Direct Mailing vs. Digital Email for Small Businesses

The fact is, few people make money selling the idea of direct mail to marketers. You have less competition with direct mail. The Colorado Springs post office may even lose credibility if it asked marketers to come back. You have power as long as you get readers to open up your letter. It’s good for business, and the work is easier than you think when sending mail to someone’s doorstep. A Least-Likely Place to Look Competition makes the email platform a long shot in most cases. Sure, you know the hype of getting into email marketing “right now!” Did you buy software when you read those messages? There’s a “web” of marketers all working for a fee or compensation. Though email marketing can be effective, its current saturation makes it tough. People know that they’re being sold to via email. Direct mail, it offers a least-likely place for consumers to take a defensive stance. Entering into their lives is best done when you don’t have to push or pull. A simple knock at the door should get your prospects to open up. Drop a letter in the mailbox instead, and have them get to it at their own convenience. The audience won’t expect it. Over 70 percent of households read their direct mail the moment they receive it. Emails often get deleted on autopilot and in large batches: one click and everything is gone. Digital email is less effective when so many small businesses are sending it. Don’t panic if your metrics haven’t lived up to the standard you read about. Breaking the mold, in a place where your readers aren’t defensive, calls on direct mailing. Focused, Undisturbed Reading Now that you have your readers’ attention, are they more inclined to see a notification on their screens? There are many distractions online. Mixing things up with direct mail gives you a better chance of keeping your readers in a quiet place. You’ll have more than a subject line to catch their attention with. The bills they’re holding may encourage them to indulge with your message instead. Consider their attention when you write each letter. Create a quiet, calm space for your readers, and see them getting comfy on the couch. You don’t have to fight for attention. Maximize your chances where there are no others begging for your reader’s time. There are no unsubscribe buttons at the post office to distract them. Why Email is Less Personal Than You Think Scams, they are the bread and butter of dark-web advertising. These schemes don’t make money through ethical practices. They prey and pounce on unexpected readers to then steal—when the time is just right. We all, though still susceptible to these dangers, are aware of the hazards. Some marketers have a full-time job convincing each reader that they aren’t being spammed. You can build your reader’s confidence by working where there’s no threat of data hacks. You can actually ask for signup data from a direct mail piece; the request doesn’t have to be intrusive. Don’t remind them about the vast world trying to cheat them. A Final Word and a Mix of Both Though our advice may sound like a digital-doomsday prophecy, email is still effective. Just avoid the pitfalls disguised as real opportunities. Looking where your competitors haven’t, is a bright idea for any small business. Mix things up, and add in direct mail for control over your outcome.