20 Direct Mail Statistics You Need To Know for 2019

As a savvy marketer, you like knowing the numbers. You love data and enjoy having the right stats in your back pocket so you can make the right decisions. Well, we’re here to help you. Here are 20 direct mail statistics you need to know for 2019.

DIRECT MAIL RESPONSE RATES

1. Direct mail response rate was 4.9% for prospect lists in 2018. This is significantly higher than in 2017 and the highest since the report started in 2003. (Source: ANA/DMA Response Rate Report 2018)

2. In 2018, the direct mail response rate for house lists was an incredible 9%. This is also the highest number for house lists since the report started and is nearly double from the previous year. (Source: ANA/DMA Response Rate Report 2018)

Median Direct Mail Response Rates

• House List

• Prospect List

Data Source: ANA/DMA Response Rate Report 2018

3. Direct mail still pulls a higher response rate than any digital direct marketing medium. Its response rate ranges from about five to nine times greater than that of email, paid search, or social media. (Source: ANA/DMA Response Rate Report 2018)

Data Source: 2018 ANA/DMA Response Rate Report.

Direct Mail - Median; Digital - CTR x Conv. Rate.

4. A letter-sized envelop for a lead generation campaign to a house file produced the best median response rate overall—15.1%.  (Source: ANA/DMA Response Rate Report 2018)

5. Intended response rate for First-Class mail is 13% and 11% for Standard mail. (Source: USPS Diary Study 2016, Table 5.10) 

6. The median cost per response when mailing to a prospect list is $49.20. (Source: ANA/DMA Response Rate Report 2018)

DIRECT MAIL USAGE

7. Direct mail is the second most used medium (57%), tied with social media. (Source: ANA/DMA Response Rate Report 2018)

8. 81% of survey respondents plan to maintain or increase usage of direct mail in the next 12 months. (Source: ANA/DMA Response Rate Report 2018)

DIRECT MAIL’S EFFECT ON OUR BRAINS

9. 76% of consumers trust direct mail when they want to make a purchase decision. In fact, consumers trust traditional advertising channels more than digital channels when making a purchase. (Source: MarketingSherpa)

10. Direct mail requires 21% less cognitive effort to process than digital media and elicits a much higher brand recall. In other words, it's easier to understand and more memorable. (Source: "A Bias for Action," Canada Post)

11. Direct mail's motivation response is 20% higher than digital media's, which means it's more persuasive. (Source: "A Bias for Action," Canada Post)

12. The tangible aspect of direct mail leaves "a deeper footprint in the brain." (Source: ”Using Neuroscience to Understand the Role of Direct Mail,” Millward Brown and Bangor University)

“The tangible aspect of direct mail leaves “a deeper footprint in the brain.”

— "Using Neuroscience to Understand the Role of Direct Mail," Millward Brown and Bangor University

13. Direct mail "involves more emotional processing, which is important for memory and brand associations." (Source: Using Neuroscience to Understand the Role of Direct Mail)

14. Mail generated "more brain responses connected with internal feelings, suggesting greater 'internalization' of the ads" (Source: Using Neuroscience to Understand the Role of Direct Mail)

15. In a recent neuroscience study by Temple University, postcards outperformed email in five out of nine tests. (Source: Enhancing the Value of Mail: The Human Response)

Source: Enhancing the Value of Mail: The Human Response

RECEIVING AND READING DIRECT MAIL

16. 36% of people under 30 look forward to checking the mail each day. (Source: 2015 Gallup Poll)

17. 75% of households usually read, scan, or read some of their direct mail advertising materials. (Source: USPS Diary Study 2016, Table A8-15) 

18. Across all ages, about four in ten of people (41%) look forward to checking their mail each day. (Source: 2015 Gallup Poll)

19. According to a MarketingCharts study, direct mail was found to be the top purchase influencer among Baby Boomers. It even beat out recommendations from friends and family. (Source: Direct Mail A Top Purchase Influencer For Baby Boomers)

20. U.S. households received 121.2 billion pieces of mail in 2016. (Source: USPS Diary Study 2016, Table E.1) 

CONCLUSION

Direct mail still has its place in marketing—a powerful one. By leveraging direct mail properly, you gain a multitude of advantages. Those advantages allow you to achieve superior marketing results.

If you are interested in learning more and scheduling an appointment to develop your mailing, contact us at 843-342-6360 or orders at omegahhi.com.