According to Net News Check, direct mail spending will probably surpass $13 billion this year.
Just a few short years ago, marketers were riding the digital wave and predicting the extinction of “snail mail.” But nothing could be farther from the truth in 2013. According to the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), total expenditures for direct ail increased to more than $50 billion in 2011. Early estimates by the DMA anticipate a 2.4 percent ad spend increase on direct mail for the next two years as well.
According to Net News Check, local retail ad spending is expected to surpass $26.8 billion in 2013, with nearly half of that amount going to direct mail. Compare that with online spending, which is anticipated to account for only 11.2 percent. That’s further reinforcement that direct mail can coexist, and even outperform online advertising and other channels.
“Direct mail makes a bigger impact on consumers,” according to Jim O’Brien, co-owner of Tampa-based ThinkShapes Mail. “It’s an important component of the marketing mix, and can strengthen recall and increase response in any campaign.”
The proliferation of advanced technology in campaign tracking is another reason for direct mail’s appeal. With QR codes, PURLs and the personalization capabilities available through digital printing, marketers can accurate track campaigns and their results. According to Business 2 Community, marketers can now test and market research campaign through direct mail much more easily than ever before.
“Shaped mail can make an already effective medium even more so,” says O’Brien. “Our clients typically see returns in the double digits.”
