I’m so tired of hearing the debate between what is better: email or direct mail. How many times have you talked to a marketer who is so sure that one is better than the other?
The direct mailers: “Email is cheap and ineffective. Direct mail is more flexible, more sophisticated, more classy. Half the people don’t even get emails or open them with all the spam.”
The emailers: “Direct mail is old school. It just gets junked in the recycle bin – who wants all that paper? Plus they don’t call it snail mail for nothing.”
The reality? Neither is better than the other. But both are better together.
Sure, “integrated marketing” is getting a little old as a buzzword – isn’t it a given by now? But why is it that people still fight it? Isn’t there room for both direct mail AND email? I don’t believe the hard copy will ever truly disappear – tangible, printed direct mail will always have a place in marketing. And so will email – for the control it gives the consumer in assigning permission.
And now to really knock your socks off, how about Gen Y getting all retro and going ga-ga for direct mail? Can it be that these Web 2.0 texting, Facebooking, MySpace-ing fanatics like to get mail from the (OMG!) postman!??
So don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater – integrate your marketing efforts and make a concerted plan of ways direct mail and email can work together. Customize it with variables relevant to the recipient, throw in a nice way to close the loop with reporting on both, and you’ll really be cooking.
What do you think?
With companies making the move toward “greener” marketing, I think we’re going to see less and less direct marketing and more of a focus on online alternatives. Email and online marketing are cheaper, greener and make the mailman’s bag a lot lighter.
Great point! I read your post too and it has great tips for greener marketing. I agree that companies need to keep green marketing in mind these days and have at least one client who has a corporate initiative to try to go “paperless.” Email has the clear advantage from that perspective.
Oh I almost guarantee that there is going to be a lot more greener marketing. I’m even getting text messages now! What’s up with that?!
Email versus direct mail is a great debate. I feel that one compliments the other and each reaches a different audience. There is more information on this in an article I wrote. Read it at: http://ezinearticles.com/?Direct-Mail-Marketing-Versus-Internet-Marketing&id=866674
http://www.mypostcardcompany.com