The holiday season is nearing, meaning more people are willing to spend a lot for their loved ones. In fact, seasonal shopping is so popular that last year alone, the United States spent over $110 billion in the retail sector. If you have a business, whether it’s a clothing store or a cosmetics company, joining this trend is a must — and the best way to boost your brand this festive season is with the best marketing plan that includes either digital marketing or direct mail marketing.
To help you choose the best one for your marketing campaign this holiday, here’s a rundown of direct mail marketing vs. digital marketing.
Cost-Effectiveness
Although direct mail marketing requires more time and effort, even with the USPS courier rates and expenses for the materials used in making the mails, it’s relatively cheaper than digital marketing. That’s because most sites charge you a set amount to advertise with them, which can be expensive and unreliable since you wouldn’t know how effective it is. However, with direct mails, you can decide to send a small batch first before expanding, saving you more money and the opportunity to improve.
Every time you need to send direct mails to donors, you can decide on an amount based on your reach instead of being forced to pay a set amount, making it easier to upscale your choices after seeing the initial response to your content.
Response Rates
Direct mails receive higher response rates since it follows a more targeted approach. In fact, direct mail advertising has an average 9% response rate for house listings and 5% for prospects. Meanwhile, digital advertising has a 0.1% click-through rate. That’s because most people go through over 5,000 digital ads daily and the average worker receiving over 100 emails every day — leaving your ads to get buried in the noise.
Return On Investment
Direct mail marketing remains a favored advertising strategy because it provides a more reliable return on investment (ROI) than digital marketing. In fact, direct mail has a median ROI of over 29%, while digital ads only have 16%. That’s because most businesses focus on building their companies and brands online, allowing direct mail to be a less competitive and more reliable sector. Plus, digital marketing has a higher ROI rate because consumers tend to direct mail more than digital content. After all, on-page ads aren’t as appealing as personalized mails received at home.
Flexibility
Direct mail marketing is more flexible when it comes to its advertising options. In digital marketing, organizations can only choose one website they want to advertise their brand on or how they want to send these ads to their consumers. Meanwhile, in direct mail, you have plenty of options, ranging from postcards to brochures.
‘Personal’ Touch
More than 57% of consumers say that receiving direct mails makes them feel more appreciated. That’s because direct mails can be personalized to tailor the potential buyer’s interests while digital marketing can be generic, making consumers less likely to engage with digital content.
Although direct mail marketing has been dubbed as ‘old school,’ it’s the touchpoint you need to implement into your marketing efforts and sales strategies to see the best results. However, in the end, a great marketing strategy isn’t about comparing direct mail marketing with digital marketing. It’s about incorporating various marketing channels to provide an omnichannel experience for your customers this holiday season.