It’s no secret that email is one of the pillars of success for DTC brands in 2022… but what if we told you there was a channel that’s been around since about 1775 that would let you:

• Reach every household in your target market
• Earn $20 back for every dollar invested in advertising
• Earn $100 for each ad dollar spent

It’s not too good to be true.

‍

Some DTC brands and retailers have reported these returns from direct mail marketing—yes, physical mail. 📮

It’s no secret that receiving mail can be one of the most exciting parts of the day (oh, the times we live in 😅). 41% of Americans genuinely look forward to checking their mail every day, and 59% agreed that they enjoy getting mail from brands about new products.

Digital marketing is the cornerstone of our businesses, but privacy changes have made it difficult for some DTC companies to hit CAC targets while also raking in the dough.

Many DTC brands already use direct mail, including Bombas, Untuckit, Balsam Hill, Graze, Glossier, and Harry's. 👇

Wanna know what makes direct mail one of the best-kept secrets in DTC marketing and how to get started? Let’s go!

📫 Test a new channel

The hypothesis is that direct mail marketing can generate an as-good-or-better ROAS than some digital ad campaigns.

Remember that with any promotion, results tend to vary.

Consider running a direct mail test, measure the results, and scale to optimize if you see big W’s.

📫 Start with shared mail

It’s no surprise that postage and printing are expensive.

For example, the United States Postal Service's "Every Door Direct Mail" service will cost about 20 cents per postcard or about 17 cents each when mailed in bulk. That is a helluva lot for an impression.🤑

To minimize costs, consider testing direct mail with a shared mailer.

Companies like Valpak put dozens of letter-sized coupons in a single envelope and send millions of offers each week.

📫 Stay close to home

Your first mail campaign doesn’t have to hit the whole country. Target designated-marketing areas (DMAs) nearby.

If a DTC brand has products available at the Fulfillment by Amazon warehouse in Hamilton County, Tenn., it should target the 180,000 residents of Chattanooga.

This way, any order the direct mail campaign drives will be packed and shipped at lightning speed. Low shipping costs and lightning delivery speed means a happy you and happy customers.

📫 A/B test offers

Just like you A/B test landing pages, do the same for your direct mail campaign's offer.

Here’s some tests to try out:

• Is it enough just to state the price and show a picture of the product?
• Do you need to include a discount?
• If a discount is included, what percentage discount drove the most sales?

A farm and ranch retailer with 15 stores in Idaho and Oregon, spent 18 months testing offers from 2012 to 2014. The honed in discount offer generated about $5 million in sales annually for the next five years. 💸

Getting the offer right matters most.

📫   Test copy and graphics

While the offer is likely to be the sales driver, how that offer looks and reads is still super important.

Test aspects of the mailer's design. Direct mail providers, shared mailers, or otherwise will help make suggestions based on their experience with successful campaigns.

Oh, and don't be afraid to take ideas for your competitors using direct mail. 😉

✨ In summary…

There’s potential customers worldwide that are not in the current scope of online targeting for your business. Direct mail is a great way to reach them, send an offer, and make a great impression for your brand!

Tell us what you think! Has direct mail made it on your project list? ✉️ Reply and let us know!