There are hundreds of ways to reach out to your customers.

In fact, the digital age has made it so easy to get people’s attention it’s started to backfire in the worst way. With the average customer being exposed to hundreds of billboards, animated signs and pop-ups in a given day, you have to go the extra mile to really give them a reason to come back for a second look. This is where the direct mail campaign really shines. In a world where quantity seems to overcome quality at times, direct mail advertising can breathe new life into the field of marketing. More personable and more memorable, your business will only stand to flourish once it changes the way it looks at its printing needs and, indirectly, the needs of customers.

What could digital printing services do to help you stand out?

Let’s start off with what customers are tired of seeing. There’s more than enough information out there to suggest the overall attitude toward splashy graphics and intrusive pop-ups is veering toward the negative. A neuromarketing research project by the Canada Post found recall to be at least 70% higher among participants who were exposed to direct mail than a digital advertisement. This includes microcontent, pop-ups, animated banners, digital banners and even digital logos. That isn’t to say your direct mail campaign is immediately flawless.

The reason you choose direct mail lists is because you want every last customer to feel like they matter. A recent survey found customers admitting just 30% of the direct mail they receive including personalized content they actually find useful. That’s at least 70% of nonsense fluff that wastes your money and wastes their time. Direct mail’s beauty is its ability to not just communicate intent to the consumer, but provide a physical reminder on their desk or around the house. A USPS study saw over 60% of its direct mail recipients being influenced to visit a promoted website, particularly when they were first-time shoppers.

What else can a direct mail campaign do to boost your sales figures? A survey saw a stunning 90% of shoppers admitting they prefer direct mail for making purchasing decisions, even over visiting a website or seeing multiple digital advertisements. Another 65% were far more likely to remember to use a voucher if they had a physical copy to carry around with them. Direct mail marketing campaigns are getting quite a lot of businesses these days as these truths become more widespread, meaning it’s never been a better time to shake up how you look at marketing. We’re not finished yet, though.

There’s a lot of overlap between different age groups and the desire to be invested in a business. A recent survey saw over 90% of Millennials feeling that direct mail advertising is a reliable form of marketing. While commonly believed to prefer digital methods, updated data is suggesting that classic forms of outreach haven’t lost their magic. Printing professionals are ever keen on making sure little stands in the way between your business and getting the message out. It’s time to look up printing services and figure out which forms will help your brand stand out from the pack.

Direct mail postcards are a great place to start. Oversized postcards, in particular, have the greatest response rate over other mediums at 5%. Regular postcards follow close behind at just over 4%, with dimensional mailings at 4%. You can also do limited-edition runs to give customers incentive to keep your direct mail campaign around in the long-term, whether as a collection or sharing with others in an attempt to take advantage of a sale. Getting creative is as easy as looking beyond the surface and asking…how could marketing be a little better?

The direct mail campaign isn’t dead. In fact…it could be your next great marketing idea.