Direct mail trends can be difficult to forecast, even without last year’s turbulent record. recession, civil unrest, political strife, and of course, a raging pandemic were all factors that produced a very different year for marketers than anyone could have imagined.
who sends what! look at the trends in 2021
Lately, who’s sending what? participated in variable data printing & email summit, where we share some of the trends we uncovered along with some key insights. that’s why we decided to update this article to highlight some of our learnings.
1. postcards are on the rise; are growing in popularity.
We look at the last 12 years… we look at all formats of mail… and postcards have been steadily increasing.
some possible reasons?
- potentially… higher postage and paper costs
- perhaps a response to a change in the way people read mail: a postcard is smaller, with fewer words, so it’s faster to read and get customers to respond to an offer or search for more information online to make a decision
As postcards gain in popularity, these are the industries that see the most significant drop in the use of envelopes (or packs of letters).
- the average drop across all industries is 15% on envelopes,
- marketers and brands still use them, just less often
We see marketers changing the way they campaign, with fewer pieces and copy. here’s an example: kay jewelers in 2008 sent more envelope campaigns like in this valentine promotion, but for 2020… postcards.
however, in some industries, the drop is less. for them, envelopes are still a proven way to send a sales message.
Recommended Reading: 8 Direct Mail Envelope Ideas To Increase Your Open Rate [+22 Examples]
When it comes to autoships, the same factors come into play: why use an autoship when a postcard will do almost the same thing for less? which means a better ROI for your campaigns.
- 16% was the average drop across all industries
- industries with the most prominent drop are highlighted here; quite similar to envelopes with the exception of the arts.
here’s a good example of what i’m talking about: 2 different disney vacation club mailers – at the top this folded autoship from 2007 has a lot of copy covering a 2 panel spread but in 2021, a single postcard is the norm. it’s cheaper to mail, and again… fewer copies.
Which brings me to our second trend!
2. the copy becomes concise
Let’s talk about word count: Over the last 20 years, according to our statistics, the text of direct mail has become shorter by 62%.
let’s take a look at amazon – for years it has been sending out letters reminding prime members that they are entitled to view prime videos, but there is a big difference in word count between 2014 and the 2021 example you see:
- shorter sentences
- much smaller paragraphs
- some bullet points
If you’re a fan of copy, restaurants love copy when they promote themselves. not only do they send more postcards, but they use more words…98% more in the last 4 years!
so there are exceptions to the trends.
3. digital interactive is more frequent.
Direct mail is a fantastic way to engage with a target audience and bolster your online efforts. we look at how businesses and organizations are opening up avenues for customers to respond and see digital calls to action gaining popularity:
entice the consumer or donor to interact with your brand or organization through some digital channel:
- either a social media channel
- via a qr code, or
- requests a website visit
The use of these reply terms in email has doubled in the last 4 years!
here we see multiple business categories or industries that take advantage of digital elements. the top 3 are financial services, retail, and not-for-profit.
sharing some examples of these digital elements.
what does 2021 look like? our analysis shows that of the top digital text highlights:
- social media profiles are number 1
- qr codes are number 2
- in number 3 we have: “visit our website”
@username takes the consumer directly to where you want them to be; “follow us” requires the consumer to do a bit more work (they have to find you themselves).
The lesson here is that you want to offer your customers and prospects every possible way to interact with you and respond to your offer with a purchase or a donation.
read in detail: how do you drive digital response to direct mail?
4. business reply mail is becoming less popular
Another way traditional mail has changed in the last 20 years is the decline of what was a standard reply option for many years: business reply mail.
53% of businesses no longer send business reply emails (this graph doesn’t reflect the amount of brm being produced, but it does give you an idea of the company’s use of email) business response email).
Marketers need to meet customers where many of them are…which is online. so we’ve had an increase in digital response options:
- custom websites / urls
- qr codes
- apps
here is paypal – email response only in 2005… but… in 2021, no more; instead it is a branded qr code.
They are quick and easy. but… we don’t want to set the wrong tone here. business reply mail is still considered an effective response device, as evidenced by large senders in many industries.
- Looking at statistics from last year and this year, you can see that 12% of amex direct mail packages include a business response device.
- citibank: 15%
- In the nonprofit sector, 36% of Feed America packages include enterprise response devices
Not all audiences are always comfortable responding to an online offer. they appreciate the security and convenience of using an envelope provided for them to make charitable donations or return an insurance application.
Always consider the interests and reactions to your campaign of your target audience before sending an email.
read in detail: should I still use business reply mail?
5. sustainability is coming to the fore in recent years: green growth
This graphic highlights direct mail ads that include a sustainability stance. Of the email pieces with sustainability language, 75% were sent in the last 5 years. From a trend perspective, we see this becoming more prevalent and coming to the fore.
Read more about green trends in direct mail
6. lasting impact of covid-19
Perhaps the biggest trend in direct mail has developed in the last year alone: the COVID-19 pandemic. It has exacted an enormous human cost, as well as an economic one. so it appeared in the mail in many ways.
looking at words and phrases related to covid, comparing this year to last year: in 2020, we were adapting and canceling; in 2021, you can see that we have been adapting and transitioning to virtual environments.
marketers are adjusting to a new normal by including covid-related messages in their campaigns and highlighting different benefits in their campaigns.
read more: the impact of covid-19 on direct mail marketing: statistics and trends
7. is direct mail still working?
we are going to give you an enthusiastic “yes”!
We have businesses of all ages taking advantage of direct mail. companies founded from proctor & bet… companies founded in the “digital age,” many of them fashion startups, are including direct mail as part of their mix.
- just over 20% of companies in wmw! collection were founded in the last 20 years.
- Young companies are also using direct mail.
let’s see some of them.
We have companies founded in 2020 represented in the database. even newly established companies, founded during a global pandemic, have turned to direct mail marketing.
Established digital leaders are embracing direct mail.
why?
- because they understand that it works. When done right, direct mail has a higher response rate than online tactics
- needs to reach audiences that digital channels don’t.
- They also need to stand out in the mailbox of other well-known companies in their market.
- paper, ink, Finishing and great marketing come together to make an impression, and a sale, that other tactics can’t match.
read in detail: the main digital companies that use direct mail
Our full presentation with examples and statistics is available on slideshare.
→ view the 2021 direct mail trends report on slideshare
what other experts say
We have also consulted with other industry leaders about their prospects. We also wanted to tap into the expertise of some of our friends to find out what they think is coming in 2021. Each one brings a unique perspective to our discussion, and we thank you all for your participation.
8. more sophisticated variable data
9. qr codes
data analysis of who sends what! In fact, it has shown an increase in the use of QR codes in direct mail. some of the factors that drive the increased use of qr codes are:
- usps campaign discounts. In recent years, marketers have enjoyed 2% discounts on shipping costs for campaigns that include a generated dynamic QR code. however, compared to when they were first introduced in the mail, they now have more stringent requirements to prove their value in creating a better consumer experience.
- more awareness of the value of multi-channel mail . when incorporated into a piece of mail in a way that makes sense, i.e. it actually provides a benefit to the customer, something that bridges the physical and digital worlds.
- more convenience and familiarity with codes qr. qr codes are used in signage, restaurant menus, and print ads to provide up-to-date, high-tech, and contactless useful information at the same time.
10. voice activated call to action
This is a great example of a cutting edge technology that is fast approaching a tipping point for marketers. surveys say that more than a quarter of all American adults now have at least one voice assistant. so look for ways to incorporate them into your direct mail, especially when you can save money.
11. direct mail enabled
12. programmatic direct mail
Whatever name you want to use (programmatic or triggered mail), this is a growing category of mail because it makes a lot of sense. brings together the physical and digital worlds to create a unique experience for your customers. Like the first trend mentioned (advertising consolidation), it is another way for companies of all sizes to be present in any channel where their customers are, and taking advantage of the strengths of each one.
13. additional specialized brand functions
Your mail can stand out in the customer’s mailbox by leveraging basic human senses like sight, touch and smell. after all, all communications look the same because they can’t create the sensory experiences that direct mail can. look for ways to fix your mail!
14. interactive direct mail
15. b2b dimensional mail
16. better segmentation with data
17. the change from quantity to quality
18. the change from “junk mail” to personal mail
19. further customization
20. coordinated online & offline advertising
21. invest in direct mail tools
At first glance, you might be wondering why this is a trend for next year. who has time for that but think about it: if now is not a good time, when will it be?
The unstable economy in many sectors and the uncertainty about the course of covid-19 can be a good excuse for many marketers to reduce, or even eliminate, their direct mail campaigns.
don’t.
Now is when you should be looking at ways to refine your data, to ensure it is as accurate and complete as possible. Consider modifying your formats and testing USPS Informed Delivery and other opportunities to reach consumers with new technologies combined with the mail. new inks, papers and finishes can also appeal to newer audiences. and who sends what! makes it easy to skip some tests when seeing what worked for other marketers.
22. discounts by mail with associations
23. higher response rates
This is a trend to watch out for. even as the pandemic begins to subside, last year’s trends in the workplace and at home may be permanent.
24. millennial marketers & learning opportunities
We now have millions of people who have grown up as digital consumers. But how much is too much, especially when people are overwhelmed with too much digital clutter? And when surveys show that millennials and Gen Z love to print more than other generations? If you’ve given up on email, it’s not too late to relearn the basics. With a subscription to Who Sends What!, you’ll get education (or a refresher course) on how to create successful direct mail.
25. email productization
When you create and send a direct mail campaign, is it a separate effort? Personalization is a major cost to both you and your clients that you can avoid by focusing on repeatable aspects of your mail design and production.
final thoughts
predicting the future is imperfect. only time will tell if and how the trends presented by our distinguished panelists will be revealed.
the course of the covid-19 pandemic in the coming months, and how marketers develop their response to it, will play a significant role in how direct mail works in 2021. a thread that runs through many One of these comments is the continued digitization of communications. Savvy marketers see this accelerating trend not as a threat to mail, but as an opportunity for growth. channel integration, where customers want and need it, makes more sense than ever. new printing technologies and getting to market earlier and better will help direct mail thrive as a vital part of a customer contact strategy.
This post was originally published on Feb. 10, 2021. was updated and republished on June 2, 2021.