For the past several years, direct mail has wrongly been targeted as being old school or past its prime. However, reality is far from that. Direct mail response is actually on the rise and has the best response rate out of all the channels. Your customers and prospects enjoy getting mail that is applicable to them. Yes, even millennials like to get mail. When I read the Washington Post article: Why digital natives prefer reading in print. http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/why-digital-natives-prefer-reading-in-print-yes-you-read-that-right/2015/02/22/8596ca86-b871-11e4-9423-f3d0a1ec335c_story.html, I was so excited. Here is someone else saying the same things about print that I say every day.

Basically, people prefer to read in print rather than digital. There are many reasons for this but the top ones are:

• Easier to read: The eyes find the printed pages less straining to read.
• Easier to comprehend: There are less distractions when reading print so it is easier to understand.
• Easier to recall: Readers skim less when reading print versions so they remember more when finished.
• Feel: Touch is a very important sense. The feeling of different types of paper stock and textures adds pleasure to reading print. You can’t feel digital.
• Smell: Paper, ink, coatings and binding all add to the scent of a printed piece. You can even add a scent to enhance the printed piece. You can’t smell digital.

Even millennials prefer print. Direct mail can take advantage of every single one of the reasons people love print. Mail can get pushed aside by marketers looking for the newest channels, but statistics still show direct mail as a very strong marketing channel.

Create direct mail that provides an experience:

• Reading: Engage the reader with well written copy. Use bold and bulleted text to draw the eyes to important information.
• Comprehension: Use clear and concise wording, a strong call to action and “what’s in it for me” language.
• Recall: The most important items to be remembered should stand out. You can use italic, bold and underlining to emphasize what you need the reader to remember.
• Feel: You can go beyond just the texture of the paper by adding different coatings. From soft velvet to rough stone, there are many to choose from. Get creative.
• Smell: Depending on what you are offering, smell may or may not be a good fit. Try to think of creative ways to use smell to make your unique direct mail stand out.

Take advantage of the pull of mail so that your message resonates more and drives response. There is no reason why you can’t use mail to drive digital interaction too. QR Codes, Augmented reality, NFC and more all enhance the direct mail experience.  The power of direct mail is waiting to drive your marketing ROI to new heights. From catalogs to flyers to samples, mail can handle it all and provide an excellent experience for your prospects and customers.  Are you ready to get started?

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