One question our team gets asked over and over is, “Do you have any stats on whether direct mail works?” That’s why we were so glad to see a recent MIT study analyzing the performance and perceptions of direct mail! The results won’t surprise anyone who has spent time in the print space.
Direct Mail’s Impact: (Nearly) 1-to-1 Correlation with Purchases
In one part of the MIT study, researchers analyzed how increases in direct mail volume affected key performance metrics. The results were striking. For every 1% increase in mailers sent, purchases rose by almost the same amount, showing a near one-to-one relationship.
Revenue responded even more strongly. A 1% increase in mail volume generated a 1.27% increase in revenue. Well-known brands benefited the most, with stronger lifts than brands with lower name recognition or less established customer loyalty.
That’s not the only way direct mail stood out from the crowd, either! The MIT study also conducted tests comparing direct mail (in the form of physical catalogs) with other marketing channels, such as Google, Amazon, and Facebook ads. Here’s how they stacked up:
More importantly, direct mail and digital innovation don’t have to be “either/or.” In fact, the best results may come from a “both/and” approach! Well-integrated omnichannel campaigns can garner more attention, improve recall, and boost ROI overall.
According to the Association of National Advertisers, interactive innovations such as PURLs, PQR codes, and wireless NFC tags have helped boost mail’s ROI to 56% for house lists and 67% for prospect lists. Plus, these technologies make tracking direct mail easier than ever, so marketers can see what’s performing well, what content gets the most attention, and who’s scanning which items. When paired with solutions like USPS Informed Delivery, direct mail is no longer a “low-tech” option but a critical part of a sophisticated, tech-savvy marketing mix!
People Love Print – Seriously, They Do!
Why is print still such a standout in a digital-first age? Put simply, people really like print and direct mail! In addition to measuring the actual impact of direct mail (in comparison with other types of marketing outreach), MIT researchers also surveyed consumers to learn more about their perceptions of direct mail:
There’s also plenty of neuroscience to back up the power of print. One study found that print (as in, direct mail) takes 21% less cognitive load to process than digital content, yet still results in better recall down the line.4 Another noted that print ads activate more of the brain’s emotional processing centers than digital ads do, leading to improved loyalty and stronger memory. And, of course, direct mail pieces are physical objects that may hang around in a household for days, weeks, or even months – whereas a digital ad vanishes as soon as the user scrolls or clicks away.
This research reinforces what savvy marketers already know: direct mail isn’t disappearing. It’s entering a new era of impact.
Contact our team to see how you can make it work for you.