Direct mail has been a staple in marketing for decades. But what is its history? Keep reading as we take you through the evolution of direct mail, from traditional to innovative practices, and how it sits within many company's current marketing strategies.
- The Evolution of Direct Mail
- The Digital Revolution
- Modern & Innovative Practises of Direct Mail
- The Future of Direct Mail
- Create & Send Innovative Direct Mail with DMS
The Evolution of Direct Mail
Traditional Roots
Direct mail was first used for marketing purposes in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many companies pioneered the mail-order catalogue as a new way of targeting consumers, and encouraging them to browse via a printed means and shop via telephone or visiting a store. These early efforts were mainly focused on giving rural customers with limited access to retail stores a way to shop a wide range of products and have them delivered to their doors.
Growth & Expansion
Direct mail was growing rapidly by the mid-20th century, with many companies seeing the potential of reaching a broader audience through brochures, letters and postcards. Direct mail was prominently used for advertising products, announcing sales and distributing promotional vouchers to drive sales. This era cemented mail as a trusted and high-impact channel for the retail sector and beyond, proving its ability to generate high returns on investment (ROI).
Many think of the 1980s and 1990s as the golden era of direct mail. Prior to the internet and any digital marketing, direct mail was the key way to target consumers, combined with the technological advancements of printing equipment and mailing processes that made direct mail more visually appealing, engaging and effective than ever. This reliance on physical communication also meant that marketers put significant focus into choosing the right paper stock and finishes to convey brand value.
Argos was a big player in distributing brochures across the UK market at this time, making up the majority of its marketing and sales strategy. First launched in 1972, the Argos brochure was a prominent fixture in many British households throughout the year. In 2020, the brand axed its famous catalogue to go completely digital.
The Digital Revolution
The development of the internet in the late 1990s had a significant impact on direct mail. Email was a new means of communication as well as other digital channels, that allowed for an alternative to traditional direct mail. Many marketers moved away from direct mail techniques to explore digital methods, leading to less cluttered mailboxes. However, this did create an opportunity for direct mail to stand out for those who continued to utilise it. The low-clutter environment created by the shift to digital has been a major advantage for mail, contributing to its consistently high engagement rates today, as outlined in our post on why direct mail still matters in a digital world.
Integrating Digital & Direct Mail
As digital marketing has matured, many companies and marketers are experimenting and seeing the benefit of integrating digital marketing techniques with direct mail, to create a two-sided approach to targeting their audience. The result is a powerful combination where the tangible, high-attention qualities of physical mail boost digital action. Latest figures from show that Direct Mail receives an average of 4.4 interactions and 134 seconds of attention over 28 days, proving its power as a 'Super Touchpoint.' Furthermore, 6% of all mail prompted a purchase in Q1 2024, with nearly half of those purchases fulfilled online, clearly illustrating how direct mail complements your digital strategy.
Techniques such as QR codes and personalised URLs that are embedded within mailers, like one-piece mailers, allow for a seamless customer experience between our physical and digital worlds. Not only that, but the integration of digital and direct mail marketing allows for better analysis of direct mail campaigns, by providing valuable data for tracking and measuring campaign performance.
Data-Driven Personalisation
With the continued development of technology is the rise of big data and advanced analytics which have revolutionised direct mail personalisation. Now, marketers can leverage detailed customer data to create highly personalised mailers tailored right down to individual preferences and behaviours, which results in higher success and engagement rates due to the level of tailoring to each campaign. By improving data processing and hygiene, brands ensure their messages are relevant and resonate deeply, avoiding waste and boosting ROI.
Variable data printing is a modern piece of technology that enables the customisation of text and images on direct mailers for each recipient, making direct mail even more relevant and engaging than it’s been before. These advancements have made sophisticated, automated personalisation at scale a practical reality for businesses of all sizes, ensuring that every mailer feels like a one-to-one conversation.
Modern & Innovative Practises of Direct Mail
Augmented Reality (AR) & Interactive Elements
AR is the newest development of direct mail, allowing an interactive element. Recipients can use their smartphones or devices to access digital content overlaid on the physical mail piece, such as video, games or unique immersive content, going above and beyond traditional mailers. Brands are also increasing engagement by incorporating sensory elements and innovative mailer formats. This tactile, multi-sensory approach is one of the factors that contributes to integrated marketing campaigns seeing an average of 118% lift in response rate when direct mail is included in the mix, according to recent industry reports. This tangible impact makes mail ideal for sample distribution mailing, turning a standard mailer into an exciting product experience that generates superior commercial outcomes.
Eco-Friendly Practices
With a global focus on environmental issues, there’s a push towards more eco-friendly direct mail practices. The use of more sustainable materials such as recycled paper and biodegradable inks, and implementing responsible mailing practices to reduce waste. Currently, over 60% of direct mail is produced using paper sourced from sustainably managed forests. Additionally, strategies like digital proofing and on-demand printing help minimise overproduction. The industry's focus on material circularity has led to recycling rates of mail discarded within 28 days reaching 87%, demonstrating a clear commitment to sustainability within the channel. This focus on ethical production helps marketers make environmentally sound choices without sacrificing the high quality of their mailers.
Advanced Analytics & AI
AI is constantly transforming how marketers plan and execute their campaigns. Advanced analytics can predict customer behaviour, identify optimal mailing times, and suggest the most effective messaging and design elements. AI-driven tools can also automate campaign management, from list segmentation to performance analysis, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness. This is vital for maximising the ROI of direct mail, ensuring that only the most qualified recipients receive tailored communication, which is key to seeing the benefit of A/B testing in direct mail campaigns.
The Future of Direct Mail
So what does the future hold for direct mail? From traditional to innovative practices, what’s next?
Despite the continued growth of digital channels, direct mail is securing its role as a high-attention channel that is valued by consumers, particularly as digital inboxes become more cluttered. The future points towards a highly strategic and synergistic use of mail in the marketing mix.
Hyper-Personalisation
As data collection and analytics continue to improve, we think hyper-personalisation will become the norm in direct mail. Marketers will be able to tailor every aspect of the mail piece to the individual recipient, from the imagery and messaging to the timing of the mailing. This level of granular targeting, facilitated by robust data capture methods, will drastically improve relevance and conversion rates, making every piece of mail maximally impactful.
Omnichannel Integration
The future of direct mail lies in seamless integration with other marketing channels. Advanced tracking and analytics will enable marketers to create cohesive, cross-channel campaigns that deliver a consistent and personalised experience across all touchpoints and definitely across the physical, digital, and even meta worlds. Techniques like integrating QR codes into direct mail campaigns are central to this strategy, allowing for immediate digital action and highly effective, measurable lead generation.
Enhanced Interactivity
Technological advancements will continue to drive the interactivity of direct mail to become even more engaging and interactive, providing unique ways to capture and hold the recipient's attention. Mailers will increasingly feature high-end creative mailer formats that boost response rates, leveraging unique textures and innovative folds to deliver an experience that cannot be replicated digitally.
Sustainability
Sustainability will become a standard practice in direct mail. As consumers and businesses alike prioritise environmental responsibility, the use of eco-friendly materials and processes will become widespread, making direct mail a greener marketing option. This is essential for long-term growth and maintaining a positive brand image among environmentally-conscious consumers.
Create & Send Innovative Direct Mail with DMS
Direct mail has therefore evolved from simple printed materials to sophisticated campaigns that integrate the latest technology and data-driven insights over the years. This evolution reflects changes in consumer behaviour, advancements in printing and mailing technologies, and the growing demand for personalisation. With continued technological advancement, direct mail is an exciting channel that holds lots of opportunities. To ensure your investment delivers maximum return, it is crucial to align direct mail with your marketing funnel and consider when is the best time to send your mailers.
At DMS, we keep up with all the latest trends and advancements in direct mail. We have state-of-the-art printers and technology to effortlessly help you integrate your direct mail campaign with other digital channels, as well as make the most of your data. We can also help you secure significant postal discounts to optimise the cost-effectiveness of your next mailshot.