By definition, direct mail advertising is the process of sending offers or promotions by mail to current customers or others who may be prospects. Direct mail pieces may include a sales letter, brochure, order form and a prepaid envelope. Some companies advertise in a magazine-format piece or collection of inserts, combining with other companies for a more cost-effective effort.
- 82% of respondents are increasing direct mail spend in 2024.
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, The State of Direct Mail 2024)
- 84% of marketers agree that direct mail delivers the best ROI of any channel used - up from 74% in 2023.
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, The State of Direct Mail 2024)
- 97% of marketers are satisfied with their data for effective execution of direct mail campaigns.
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, The State of Direct Mail 2024)
- 56% of respondents are using a direct mail automation software/technology platform to execute direct mail campaigns.
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, The State of Direct Mail 2024)
- 61% of respondents agree they cannot execute effective direct mail campaigns without the support of AI and/or animation.
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, The State of Direct Mail 2024)
- 94% of respondents who are significantly increasing their direct mail budget agree that direct mail shows the best ROI of all channels used.
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, The State of Direct Mail 2024)
- 45% of consumers say seeing an ad in both print and online captures their attention.
(Source: Vericast, This Direct Mail Moment, 2022)
- 70% of consumers say direct mail is more personal than online interaction.
(Source: Gitnux Blog, Direct Mail Industry 2023, Trends and Statistics)
- 63% of consumers who responded to direct mail in the past 3 months made a purchase.
(Source: Poor Richard's Press, Direct Mail Marketing, 2023)
- 71% of consumers regularly read or look at direct mail ads, especially baby boomers, parents, millennial parents, and affluent households.
(Source: Vericast Awareness-to-Action Study, January 2023)
- 66% of consumers say direct mail ads make them aware of neighborhood stores, restaurants, and services.
(Source: Vericast Awareness-to-Action Study, January 2023)
- 42% of consumers said receiving direct mail ads encourage them to go online for more info about the brand.
(Source: Vericast Awareness-to-Action Study, September 2022)
- 51% of consumers agree that direct mail motivates them to try a new store or business (especially parents (64%) and millennial parents (73%)).
(Source: Vericast Awareness-to-Action Study, September 2022)
- 34% said direct mail ads encourage them to go online to purchase from that business.
(Source: Vericast Awareness-to-Action Study, September 2022)
- 89% of marketers have increased or maintained direct mail investments in the last year.
(Source: Sequel Response, The 2023 Direct Mail Marketing Benchmark Report)
- 70% of marketers reported direct mail performance has improved in the last 12 months.
(Source: Sequel Response, The 2023 Direct Mail Marketing Benchmark Report)
- 69% of consumers engage with mail each week.
(Source: Sequel Response, The 2023 Direct Mail Marketing Benchmark Report)
- 54% of consumers keep an interesting piece of mail and refer back to it later.
(Source: Sequel Response, The 2023 Direct Mail Marketing Benchmark Report)
- 45% of consumers state direct mail feels less intrusive than other types of advertising.
(Source: Sequel Response, The 2023 Direct Mail Marketing Benchmark Report)
- 40% of consumers enjoy learning about new brands/products/services through mail.
(Source: Sequel Response, The 2023 Direct Mail Marketing Benchmark Report)
- 91% of marketers believe integrating direct mail and digital channels has a positive impact on campaign performance.
(Source: Sequel Response, The 2023 Direct Mail Marketing Benchmark Report)
- 75% of marketers integrate email with direct mail.
(Source: Sequel Response, The 2023 Direct Mail Marketing Benchmark Report)
- Marketing objectives for direct mail:
- Brand awareness - 34%
- Customer acquisition - 43%
- Lead generation - 38%
- Lead remarketing - 40%
- Customer retention - 27%
(Source: Sequel Response, The 2023 Direct Mail Marketing Benchmark Report)
- How often direct mail budgets changed over the years:
- Significantly increased - 32%
- Somewhat increased - 50%
- Stayed the same - 16%
- Somewhat or significantly decreased - 3%
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, The State of Direct Mail 2024)
- Consumers have an emotional connection with direct mail ads:
- 88% save print ads to refer back to later.
- 58% find direct mail trustworthy.
- 54% enjoy reading and looking through mailed advertising.
- 53% look forward to receiving direct mail ads.
(Source: 2024 Vericast Direct Mail Influence Study)
- Direct mail experience at any company:
- Less than 5 years - 46%
- 5-10 years - 34%
- 10+ years - 20%
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, The State of Direct Mail 2024)
- How marketers use customer data in direct mail:
- Personalization of mail pieces - 68%
- Optimize future campaigns based on past performance data - 64%
- Trigger mail based on behavior or action - 56%
- Track customer conversion - 35%
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, The State of Direct Mail 2024)
- Data sources directed with direct mail:
- Marketing automation platform - 72%
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) - 69%
- Customer Data Platform - 68%
- Third-party data - 13%
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, The State of Direct Mail 2024)
- Personalized components of direct mail:
- Format of direct mail - 62%
- Text/copy within piece - 64%
- Text/copy on the envelope - 58%
- Offers/coupon - 56%
- Imagery - 33%
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, The State of Direct Mail 2024)
- Consumers want more messages and offers that:
- Help them save money - 49%
- Reward them to their loyalty - 42%
- Save time or make life easier - 40%
(Source: Vericast Awareness-to-Action Study, September 2022)
- Actions taken from direct mail:
- 57% visited the brand or service website
- 53% searched for the brand/product/service online
- 46% looked up reviews of the brand/product/service
- 38% visited a retail location to check out a product in person
- 36% brought a product/signed up for a service
- 28% visited another website looking for the product or service advertised
- 20% checked the brand or services social media
- 16% checked out other media to gauge others thoughts on the brand/product/service
- 2% other
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, 2023 State of Direct Mail)
40% of consumers sometimes share direct mail with friends and family.
71% of consumers immediately read direct mail immediately or read it the day they bring into their home.
- 58% of consumers keep their direct mail pieces for a maximum of two days
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, 2023 State of Direct Mail)
The following lists the format consumers are most likely to read by industry:
Retail - 55% catalogues/magazines
Healthcare - 42% letters & envelopes
Financial Services - 46% letters & envelopes
eCommerce - 37% catalogues/magazines
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, 2023 State of Direct Mail)
Direct Mail Attitudes:
- I expect direct mail I receive from brands will be personalized for me in some way - 55%
- I became concerned about my personal privacy and security when I receive direct mail from brands I do not know - 51%
- I prefer brands to only interact with me digitally because it is more sustainable than sending direct mail - 48%
- Direct mail is an important way for brands to build relationships with me - 48%
- Receiving direct mail from a brand feels more important than receiving an email from a brand - 47%
- I am often introduced to new brands via direct mail - 47%
- It is important to me that brands interact with me beyond the digital space - 45%
- Receiving direct mail from a brand feels special - 41%
- I prefer that brands reach out to me via direct mail - 37%
- I feel overwhelmed by the amount of direct mail I receive from brands on a daily basis - 36%
(Source: Lob/Comperemedia, The State of Direct Mail 2023)
71% of consumers regularly read or look at direct mail ads, especially baby boomers, parents, millennial parents, and affluent households.
66% say direct mail ads make them aware of neighborhood stores, restaurants, and services
(Source: Vericast Awareness-to-Action Study, January 2023)
42% of surveyed customers said receiving direct mail ads encouraged them to go online for more info about the brand..
(Source: Vericast Awareness-to-Action Study, September 2022)
74% of consumers said that they can be swayed by advertised promotions & sales
71% of consumers ranked saving the most money by “using coupons and discounts” as the second most important thing when going grocery shopping.
Affluent consumers love coupons and enjoy using them.
79% of affluent consumers use coupons when planning their shopping.
79% of affluent consumers think it’s exciting to discover a coupon or discount on a product they were already thinking of buying
64% of affluent consumers state that a coupon or discount helps to speed up their purchase decision
(Source: 2021 Valassis Consumer Intel Report)
The pandemic influenced consumer behavior, specifically:
- 70% regularly read or look at ads they get in the mail.
- 61% say that direct mail makes them aware of neighborhood stores, restaurants, and services.
- 55% agree that direct mail helps them save money.
- 47% say direct mail motivates them to try a new store or business.
- 42% say an ad in the mail encourages them to go online for more information about that advertiser.
- 34% say receiving an ad in the mail encourages them to go online to make a purchase from that advertiser.
(Source: Vericast, This Direct Mail Moment, 2022)
Direct Mail Advertising relies heavily on commercial markets with nearly 80% of all revenue coming from such market. The breakdown is:
- 42% - Retail stores and catalogs
- 32% - Finance, banking and insurance providers
- 19% - Government, NGOs and households
- 5% - Telecommunications and cable service providers
- 2% - Travel
(Source: IBISWorld – Direct Mail Advertising, 2023)
Direct Mail Revenue
- In the fiscal year of 2022, USPS gained the majority of their revenue (31 million) with shipping and packages services. Other segments include:
- First-class mail - 24 million
- Marketing mail - 16 million
- International - 1.7 million
- Periodicals - 959 million
- U.S. Postal Service Mail - 268 million
- Free Matter for the Blind - 18 million
- Other - 4.5 million
(Source: United States Postal Service, FY 2022 Annual Report to Congress)
