Think direct mail has gone the way of the dinosaur? Think again. 

A recent MarketingSherpa survey of more than 1,000 B2B marketers found 79% of companies still count direct mail as an effective part of their marketing strategy (22% of those respondents believe direct mail is a “very effective” channel).

Only 21% of companies believe direct mail is “completely ineffective” in terms of generating new business.

The question managers need to ask themselves prior to launching a new direct mail campaign is: What edge can direct mail provide that e-mail cannot?

Here are four reasons companies may want to consider direct mail campaigns instead of (or in addition to) e-mail:

1. Direct mail copy isn’t subject to spam filters
2. It gives companies the option to add graphics and vibrant colors, both of which have been proven to increase response rates
3. Lists don’t dwindle over time as prospects “unsubscribe,” and
4. It gives marketers the option to use creative envelopes or packaging to increase open rates.

The survey also revealed the size and location of a company play a major role in determining whether to use direct mail or e-mail

Two types of companies that tend to see better results from direct mail:

1. small companies of 100 employees or fewer that cater to a close-knit pool of customers, and
2. companies located in rural regions, where e-mail isn’t as widely used (or popular) as direct mail.

Tags: B2B, direct mail, e-mail, lists, MarketingSherpa, spam filters, survey