Recently, I was looking for some of the best puppy leashes (just doing some casual research). a couple of weeks later, I get this in my mailbox:
Scary, maybe, but effective? Yes! I don’t even have a dog and I’m about to use that 15% off!
All this is to say: we might think that direct mail is a thing of the past, but… it is not! Although we are in the digital age, direct mail campaigns can be more successful than digital campaigns.
In recent years, companies like lendclub, casper, everlane, and, yes, chevy, have figured out how to perfect their direct mail campaigns, allowing them to engage with customers who might not see their traditional digital marketing and double down on the people who have seen your other forms of marketing.
In 2018, direct mail campaigns saw a 9% response rate. Compared to email, paid search, and the 1% return from social media, direct mail doesn’t look bad.
Also, with our shrinking (and increasingly overwhelming) inboxes, direct mail campaigns are a unique way to expand your reach and keep people thinking about your ad long after they’ve read it. By literally putting yourself in the palm of your customer’s hand, you are taking a risk that many companies have been rewarded for.
and, good news! We’ve reviewed the best direct mail companies in the game, so you can choose the one that’s right for you. we compare them based on years of experience, client list, and our personal experience with them (where applicable).
Disclaimer: Articles on this blog contain affiliate links from which gmp receives a small commission at no cost to you. we only recommend tools we trust. read more in our privacy policy.
the best direct mail companies in 2021
1. gunderson direct
Star Rating
5 of 5
services offered
Ship with confidence when you work with gunderson direct. Having been in the direct mail business for over 18 years (with over 1.5 billion emails sent), they know a thing or two about making mail work for customers across the US (and internationally).
gunderson direct goes beyond offering world-class direct mail services, it offers a strategic partnership to help you continually iterate and improve your campaigns.
gunderson direct offers customers a full service turnkey direct mail solution or a la carte services including:
- strategic expertise: years of experience allows them to put together winning programs that protect them from success.
- creative thought leadership: they deliver responsive creative while supporting your brand and aiding awareness.
- Responsive data and list sourcing: gunderson direct is data agnostic and will leverage its extensive network of data providers to ensure you are sending your product or service to the right audience.
- Production and Shipping: Direct mail is a manufacturing process. depend on gunderson direct to ensure your mail is produced with the highest quality in mind, while maintaining budgets and meeting deadlines.
- Insightly analytics: Your data team measures each campaign and provides actionable next steps to improve the response of future mailings.
price
Pricing is customized for each program based on campaign size, services required, and program goals.
advantages
- first level client list. you’ll be in good company with people like personal capital, a doctor, aaa, ziprecruiter, plus numerous startups, nonprofits, and tech companies.
- agency-style service that can handle any part of your marketing campaign. mail services include program and test strategy, creative development, audience selection and segmentation, print production and customization management, and follow-up campaign analysis.
- creative leadership that focuses on direct response. creative and messaging support branding while getting prospects to act and convert.
- serious direct mail know-how. this team is the best in the business, bar none. over 17 years of experience in virtually every category makes them a leader among direct mail agencies and service providers.
- roi-focused strategy that delivers results. They say that over 80% of onboarding customers who are new to the direct mail channel are able to scale their programs significantly in 3 months. See if direct mail can work for your business: You can model your estimated ROI and CAC using our handy direct mail calculator found here.
Cons
- campaigns can be expensive as the minimums are high. An average engagement with Gunderson Direct can range from $50,000 to $150,000. but this is cheap for a full service agency model.
link
2. healthy
Star Rating
5 of 5
services offered
greetabl has created a systemized way to send unique and personalized gifts at scale, in a way that’s more beautiful than anything you’ve seen done in the direct mail space. plus, you can do it for less than $15/box!
To be honest, I stumbled upon greetabl as a way to send little personalized gift boxes to friends for their birthdays. but when I discovered that I could use them to ship branded gift boxes on a large scale for my business, I was beyond excited.
I love it because you can choose the design of the box (even design it yourself), include a card with the logo, write a personalized message and even include unique photos inside each box. see the screenshot below to see what I mean…
Greetabl’s corporate gift offering allows you to send gifts your clients will love. Features include:
- Incredibly easy large or small orders
- choose from their design catalog or design your own
- work with your own dedicated account rep or ship self-service
- upload personal photos and create a special message
price
You can easily send a gift box for as little as $12, depending on the gift or gift card you choose to include in your box. plus i negotiated a special offer for gmp readers, use promo code: growth15 for 15% off. 🙂
Also, there are a few different pricing tiers if you want to use greetabl for business or if you want access to special features.
advantages
- perfect price: send the love without breaking the bank. I’ve used gretabl to send hundreds of gift boxes to customers for $15 a box.
- Make someone’s day in minutes.
- All idea, no effort.
- lots of amazing gifts and gift cards to choose from that you can include.
- receive alerts as each package is shipped and received
cons
- I can’t think of anything negative to say about this solution, I’m very grateful it exists!
link
3. saasmql
Star Rating
4 of 5
services offered
saasmql does more than just direct mail marketing. Actually, they are a full service agency specifically for SaaS businesses, and one of their skills is direct mail. when you use saasmql direct mail services, you will get access to your:
- targeted direct mail campaigns
- abm analytics
- saas-centric demand generation
- campaign roi in salesforce
price
You will need to schedule a consultation with the company for pricing.
Pros
- works primarily with venture capital funded saas companies
- company is not a pure direct mail company
- automatic triggers, allowing you to scale your campaigns to the next level.
- a print delivery network that ensures your mail travels the fastest possible route to its destination.
- control over every detail. no rigid templates, so you can test your email design the way you want to test it.
- dashboard and analytics that give you the granular insights you need to keep improving.
- easy api integration, so tracking is easier than ever.
- address verification
- simple and easy to use api
- excellent documentation for developers
- easy testing capabilities
- trigger-based mail system for easy scaling
- print delivery system that is optimized for fast delivery possible
- Setup and delivery times can sometimes be slower than other direct mail companies
- touch marketing automation
- reseller program
- web to print solutions
- mail services
- fulfillment
- custom solutions
- provides services to design, print and mail numerous products
- takes care of the entire process
- provides mailing lists & will clean the lists for you by removing duplicate or incorrect addresses
- could give the sender a bit more control over stopping packages or changing ship dates, as well as meeting deadlines
- access to analytics is limited, so you’ll need to make sure you implement internal tracking.
- mailing lists
- direct mail
- sales leads
- data enhancement
- profile analysis clients
- offers a large number of products in both black and white and full color.
- You can send your artwork to the company to be placed in the banner ad
- Professionals can help you create a custom look for your banner ad
- there is no way to track regular mail
- card printing
- direct mail
- personalized stationery
- automated cards
- easy to use website
- ideal for creating and sending simple cards
- automatic card delivery
- 100% recycled cards
- not many paper options
- on the pricier side, but they do have volume discounts
- direct mail postcards & flyers
- mail piece design
- targeted mailing lists
- call tracking
- provides many additional features, such as mailing lists and tracking options
- call tracking feature. cactus mailing will put a tracking phone number on each mailing. when a customer calls that number, the calls are routed to your business and you can track how many calls originated from your direct mail campaign
- smart marketing dual-channel approach
- only specializes in postcards and brochures for direct mail services
- data & lists
- marketing & design
- custom solutions such as corporate marketing programs and printable web portals
- You can use the service to design, print, and mail a wide selection of mailing formats
- Choose from several different lists, including consumer lists, business lists, and occupant lists
- access to a collection of consumer data
- many additional marketing services
- process time is sometimes longer
- communication time could be improved
- automated direct mail
- mailing lists
- analysis
- response tracking
- tracks mail performance
- automated direct mail
- all can be done online with an easy to use self-help format
- lack of customization and available mail types
- full direct mail service
- weekly mailings (drip campaigns)
- eddm: direct mail to every door
- do it yourself mail same</li
- tag & mail service (if you already have printed postcards)
- mailing lists
- guerrilla marketing
- offers design assistance, high-quality products, and print and mail options
- offers product samples
- wide range of services and takes care of the entire mailing process
- no organic option available
- mailing services
- custom printing
- design services
- die cutting
- foil stamping
- offers a number of products that you can mail to current and potential customers.
- features mailing list options, build process management, and fast response time.
- We will review your designs to ensure the card meets the standards set by the United States Postal Service.
- lacks some features found in other similar companies
- custom printing
- direct mail
- eddm
- design services
- rentable mailing lists
- helps you create personalized banner ads to send to prospects and customers in a designated area
- provides assistance through the design and delivery processes, and offers numerous support resources
- each product is of high quality and you can choose from a variety of paper options
- fast service
- does not offer tracking features
- variable data printing
- online list builder
- design services
- corporate websites
- web to print shop windows
- layout services
- digital layer cutting
- provides high-quality products, allows you to view a finished product before printing, and offers design assistance.
- All postcards are UV coated to help resist fading during the mailing process.
- ability to create a postcard and send it to you at no additional cost
- Powered by canva, their online design services make you feel like a graphic designer!
- slower than some of the other services.
- direct mail (postcards, newsletters, envelopes, etc.)
- display advertising
- reputation management
- social media marketing
- mail2mobile
- call tracking options
- access to detailed data reporting
- includes many useful tools such as reporting options and consulting services
- does not include as many product sizes as other direct mail companies
- postcard & brochure design & printing
- direct mail api & retargeting
- eddm
- graphic design
- mailing lists
- automated email follow-up
- website & ; landing page design
- ppc management
- prints a variety of marketing products
- collects data and information to track campaign results
- custom design services
- sometimes there can be a lot of back and forth with communication
- ideal for small businesses, restaurants, real estate agents and local political campaigns
- send at least 200 and up to 5000 pieces per day per zip code
- leave your eddm mailing at the post office
- no special mail permit needed
- pay online or at the post office
- top 10 lead generation strategies for your business
- your guide to local seo
- best graphic design software tools
cons
link
saasmql: get started today
4. balloon
Star Rating
5 of 5
services offered
lob has created a direct mail system that works for the modern marketer. They allow you to schedule and control your direct mail campaigns in the same way you can control an email campaign or other digital marketing effort.
lob’s direct mail features include things like:
price
lob offers pricing plans based on the size of your business.
Pros
cons
link
5. printing for free
Star Rating
4 of 5
services offered
pfl was the world’s first online print shop, founded in 1996. they’ve been doing the whole printing thing for a while and their products reflect that. They are a one stop shop that offers a host of different print products as well as direct mail services. Some of their services include:
price
you can contact the company to get a quote.
Pros
withs
link
6. us data axis
Star Rating
3 of 5
services offered
data axis usa, formerly known as infousa, offers a number of different services related to direct mail.
price
You can talk to one of their marketing experts to get a quote.
advantages
cons
link
7. postable
star rating
3 of 5
services offered
postable offers a slightly different type of direct mail service. They not only allow you to send regular mail, but also fancier, custom-designed cards that can include a “handwriting” font. you can choose from hundreds of templates or upload your own design.
postable’s direct mail services offer all of the following:
price
The company includes a price calculator on its website. you can also contact the company to get a quote.
Pros
cons
link
8. cactus mail
Star Rating
4 of 5
services offered
cactus mailing offers something called “intelligent marketing,” which means they coordinate direct mail efforts with other forms of marketing, namely landing pages and google display, to improve your campaign results. their other marketing offerings include:
price
You will need to contact the company for a quote.
Pros
withs
link
9. modern postcard
Star Rating
4 of 5
services offered
modern postcard has tons of different types of direct mail templates, allowing you to customize the design of your piece to make sure it stands out from the crowd. They also offer printing services, display advertising, SMS marketing, email marketing, and other digital marketing options.
some of their direct mail services include:
price
You can get a price estimate on the company’s website, with a free consultation and action plan.
Pros
withs
link
10. postalistics
Star Rating
4 of 5
services offered
postalytics is an automated direct mail service that delivers personalized messages through email campaigns. You’ll be informed about the delivery and response status of each piece you ship, as it’s synced with your CRM or other marketing automations. In addition, they check all of your addresses before submitting them to your list against the USPS databases.
services include:
price
postalytics offers different plans for automated direct mail in addition to their price per piece, which can be found on their website.
Pros
cons
link
11. print label and mail
Star Rating
3 of 5
services offered
print label and mail is a direct mail advertising company serving for over 30 years. offer:
price
You can contact the company for a quote and payment plans are also offered for eligible customers.
Pros
withs
link
12. psprint
Star Rating
3 of 5
services offered
ps print is a design, printing and mailing service. With printing options ranging from business cards to magnets, you have plenty of options for sending using your direct mail campaigns!
price
Pricing information is not included on the company website for direct mail services.
Pros
withs
link
13. morning-after flyers
Star Rating
3 of 5
services offered
next day flyers is primarily a printing company (with hundreds of different options) that also offers mailing services.
price
A pricing table is provided on the company’s website for direct mail services.
advantages
withs
link
14. smart press
star rating
3 of 5
services offered
smartpress, formerly a postcard maker, has combined printing and mailing services for various mailing needs, including:
price
You will need to contact the company for a quote.
advantages
withs
link
15. swell
star rating
3 of 5
services offered
upswell, formerly mudlick marketing, offers “hyperlocal marketing” serving single and multi-location independent and franchise businesses through all stages of a business’s life, from launch to rebirth. offers include:
price
You can contact the company through their online form or by calling their support line.
Pros
withs
link
16. postcard mania
Star Rating
3 of 5
services offered
postcard mania are “small business marketing experts” for postcard printing and direct mail services including:
price
They have direct mail postcard pricing on their site, and you can get a quote for your exact project.
Pros
withs
link
direct mail to all doors (eddm)
Direct mail to all doors is another great option, especially for small businesses. prices are the best for the mail (16 to 20 cents a piece) and the minimums are very low. many of the options on this list offer eddm as well as direct mail services.
eddm is a great way to dive into direct mail at a fairly affordable price. use the usps routing tool to see targeting options.
summarizing
Direct mail is an incredible way to reach audiences on a large scale. it can be a little expensive, but once you get going, the return on investment can be huge.
Some agencies will try to add digital retargeting (facebook ads) along with your mail order purchase. this is a common upsell, but frankly, you can run these campaigns yourself for a lot cheaper.
Also, you can usually talk to the agencies about price and minimum purchase. do your homework and put on your best negotiating hat with your direct mail campaigns!
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