Do you send direct mail to prospects? Or, do you consider it too dated for today's sales world? You may be surprised to know that it's actually making a comeback as a sales tactic. Gabe Larsen, of InsideSales.com, reports on this trend in a recent article for Sales Hacker. While currently, 38.5% of B2B companies report that they are using direct mail, he expects that number to grow.
Citing company research, Larsen points out that 66.1% of survey respondents say they’re likely to respond to a direct mail piece. Comparatively, only 30.3% are likely to respond to email. It's apparent that direct mail presents a great opportunity to cut through all of the digital noise facing buyers.
When sending direct mail, Larsen believes the following are options to consider:
- Handwritten cards
- Printed cards
- E‑gifts (electronic gifts)
- Small gifts with company branding
- Small gifts without company branding
He also points out that some are more cost-effective and persuasive than others:
- Cards are the most popular form of direct mail.
- Handwritten notes are most likely to receive a response.
- Useful gifts are the most persuasive (compared to edible).
- Pens and mugs are the most popular gifts.
- Gifts with a perceived value under $11.40 reflected poorly on response rates and the company image.
Check out Larsen’s article for more insights from the study, as well as his suggestions for making your direct mail cost-effective for the company. In addition to boosting response rates, direct mail also strengthens relationships. As Larsen writes, "the power of gifts is that they attempt to form a genuine connection to people. They show that people care, they show involvement and engagement."