Many people say the difference between direct mail and email is simply attention span. The truth is that we live in a very short attention span world and because of that, there is a real difference between direct mail & email.
Most Americans — a whopping 98 percent — check their mailbox every single day, whereas 39 percent will check their inbox every one to three days.
On average, people will only spend between 15 and 20 seconds reading a marketing email. It’s no wonder why there is so much emphasis on creating the perfect subject line to try to draw them in. Not so easy when all you have is 30 characters.
However, the bottom line difference between direct mail & email is that people spend a lot more time reading direct mail marketing. In fact, on average, people spend about 30 minutes per day reading through their direct mail.
The Mail Moment
The USPS Mail Moment defines the highly interactive daily ritual that consumers devote to bringing in their Mail and discovering what it offers. The Mail Moment provides marketers with the unique opportunity to get their messages noticed and their offers considered.
Of the 98% of people who check their mailbox every day, 77% sort through their mail immediately. Mail takes marketers to the “person in charge”. She is typically the one who makes the family’s purchasing decisions. Studies show that people spend an average of 30 minutes (yes – 30 minutes) a day reading their mail. That gives marketers a real chance to get their message in front of both customers and prospects.
Plus, because people actually read direct mail, you don’t have to worry about catching their attention with a single subject line or for just 15 seconds as you would with email marketing. Your customers & prospects are actually reading what you are sending them, so don’t be afraid to include plenty of information.
Direct mail marketing is an incredibly powerful marketing tool. In order for you to get the biggest return on your investment, your mail piece has to stand out and be noticed. Today’s variable print technology and great new shapes, sizes and materials are real show stoppers.
Last – and most important, you have to reach the right people at the right time!