10 Automotive Direct Mail Statistics That You Should Know

Physical Direct Mail

When considering your next automotive marketing campaign, make sure direct mail is in the mix. Direct mail still has an impressive return on investment and has only gotten better when aided by data collection. Want to learn more about why direct mail can be a crucial part of your automotive marketing strategy? Epsilon Individual Automotive has compiled these direct mail statistics to highlight what direct mail can do for your automotive business.

1. Direct Mail’s ROI Is 29%

Direct mail has a high return on investment at 29%. This rivals that of social media marketing efforts. Direct mail is less costly to produce and is still a form of marketing that can reach Americans from a wide variety of lifestyles.

Direct mail campaigns also be precise when combining them with data. You can curate a mailing list based on the types of people you hope to turn into customers and reach them through their mailboxes. Whether you’re hoping to reach folks in a specific area or prefer to target someone based on household size or income, the right data solutions can help make that happen.

2. Direct Mail Has an Average Response Rate of 9% for House Lists

Direct Mail Statistics

Direct mail marketing campaigns send two mailers to two lists of people: household and prospect lists. Household lists are those who are current customers. The response rate of direct mail has increased across the board for both lists; however, household lists remain the strongest, offering a response rate of 9%.

Targeted data-driven direct mail campaigns have helped increase response rates, as has the ability to track the success of direct mail campaigns. This allows marketing teams to adjust to increase success and interest based on the success of the previous campaign.

3. Oversized Envelopes and Post Cards Offer the Highest Response Rates

Direct Mail Statistics

Direct mail can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. However, oversized envelopes and postcards offer the highest response rates. Oversized envelopes have a response rate of 5%, while postcards follow just behind at 4.25%.

This may be due to the fact that oversized envelopes and postcards deviate from the standard mail size/form. They stand out immediately in the hand and prompt consumers to pay attention. Many Americans find postcards useful since they are small but can feature key information about your business. You can even put them on the fridge to refer to later.

4. 30% of Millennials Prefer Direct Mail Marketing

There are so many marketing avenues that people experience every day, from social media to billboards and commercials on television or radio. Even with all these options, 30% of millennials consider postal mail a more effective marketing method and are more likely to respond to that direct mail piece.

This, in part, may be due to the personalization and customization efforts companies take when sending direct mail pieces. By making your direct mail piece pop with color or graphics, you can steal your consumer’s attention in a way that an email in their inbox can’t.

5. People Consider Mail to Be More Personal and Trustworthy

Another reason millennials and other generations respond better to direct mail is that they perceive it as more trustworthy. Email marketing has a reputation for spam or depersonalized messages in a way that physical mailers do not.

In fact, 90% of millennials find direct mail marketing to be more reliable than email and are more likely to share it with others! You may reach more people than you initially planned thanks to the sharing of a direct mail piece.

6. Direct Mail Is Easier to Read Than Email

Direct Mail Statistics

We all spend a lot of time on our phones and computers. There’s always a lot to look at and take in, whether it’s your favorite cat video, the ad on the sidebar, or the notification that you have another email. It takes a lot of effort to absorb all this information.

When consumers read direct mail, that’s all they’re focused on. Direct mail takes about 21% less cognitive effort to read than email. This is because there are no other distractions popping up when someone is reading the mailer. They have the ability to focus solely on the piece of mail in their hands. This can increase memory recall of your advertisement and may lead to future sales.

7. Advertising Mail Is Kept in Households for 17 Days on Average

Direct mail has a habit of sticking around after it has been received. For most households, advertising mailers are ke

pt for about 17 days. This allows a lead to review the mailer again and prompts them to visit your website or pay a visit in person. Other household members, like spouses or roommates, will have the opportunity to view your advertisement too.

Consumers have four primary reasons for keeping direct mail around:

  • They have a physical copy of the information.
  • They can refer to it again when needed.
  • They don’t need a device to read it.
  • The information is easier to remember.

One direct mail piece can do all this for a consumer! A study conducted by the USPS discovered that 75% of people say they remember receiving a direct mail piece. This recall is partially thanks to mail hanging around the house providing an opportunity for it to be reviewed again and again.

8. Most Americans Prefer Being Contacted Via Direct Mail

Direct Mail Statistics

There are many demands on our attention. There are some things that Americans want to interact with at their own pace: marketing and ads are one of them. Seventy-five percent of Americans prefer that brands reach out via direct mail because they can read it when it’s convenient for them.

When Americans check their mail, they set time aside to read whatever is inside. They may take a quick glance and come back later when they have more time, but your direct mail piece will be there when they’re ready. This gives them a chance to learn what new offerings the brand has at a time when they may be able to follow up or devote time to visiting your business’s website.

9. 41% of Americans Look Forward to Checking Their Mail Daily

Americans like receiving mail! Forty-one percent of Americans look forward to checking their mailbox every day. Americans between 45-54 are the most likely to respond to direct mail pieces. It’s a pleasant surprise to find something that you can hold onto and that offers you something you’re interested in.

This isn’t just an older-generation phenomenon: 36% of Americans under 30 like checking their mail too.  A personalized touch to a surprise mailer may help encourage your potential customers to convert.

10. 58% of Mail That Americans Receive Is Marketing Mail

With the rise of digital communications, the need for the average American to send letters has decreased. This means that more and more mail has become marketing mail. Direct mail is about 58% of all mail Americans receive.

Many Americans still look forward to receiving mail, even when it’s marketing-related! Marketers may find that their direct mail campaigns are more well-received than an email or banner ads. Banner ads are easier to ignore, and emails can be ignored or end up in the junk folder without ever being read. Direct mail has to be read in order to determine if it’s useful to the customer or not.

11. Direct Mail Is Responsible for Getting New Customers to Try a Brand 39% of the Time

Direct Mail Statistics

One of the goals of a direct mail campaign may be to encourage new customers to try a product or use your service for the first time. Thirty-nine percent of those who receive direct mail try a new brand for the first time.

Direct mail allows you to personalize your approach to a new consumer, establishing connection and trust from the beginning. QR Codes and personal URLs attached to direct mail pieces also allow you to take your lead directly to a landing page with products or services that meet their needs. This quickens the shopping process and may lead to more conversions.

12. 60% of Those Who Receive a Catalog Visit That Company’s Website

Catalogs are a direct mail option that grabs a lot of attention. These multi-page mailers offer a touch of luxury to your marketing efforts. Flipping through a catalog can encourage many customers to check out what else you have to offer online.

This is partially due to the tactile approach to marketing. Your customer has a physical copy of what you have to offer in their hand and can use it to help influence their online browsing habits.

Start Your Next Automotive Direct Mail Marketing Campaign Today

As you can see, direct mail is still an effective strategy for automotive marketing. If you’re ready to begin your next automotive marketing campaign, turn to the experts at Epsilon Individual Automotive. We’ll help your business stand out with a data-driven direct mail campaign. Give us a call to begin your next direct mail marketing strategy today.

 

https://www.smallbizgenius.net/by-the-numbers/direct-mail-statistics/

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