Direct Mail Is Making A Comeback In B2B Sales

BY Jessica Helinski
Featured image for “Direct Mail Is Making A Comeback In B2B Sales”

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."

Jessica Helinski Avatar

Jessica Helinski 

Director of Research

Jessica Helinski, Director of Research, manages the research department at SalesFuel. She also reports on sales tips and credibility for SalesFuel. Jess has worked as a reporter for the celebrity magazine Us Weekly and as a copy editor at JPMorgan Chase & Co. She holds a B.S. from the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University and majored in magazine journalism.

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