What’s Trending in Direct Mail?

Are you utilizing the current trends in direct mail and the right mail piece to get you the ultimate response rate?–check out this current information to guide you on the right path!

The past few years have certainly been a challenging time for businesses, and really everyone. Who ever would have predicted basically the world to shut down, costs to increase to all time highs, shortages of toilet paper, chicken, tortillas and PAPER?! Well, maybe some would have predicted, but did we ever think it really to happen in 2020 and continue this challenging curve? Due to all these challenges and changes, marketing initiatives have taken a turn and we are seeing a sharp increase and decrease in different types of direct mail pieces and practices.

Let's take a look at some of the current trends...

Digital Components

QR Codes are quite the buzz and are gaining more traction than ever since 2021. Did you know that 40% of all direct mail pieces now contain a QR code? These QR codes can be scanned and will direct the reader to an app, webpage, menu or direct contact. Retailers have made the best use of these QR codes, followed by the finance sector then non-profits. It is essential to give customers as many ways as possible to EASILY connect, interact and respond to an offer. Some popular phrases used to get people to scan your QR Code or somehow interact digitally with your mail piece are:

· “Scan to get the app”

· “Scan for your personalized offer”

· “QR Code”

· “Follow us on…(insert social media platform(s) here”

· “Visit our website at…”

· “Download our app”

Give your audience an easy way to connect!

Connection is a vital piece to your marketing puzzle. Your readers need an easy and fast way to connect to more information, your sale, your website or even to call and reach out to you. Make it simple!

Enveloped material, Self-Mailers or Postcards?

Among the B2C mailers, postcards are seeing a large gain. Along with the ever-increasing costs of materials and since the increase in size of a postcard with the USPS (up to 6x9 to get the presorted first class postcard rate), postcards have seen a large uptick in popularity. Postcards are easy to see in the mailbox, all the information is right there for a reader instead of having to open an envelope to get to the good stuff, and the cost is a lot less to produce.

With this shift to more postcards, there is less real estate on the card to work with. That means, less words, more icons, and a shorter, more concise message. This leads back to directing readers to a website, app, or a specific way to get your product or service. Besides, today, attention spans are not what they use to be due to all the short videos on TikTok, super-fast internet speeds, and short blurbs on social media to read. Make your message short, to the point and interesting enough to make your reader act.

So how is your marketing holding up? Are you keeping up with the trends?

Are you ready for a marketing overhaul or maybe even just a few tweaks to your current plan? Keeping up with the trends is an important piece to stay relevent with the times and your audience. Keep your mail pieces concise, compelling and make sure you include an Easy way to Connect!