05.06.2020
Content adapted from Business Matters by Canada Post
Currently, local businesses are adapting their services to provide customers with options for curbside pickup and doorstep delivery. Many are turning to direct mail marketing as a way to break through the digital noise so they can effectively communicate changes and engage with the community.
Direct mail marketing gives businesses the opportunity to reach a broad audience on a more personal level than email marketing alone can provide. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, direct mail is making a comeback as businesses adapt to reach customers where they are — at home.
81% of Canadians say they read their mail the same day they receive it.
Why More Businesses Are Using Direct Mail
Despite stereotypes that direct mail is outdated or "old school", research shows that it is far more effective than you might think.
Young People Like Direct Mail
It's a common misconception that older generations are more responsive to direct mail. In fact, an article by Forbes states that 36% of people under 30 look forward to checking their mail daily, and 95% of 18-to-29-year-olds have a positive response to receiving personal mail.
Canadians Pay Attention to Direct Mail
To further prove the effectiveness of direct mail, a study by Canada Post revealed that 74% of Canadian consumers always or sometimes notice advertising in direct mail, 81% read their mail the same day they receive it, and 85% will open mail if it looks interesting.
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5 Reasons Direct Mail Marketing Works
So we know the research proves that direct mail marketing works, but now let's talk about why it works. Here are five of the top reasons direct mail is so effective:
1) Precision-Targeted Reach
Today, direct mail can be hyper targeted through demographics and location. It starts by defining your audience, crafting meaningful content with stand-out design, and honing in on your audience through precision-targeted mailing.
With Canada Post's Precision Targeter™, businesses can narrow down their audience by choosing from 14 demographic categories like driving distance from your business, household age and income, as well as the type of residence. They can also use interactive maps to target specific neighbourhoods or regions, and more.
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2) High Engagement
Compared with digital marketing, direct mail receives high engagement from consumers. In fact, postcard marketing has a much higher response rate on average (4.4%) when compared to digital marketing (0.12%).
Postcard direct mail marketing has a 4.4% average response rate, compared with 0.12% for digital marketing tactics.
3) Customizable Content
When compared to digital marketing tactics, direct mail marketing is highly customizable and has fewer limitations, especially in the realm of creativity. Free from the constraints of CASL compliance, costly email marketing tools and ad blockers, direct mail can be fully customized to whatever purpose you desire and is guaranteed to make it to your customer's mailbox.
4) Affordability
Direct mail can be incredibly cost effective for a business hoping to find new customers or engage existing ones. If your business doesn't have the in-house capability to design, print and develop a mailing list, you may need to engage a Canada Post Smartmail™ Marketing Expert Partner like West Canadian.
Once you have developed your direct mail piece, Canada Post's pricing for mailing is simpler than you may think. For Neighbourhood Mail, sending one flyer or postcard to approximately 500 addresses on a postal route will cost as little as $0.164 for each flyer. That equals out to only $82 for mailing to 500 potential new and existing customers! Of course, prices are subject to change and are dependent on the complexity of your campaign.
5) Design Potential
What makes direct mail stand out is its tangibility. An email or online ad simply can't compare to receiving an eye-catching, well-designed piece of mail that's personally addressed to you. At West Canadian, our in-house design experts at Orange Door are direct mail experts and can work with your unique needs to develop a stand-out piece.
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Get Started with Direct Mail
If you're ready to get started, check out our Small Business Direct Mail Bundle to make it easy and affordable for you to reach your customers while they're at home.
Starting at just $0.89 per piece, West Canadian will print 500 direct mail postcards, prepare them for mailing and deliver them directly to Canada Post. Learn more by clicking the link below.