How Will Direct Mail Marketing Change in 2021 and Beyond?

By Valerie Caswell

From Mailing Systems Technology

We’ve all heard by now the saying that print is dead and electronic media is making all print methods obsolete, including direct mail communications. However, we can see now that instead, print is still a vibrant industry and there’s a comeback in the popularity of direct mail. The best results for marketing come when brands use new and exciting ways to combine digital communication with direct mail into one smooth campaign.

The Resurgence of Print
We’re now seeing a new popularity for print and direct mail as part of a campaign with multiple channels instead of a strategy that’s all digital. Studies show that it’s more effective for your brain to process information, remember it, and take action, when they receive it in print and can touch it – and marketing companies are listening.

Direct mail is evolving, however, including personalization which will become more key in 2020 and later. Coupons and personalized offers are much more focused on each person’s stage in the customer journey to reach one on one marketing. George Frasier, a marketer at Writinity and Research Papers UK, explains that “the direct mail of today is more effective and relevant due to digital tools allowing us to select and segment our audiences for targeted and personalized direct mail campaigns, including letters, inserts, cards, and call-to-action messages.

Security of Data
Because of this increase in personalization, there is now more data to manage, which means printers need to be aware of data security. The latest best practices have to be followed and companies need to be aware of the latest industry developments. Protecting personal information according to federal and state regulations will continue to be a top priority moving forward.
Importance of Speed to Market There are a lot more opportunities for direct mail printers nowadays. In this world where customers are now more and more used to dealing with their brands in real-time over many different channels, that means there is a big opportunity (and a challenge) with speed to market for direct mail printers. There is a need for technology and innovation that can match that demand regardless of the size of the printing company.Seamlessness of Direct Mail It’s important to understand how direct mail fits into the bigger picture and to get the right tools and knowledge to make the combination of direct mail and digital campaigns seamless. John B. Deale, a business blogger at Draft Beyond and Last Minute Writing, tells marketers that “companies must be able to provide effective and efficient solutions to consumers for their messaging on all channels to be personalized as well as relevant. Marketers can use data and print production to include tactile marketing in their multi-channel campaigns.”

The main takeaways from studying direct mail marketing right now and future trends is that print is not dead, and it’s actually thriving. It’s an innovative and new way to tell a story and run a marketing campaign if you can merge it with a digital mail campaign, not just in 2020 but in future years as well.