

As you can see, there’s no clear winner in the direct mail vs email debate. Email is an excellent channel when you want to reach a large audience fast. For instance, many businesses want to promote their products or services with a sense of urgency. 

Besides, many use email marketing for nurturing leads and building relationships. Here’s when you should consider email communication: 

• Tech-savvy people who are habitual of digital communication
• Time-sensitive updates or offers 
• Detailed information-seeking audience 
• Event reminders with deadlines 
• Sequential messaging demands accurate timing 
• Flash sales notifications 
• Large-scale campaigns with broader reach 
• Frequent communication cycles 

It refers to outsourcing all your printing and mailing operations to an automation solution provider. These providers offer scalable APIs and online dashboards to design, print, and post your mailers. 

Altogether, this setup automates the process of sending all your physical mail. Companies could plan and deliver mail campaigns similar to email marketing. So, it eliminates the challenges of traditional direct mail with an on-demand approach. Here’s how: 

Integrations With CRM, ERP, and Marketing Automation Platforms 

Integrations with global platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot, and other platforms give it the most considerable advantage. Now, you can easily synchronize data between your existing tech stack and direct mail campaigns. 

The power of automation gives you a giant leap in the discussion of direct mail vs email advertising. Your physical mail campaigns no longer work in isolation. In fact, they now react to actions or triggers within your tech stack. This sync between the two channels can also improve “email response rates by industry”. So, each mailpiece you send is timely and relevant to the recipient. 

Scalable On-Demand Printing and Mailing 

Next, modern businesses demand scalability in their communication campaigns. This is where email used to excel in the direct mail vs email comparison. However, automation technology makes physical mail work like a SaaS service. 

A reliable provider lets you scale as per your convenience. So, it doesn’t matter if you want to send a fistful of mailers or a million mailpieces. There’s no bottleneck while scaling according to your demand. Besides, these providers often use multiple printing facilities to handle any high-volume or seasonal loads. For this reason, automation levels up things in the email marketing vs direct marketing discussion. 

Data-Driven Personalization With Ready-Made Templates 

Over 71% of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized content. Your direct mail campaigns should also follow the same trend. Fortunately, automation makes personalization much easier than you could ever imagine. 

First, you can use Variable Data Printing (VDP) to personalize individual mailers. This tailoring goes beyond only the recipient's name. After all, you can use custom images, messaging, offers, URLs, and more. This level of personalization contributes to your overall response rates. 

Then, how can we forget about ready-made industry-specific templates? These editable templates make the design process faster and more efficient. Ultimately, your mailpieces stand out even more with data-driven personalization. Also, automation makes physical mail a strong contender in the email marketing vs direct mail dilemma. 

Automated Workflows Using Custom Triggers 

We all know that customer journeys are complex. There could be multiple stages where you need to put effort into nurturing the relationship. Besides, each stage gives unique engagement opportunities. 

Direct mail automation lets you define custom triggers and workflows. Your mailroom will automatically dispatch mailpieces for specific stages. It could be anything from a new customer joining, anniversaries, cart abandonment mail, reactivation mail, and more. After all, the possibilities are endless when you think about it. 

These automated workflows ensure that your brand remains top-of-mind at all times. So, you never have to play catch-up with your customers. 

In-Depth Tracking and Analytics 

Traditional direct mail kept you blind when it came to tracking campaign performance. However, things are changing fast with online dashboards and mail tracking technologies. 

Many providers use USPS Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) tracking to monitor mail status. So, you have statuses like “Ready”, “In Transit”, “Out for Delivery”, and “Delivered” for your mailers. This gives you complete oversight over the mailing journey of an individual mailing. 

Some providers even let you add QR codes or Personalized URLs (PURLs) into mailpieces. As a result, you get in-depth engagement metrics and direct recipients to specific online channels. Such insights are always great for estimating delivery timelines, recipient interactions, and overall campaign success. Now, you can understand the importance of automation in direct mail vs digital marketing.

Most expert direct mail marketers recommend keeping your mailer short and up to the point. Recipients have a short attention span; you don’t want to overwhelm them with too much text. For this reason, avoid using long paragraphs and try to use white space efficiently. 

The copy should focus on solving their pain points instead of highlighting features. Use bullet points or listicles if necessary. After all, the main idea is to explain everything as quickly as possible. 

Use a Unique Design 

The mailer design carries massive importance in direct mail campaigns. It will grab attention and reinforce your brand’s visual identity. So, don’t forget to follow your branding guidelines while designing mailers. The design elements must be similar to what you use in your email campaigns. 

Use Real, High-Quality Images 

Stock images impress no one. People can easily differentiate what is genuine and what’s not. This fact is irrespective of direct mail vs email examples for business. Your recipients are visual creatures. So, they will always expect something legitimate out of your brand. 

Always include relevant, real, and high-quality images in your mailers. It will make recipients appreciate your authenticity and creativity. 

Implement Data-Driven Personalization 

Talk about relevance, we can’t ignore the importance of customization. An automation direct mail solution lets you synchronize data from your CRM, ERP, or marketing tools. So, you can personalize every element of your mailings. It makes the one-to-one connection more personal and exclusive. 

Verify Your Mailing Lists 

Undelivered mailers impact your campaign ROI directly. After all, invalid or outdated addresses mean wasted communication efforts. For this reason, it is advisable to use an address verification solution to validate your mailing list before starting a campaign. 

Ensure all your contacts are accurate and up-to-date. Then only you can make physical mail a strong contender in the direct mail vs email debate. A Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS) certified helps you validate your addresses against the official USPS database. 

A/B Test Your Direct Mail Campaign 

Next, you can’t just start sending mailers without experimenting. A/B testing lets you find the best version that actually works with your audience. In this approach, you send a small batch with a particular demographic. 

Marketers often experiment with the copy, CTA, offer, design, or format in A/B testing. Later, you can tweak your campaign and send the most effective version to your recipients. Also, this approach helps you expect higher response rates and ROI.

Many might be debating about the direct mail vs email pros and cons. Sadly, there’s no absolute winner between the two. After all, one might outperform the other depending on your use case. 

There might be a vast difference between direct mail and email marketing. However, combining them gives you the power of omnichannel marketing. On one hand, email will provide you with convenience and better insights. Direct mail, on the other hand, will give you a tangible, physical presence. Above all, the ability to hold and touch a mailpiece is something unique. 

This perfect combination lets you reach your audience on multiple levels. As a result, you will have a better brand recall and have more opportunities to engage. Besides, research suggests that customers receiving omnichannel experiences are 3.6x more likely to buy additional products/services from a brand. 

Benefits of Using Both Channels Together 

Higher Engagement 

Combining email and direct mail gives the best of both worlds. You are able to target all demographics irrespective of their communication preferences. A brand can enjoy the quickness of email and the personal touch of direct mail. 

Multichannel campaigns always make a brand more memorable and engaging. So, people receiving your emails and mailers are also more likely to take action. 

Reinforcement and Consistency 

Consumers these days expect consistency across different channels. Combining email and direct mail reinforces your message among the target audience. Here, the direct mail works as a tangible reminder of your digital message. This physical follow-up is necessary for better credibility and trust. After all, you want to use both “direct mail vs email” to your advantage. 

Improved Reach and Personalization 

You can cater to both younger and older audiences with an omnichannel approach. Both channels allow highly personalized messaging. Moreover, direct mail further adds the tactility factor to the recipient's experience. Pair that with a targeted mailing list, and you have the perfect recipe for a thoughtful customer journey. 

Superior Tracking and Optimization 

Email marketing provides complete metrics on open rates and click-through rates. Direct mail automation with QR codes and Personalized URLs (PURLs) opens another dimension for tracking. For instance, you can include a QR code or PURL in your mailpiece with an attractive offer. 

The recipients would then scan or visit the webpage, providing you with valuable insights. So, marketers can use these metrics to track responses and other engagement metrics. Even direct mail vs email statistics tell the same thing about this combination. 

Maintain Consistency 

Consistency is the key to success for every marketing and communication campaign. Similarly, a multi-channel strategy demands the same motto. Your direct mail strategy must work in sync with your email campaigns. After all, consumers also expect a consistent color, tagline, font, and logo across marketing materials. 

The timing will play a vital role in establishing consistency and brand recognition. This consistent approach will make recipients more likely to interact. 

Time Your Campaigns 

Talking about the timing of your campaigns. We don’t want to spam our target audience with too many emails and physical mailings. Above all, the users should have enough time to digest the information. Marketers should avoid sending messages using both channels at the same time. 

Instead, you should strategically time each channel as a follow-up message. It will reinforce and strengthen your initial messaging. So, the audience must have a clear idea about your business and what value it can add to their life. It is a classic dilemma while choosing direct mail vs email. 

Use Landing Pages 

Landing pages are the lifeblood of automated direct mail campaigns. They help you to navigate your prospects into a sales funnel. So, start including QR codes and PURLs in your mailpieces. This was a common technique in email marketing campaigns for decades. Now, direct mail automation is adding a new initial point of contact. 

Strategic automation gives you a visually appealing strategy and remarketing opportunities. Later, you can use your website’s analytics dashboard to understand the user sentiment. 

Track Results Across Channels 

Tracking and monitoring campaigns give you valuable insights to tweak future efforts. A strategy can perform much better when you have an idea of the delivery rates, open rates, clicks, and conversions of past campaigns. So, connect your direct mail automation solution with a digital analytics platform.

It will give you a complete dashboard of all the insights you need from your email and direct mail campaigns. 

Use a Direct Mail Automation Solution 

First, you will need to say goodbye to manual direct mail. They are slow, time-consuming, and lack integrations. A direct mail automation solution, on the other hand, comes with native integrations for your existing tech stack. So, it means real-time syncing of data across systems. 

Your campaigns will start to use personalized data and be perfectly timed. Besides, each individual mailpiece will emit tracking data to an online dashboard. Then, you can combine automated direct mail benefits with email communication.  

Target Non-Responders 

There will always be some people who won’t check or respond to your email. It could happen even when you put maximum effort into innovation and creativity. The audience could be intimidated by too many emails, or they aren’t tech-savvy enough. 

Here, a direct mail piece could change the story. First, it will draw their immediate attention. Then, they might retain the mailpiece if it’s attractive enough. 

This higher shelf-life is enough to make recipients consider your brand. Make the mailer highly personalized and targeted to stand out from the crowd. After all, the audience will notice your offering when you’re creative. 

Follow Up on Prospects 

Prospects are the best opportunities to win paying customers. However, email isn’t the best channel to acquire new customers. Especially, regulations like the GDPR need you to get consent to use a user’s personal data. Fortunately, you can use direct mail to avoid such rules to initiate outreach mailings. 

Most multi-channel campaigns direct prospects to specific landing pages. The initial mailpiece works as an attention hook. Then, the landing page can provide some valuable information, like a playbook or an ebook. However, the recipient must enter their email address to access the information. So, now you have the consent of your prospects to use their data in email campaigns.  

Abandoned Cart Reminders 

Most people only check products on e-commerce sites and abandon their carts. It is a common problem for online stores. Previously, they’ve been using reactivation emails to these users in the hope of completing a purchase. 

Direct mail automation allows you to target those potential customers. You can analyze your website analytics and define custom triggers to send personalized mailings. Unlike forgotten digital messages, physical mail gets attention instantly. Pair it with an exclusive discount code, and your prospects will surely consider the offer. This is where automation changes the game in direct mail vs email. 

Event Marketing

Events are the favorite marketing strategy for both B2C and B2B brands. It could be anything from a webinar, trade show, or networking event. The combination of direct mail and email marketing could drastically increase the footfall. How? 

You can start by sending a confirmation email upon registration. Also, send exclusive invitation postcards to priority recipients. Many brands also use direct mailers as something to take away from the event itself. It helps you a lot in building brand awareness and credibility in the market. 

Automation is only possible when you have a reliable provider at your fingertips. You need a scalable solution that integrates with your CRM, ERP, and marketing automation tools. Besides, it must also let you send letters, postcards, and self-mailers with personalization. 

PostGrid’s Print & Mail API provides a global infrastructure for all your offline communication campaigns. Our Zapier integration lets you connect with over 1600 apps. So, you can synchronize all your email campaigns with your direct mail strategy. 

Built-in tracking capabilities are also available to help you monitor our mailers. We use USPS IMB tracking to tell you about the delivery status of individual mailpieces. Also, you can add custom QR codes and PURLs into mailings for interactive campaigns. Overall, you can continue using direct mail and email in perfect sync.  

Also Read:

• Smart Direct Mail Scaling: What It Is
• What Is a Third Party Mailing Service?
• Benefits of Sending Plastic Direct Mail Postcards
• Industry-Wise Use Cases of Weekly Mailers
• How to Format a Mailing Envelope?

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