Who else Thinks Direct Mail is Become Outdated?

[xrac]

Direct mail will be with us for a long time due to the DNC regulations.

 

[Schwetty]

The more people who think DM is outdated just makes it easier for my message to be seen when I mail it

 

[PepDaddy]

My take on it, DM will never be obsolete, it works well for certian types of insurance and not so much for others. There are companies our there like Postcard Mania, that specializes in insurance mailers, and tracking and market trending, they are like an advertising agency for insurance agents.

I do not use them becuase I have other marketing programs that works best for me. But beleive me I have tried everything, and have friends in the business that use DM and are successful at it, so no DM is not dead, and will never be, it's like everything else, it's another way of getting your message to the public in which we serve.
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Heres what I learned from Postcard mania concerning DM, you should start with 2000 peice campaign no less, target a specific market or companies, and it is about saturation and penetration, rather than sending out a massive amount of mailers every once in a while, they taught me that it is best be concentrated and focused, with consistent mailing like once a week for at least 4 to 6 weeks for max exposure, and response, my results was great, it is just very expensive.

 

[adamhawley]

Guys,

This stuff is simple math. DM works! Targeted audience => mailing costs => Response Rate => Competitive Products => Closing Ability.

Put those pieces together in ANY medium and you'll succeed.

P.S.
I'M AN INTERNET MARKETER! (I'm also a cold caller, direct mailer, and sales professional).

 

[xrac]

The advantage of DM is obvious. The person who receives it has to handle the piece even if only to throw it away and will see the envelope or any exterior messages and some people open everything. While email is cheaper and faster and often pushed it is possible to delete emails wholesale with little thought. Every morning I quickly scan by spam folder and after occasionally transfering something to the in box or opening it I delete everything else in mass. Even though I get a lot of DM (mostly charities) I still will not have usually more than 5 or 6 pieces on a typical day. With email I will have 40-50 messages in the spam box. So DM completes with fewer messages then email.

 

[1manshow]

Anyone who's a member of the Glazer Kennedy Insider Circle saw in this months newsletter that even God is using direct mail...and it's working well.

 

[Mattschmidt]

Please explain how Josh's post does anything but further solidify the argument that direct mail is still an effective marketing technique?

I never said direct mail isn't an effective marketing technique. I use it religiously...I was just making sure that Josh admitted he was into online marketing. Hope that answers your question

 

[djs]

My experience is direct mail, by itself (for P&C) is pretty ineffective.

Direct mail, as part of a marketing campaign, is actually pretty effective, with wildly varying responses.

You need a campaign though, not just a single thing. Take a list, then call, email, call, email, direct mail. No email? Then its call, call, direct mail.

To make direct mail successful, you have to make it as focused as possible. Shotgun approaches are a waste of money.

Dan

 

[xrac]

.....To make direct mail successful, you have to make it as focused as possible. Shotgun approaches are a waste of money.

Dan

That is a very true statement. One of the big advantages of DM is that it can be targeted. You can't do that with a lot of other advertising mediums.

 

[PepDaddy]

That is a very true statement. One of the big advantages of DM is that it can be targeted. You can't do that with a lot of other advertising mediums.

Thought I kind of said that in my post, at least we're on the same page now.