Are Direct Mail Services a Thing of the Past?
If you’ve read the headlines about the problems facing the United States Postal System lately, you may think that the U.S.P.S. is headed the way of the dinosaur. While the long-range prognosis for the Post Office is not all that promising, does it mean that businesses don’t need direct mail services any more?
Before you stick the Post Office and direct mail companies behind a glass in a museum, keep in mind that direct mail is still a powerful marketing tool—when it’s done properly. Yes, mail volume is down. That means your direct mail pieces have less competition when they land in the right mailboxes. And there are certain significant segments of the population that still prefer to receive information in the mail instead of online. And even if you are moving more and more of your marketing efforts online (and you should be), it’s not smart to completely ignore the percentage of your customers who still prefer receiving physical mail.
In today’s economy, however, it’s more critical than ever that you do it right. That means making sure you have the best possible mailing list. It means making sure that your list is free of address duplications or incorrect addresses. It means making sure that your mailing is prepared in such a way that you qualify for every possible postal discount. And it means taking steps to ensure deliverability. Those are all critical mailing services a good direct mail house can help you with—services that will save you money and improve your direct mail performance.
What does the future hold for the U.S.P.S.? It’s hard to say, but for now direct mail should still be part of your overall marketing plans.
