Beware of “Newfangled Whizbang” Syndrome

In 2012, direct mail will be just as powerful as ever 

Shiny-new-object syndrome is running rampant throughout the business world. Across all industries, we are seeing unfettered excitement to try the newest marketing technology and jump on the advertising bandwagon of the moment.

Don’t get us wrong, we love technology developments like QR codes and ecommerce and apps as much as the next person, but as we look forward to 2012, we are reminded that so much of what we do in business now is the same as it ever was.  Now it is just augmented by the new products and services that are available.

2012 for us is not just about using the next “newfangled whizbang” marketing tactic that presents itself, but about finding the intersection between the traditional and digital worlds of marketing in ways that work for our business, and for our customers’ businesses.

People still check their mail and look for offers to be delivered to their mailboxes (Don’t you?). And now, thanks to technology, we business owners have even more ways to connect with prospects and customers  through email, social media, online marketing, mobile advertising, etc..

The most promising intersection this year is the partnership between online marketing tactics and the consistently strong performance of direct mail. As a company that built its foundation on direct mail marketing, we keep an eye on available research projecting the performance of direct mail as a marketing strategy.

The expected trajectory of direct mail marketing in 2012 is nothing short of exciting!

As you can see, direct mail advertising spending was up in 2011 and is expected to continue to grow in 2012.

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In a 2010 Winterberry Group survey, direct mail was rated a highly effective media for customer acquisition and retention, more than search, social and email.

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Ultimately, the purpose of direct mail has shifted as the marketing industry has developed. In the past, direct mail served simply as a vehicle for direct orders, but now it plays a key role in driving sales both online and in-store. In 2012, complemented by the technology of the evolving digital marketing world, direct mail can serve as a powerful lead generation tool for your business.

It’s always wise to keep a solid marketing base with media that you know works, and test new forms of marketing to see how it can complement your base.  Build a diversified campaign based on your marketing goals.  It’s how I run my business and how we encourage our clients to run their campaigns.

How have you planned to use direct and digital marketing in 2012? Are you leaning more heavily on the tried-and-true strategies, running with the online options or combining the two?