Thanks to guest blogger, Alan Rosenspan.
In October 2013, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) released the results of a study that showed direct mail is still the most important medium – despite the rise in digital marketing.
“Traditional offline marketing, including direct mailers, was a $93.6 billion industry in 2012,” according to the study by professors John Deighton of Harvard University and Peter Johnson of Columbia University.
“Online marketing, which includes electronic ads, targeted emails and revenues from selling information to brokers, is about a $62 billion industry.”
Kenneth Roseborough, owner of Money Mailer in Maryland reports that, “People get caught up in the digital age, but they find they have to go back to paper. A lot of people want to see something in their hand like a coupon, and not just an electronic image on their smartphone or other device.”
“Coupons are particularly effective as customers seek better value in leaner times.”
There’s another reason to use direct mail.
The study says, “The electronic advertising industry has come under fire recently as officials and others cite concerns over privacy in using targeted emails that pick up characteristics of online users through ‘cookies’ – electronic tracking messages – and other methods.”
“New regulations that would stop the exchange of electronic data due to privacy and other concerns would affect $110 billion in revenue to the U.S. economy and 478,000 jobs.”
Mark Twain once wrote, “Put all your eggs in one basket and then watch that basket!”
But that’s just not a good idea in marketing. Clients who integrate social and digital marketing and direct mail usually have far better returns than just one media.
About guest blogger, Alan Rosenspan: Alan is the president of Alan Rosenspan & Associates, a direct marketing creative and consulting firm based in Massachusetts. Author of Confessions of a Control Freak, he has also contributed chapters to several direct marketing books, including The Direct Marketing Handbook and Direct Marketing 2000. Alan has written over 100 articles for direct marketing publications around the world. Most can be found on his website at www.alanrosenspan.com.
