Print Advertising and Direct Mail Calms Overwhelmed Consumers 

People are reeling from digital fatigue. From hours of screen time to endless work e-mails and non-stop notifications, everyday people are feeling burned out, frazzled, and foggy. Print advertising and direct mail offer a quiet, comforting, and effective alternative for businesses and organizations looking to foster authentic connections with their clientele. 

 While print advertising and direct mail have taken a backseat to digital communication in the last two decades, paper and ink is actually making a glorious comeback. Well-received across demographics, print offers advantages that the digital world simply cannot offer.  

Digital Overwhelm is Real and It’s Hurtng the Bottom Line 

Nearly 70% of consumers across all demographics and income levels reports feeling overwhelmed by brand communications on digital channels. Not only are people tuning digital ads and emails out as a method of self-preservation, they’re also actively installing ad- and pop-up blockers and utilizing private browsing to avoid feeling inundated. Many consumers create an e-mail address solely for signing up for brand communication and discounts to declutter their primary inbox as a defense mechanism for feeling overwhelmed.  

Feelings of overwhelm and digital fatigue are provoking a trend in consumers opting out of digital communication. In 2024, Optimove conducted a large survey, which revealed the following: 

  • E-mail is the most irritating channel for consumers, with 35% reporting that they felt bombarded by messaging. Text communication comes in at second with 26% of consumers blaming this method of messaging as a source for digital fatigue. 
  • Over 80% of survey respondents unsubscribe from brands who engage in excessive messaging. 
  • More than half of survey participants reported unsubscribing from three or more brands in a 3-month period. 
  • Almost 40% of consumers are less likely to trust a brand that only communicates digitally. 

Digital fatigue is only a portion of the great consumer tune-out. It turns out—and research confirms this notion—that incessant digital communication doesn’t align with how our brains function. Digital communications are less likely to be remembered than print. The University of Tokyo found that college students retain far more information when it’s contained to actual paper as opposed to digital content. Our brains simply process and retrieve information more efficiently when it is printed.  

Research conducted by Temple University and the USPS in 2015 found that consumers feel more to desire to purchase items when they’re advertised in print over digital formats, too.  

Print Advertising and Direct Mail is the Antidote to Digital Fatigue 

While the research points to a consumer backlash against digital communication, people have much more positive responses with print advertising and direct mail. More brands are looking to conventional advertising and marketing to connect with consumers. Patagonia and J. Crew, for example, have revitalized their outreach by bringing back print catalogs. Other organizations are implementing personalized direct mail and retargeting campaigns to work around digital overwhelm.  

Ample research conducted by well-known universities and the USPS has demonstrated that not only do consumers view print material more favorably, physical copies of brand messaging spark feelings of comfort, nostalgia, and trust. Consumers are far more likely to remember your businesses and its product/services when interacting with direct mail and catalogues than when viewing digital versions of the same content. Print doesn’t have to compete with digital fatigue, ad blockers, and spam folders either.  

If you’re looking to develop a print advertising strategy that works, contact our team at Pel Hughes at (504) 486-8646. We help businesses and organizations throughout the United States develop stunning direct mail campaigns, catalogues, and so much more.  

Do You Need UV Coating on Direct Mail? 

Our team at Pel Hughes utilizes a variety of advanced equipment that can enhance your direct mail campaigns with finishing touches like UV coating, foils, and raised varnishes. Ultraviolet coating is popular option to improve the appearance and durability of your mailers. This coating is also great for business cards. Read on to learn more about UV coating and whether it’s right for your next campaign.  

What is UV Coating? 

Chances are, you have received a piece of direct mail that is UV coated. Ultraviolet coating is a finishing service on direct mail that adds a high gloss sheen to mailers. This add-on makes mailers stand out from others, intensifies colors, and enhances existing graphics. UV coating is achieved by applying a varnish to printed pieces and curing them with an ultraviolet light.  

Three Reasons to Choose Ultraviolet Coating

#1 Postal Discount Eligibility for Tactile Mailers 

In an effort to promote direct mail that provides a sensory experience, the USPS runs promotional discounts on mailers that stimulate the senses including touch. UV coating can qualify mailers for tactile discounts if submitted before deadlines. You can learn more about these USPS discounts by clicking here.  

#2 Additional Protection for Mailers 

Your direct mail campaigns will ultimately go through industrial sorting equipment at the USPS. This can lead to bends and tears on your pieces. Ultraviolet coating, fortunately, offers a layer of protection for your mailers to ensure that they arrive to your recipients in pristine condition. Furthermore, UV coating is scratch and smudge resistant, too.  

#3 Produces a More Memorable Experience for Recipients 

The high sheen associated with UV coating provides a memorable and elegant tactile experience for your customers. By tapping into the sense of touch, your mailers can activate more brain activity among consumers, which can lead to developing positive associations with your brand, increased brand recognition, and a sense of trust with your product or services.  

Pel Hughes is proud to offer the latest printing technology to businesses, organizations, and educational institutions throughout New Orleans and beyond. You can learn more about our services by checking out our blog or by calling our team (504) 486-8646 to discuss your next project.  

Every Door Direct Mail: 5 Benefits to Consider

Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is an invaluable service provided by the USPS. This service makes it easy and affordable to send bulk mailings to every residence in a zip code or specific neighborhood. EDDM offers unique advantages to businesses, non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and political campaigns.  

A Brief Overview of Every Door Direct Mail  

The USPS aggregates data from the Census Bureau for the EDDM program. EDDM is one of the most affordable options for sending out bulk mailings to targeted neighborhoods or businesses within a city or town. This service accepts different types and sizes of mailings so that businesses and organizations have diverse options for their marketing campaigns.  

Five Benefits to Using EDDM 

#1 No Mailing Lists are Needed 

With Every Door Direct Mail, mailing lists are not necessary. This is ideal for businesses operating within neighborhoods such as dry cleaners, car washes, cafes, dental practices, grocers, and local retailers. While mailing lists can contribute to effective direct mail campaigns, they aren’t always necessary to reach new clientele. 

#2 Affordable Mail Campaigns 

Although direct mail boasts a better ROI than digital advertising, businesses and organizations must be mindful of costs in today’s economy. EDDM is an affordable option for campaigns because the USPS offers discounts for large mailings. Since mailing lists were not necessary to purchase, businesses and organizations can enjoy lower costs associated with their campaigns.  

#3 Using EDDM is Easy 

The Every Door Direct Mail interface online is very user-friendly. Not only can marketers select zip codes and neighborhoods within them for mailings, they can also filter and sort recipients by age, household size, and income. Once these selections are made, marketers can specify how many mail pieces will be sent out for their campaigns and receive a cost estimate. The last step to the EDDM process is to take printed collateral to your post office for delivery. Using EDDM is efficient and easy from start to finish.  

#4 EDDM Offers Customizable Options 

The USPS accepts various types of mailers for its EDDM program. This means that businesses and organizations can send postcards and letters of various sizes so long as they meet certain requirements.  

#5 EDDM is Available to Retail and Bulk Marketers 

The USPS offers EDDM to both lower volume enterprises and organizations that market with bulk mailings. EDDM Retail is ideal for smaller businesses and no mailing permits are required. Those using EDDM retail can send between 200 and 5,000 mailers a day and can drop their print collateral off at any post office. Larger campaigns can use EDDM at Business Mail Entry Units. This is ideal for more ambitious campaigns and there are no limits to the amount of mail that can be sent daily. Large volume campaigns require bulk mailing permits.  

Based in New Orleans, Pel Hughes is a full-service printer that serves businesses, organizations, and educational institutions throughout the United States. We offer a suite of services to enhance direct mail campaigns including retargeting, customization, campaign automation, database management, graphic design, and cross media marketing. Call our team at (504) 486-8646 to learn more.  

The Powerful Effects of Direct Mail on Consumers 

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Did you know that direct mail has physiological, mental, and emotional effects on its recipients? It’s true. The powerful effects of direct mail have been well documented by researchers. While digital marketing has dominated the conversation in recent years, it’s wise to not overlook the positive effects of direct mail on consumers.  

The Neurological Effects of Direct Mail 

The Centre for Experimental Consumer Psychology conducted research on the effects of direct mail for the United Kingdom’s Royal Mail service. This study involved taking MRI images of consumers reactions to printed advertising and comparing them with MRI images of viewing that same ad on a computer monitor. The result was clear: printed mailers produced significantly more brain activity and emotional response than the digital versions of the same ad.  

Researchers attribute increased brain activity and emotional connection with direct mail to the tactile (haptic) stimulation print materials provide. When interacting with tactile items, the right retrosplenial cortex of the brain is involved, which is the source of memory storage and retrieval. This part of the brain is also the area responsible for emotional processing. Essentially, the haptic nature of direct mail makes stronger impressions on consumers and specifically boosts brand recognition while also generating positive emotional connections with organizations and brands. 

Positive Emotional and Mental Responses to Direct Mail  

When it comes to consumer trust, the only thing more powerful than direct mail is the recommendations of close friends and family. Direct mail’s stimulation of the emotional processing centers in the brain as well as its tactile nature tends to invoke trust among consumers. According to a 2009 study, about 82% of consumers in the United States trust direct mail more than any other form of advertising. Compare this figure to the fact that only 16% of consumers trust digital advertising and you have a pretty compelling case to incorporate direct mail into your marketing strategy.  

One element to the feelings of trust associated with direct mail is the nostalgia factor. Print materials connect people to their lives before digital media existed. Digital fatigue among consumers is a real phenomenon that causes concerning challenges for marketers. Consumers are inundated with so much messaging on a daily basis that they feel overwhelmed. As a response to this, human brains have developed methods for ignoring digital messaging. Moreover, digital communication can be blocked by various applications like pop-up blockers and spam filters.  

How to Leverage Direct Mail for Optimal Results  

When used in a robust cross media marketing strategy, direct mail can help reach consumers without fatiguing them or annoying them. Modern technology like direct mail retargeting, variable data printing (customization), campaign automation, QR codes, and PURLs (personalized URLs) can be used to increase consumer engagement and provide reliable metrics for assessing the effectiveness of direct mail campaigns.  

Pel Hughes serves organizations, educational institutions, and businesses of all sizes. Give us a call at (504) 486-8646 to develop your next direct mail campaign.  

Retargeting & The Customer Journey 

Direct mail retargeting is a powerful tool for fostering thoughtful and meaningful communication with your customers. When used throughout the customer journey, retargeting campaigns can build a loyal consumer base, increase engagement on your digital properties, and boost revenue.  

Using sophisticated technology, direct mail retargeting sends physical mail pieces to consumers after they have interacted with your brand online. Retargeting campaigns are only sent when a customer, at some point, expresses interest in a product or service through visiting your website, adding items to a digital shopping cart, or signing up for e-mail/push notifications. Pel Hughes offers direct mail retargeting services to help your brand thrive in a hyper competitive business climate.  

Below, our team breaks down the customer journey and offers tips on how direct mail retargeting can best be applied for each.  

Understanding the Stages of the Customer Journey 

#1 The Awareness Stage 

The first stage of the customer journey involves a consumer first interacting with your brand online. This could involve being directed to your website from a social media post or ad or viewing specific products or services within your website for the first time.  

When to Retarget: The awareness stage is a great opportunity to send a direct mail retargeting campaign based on a person’s specific activity on your website. If a potential customer viewed certain products, offering a one-time discount code to a new customer is a great incentive. Sending campaigns that highlight what makes your organization unique, such as social or environmental initiatives and consumer testimonials are helpful, too.  

 

#2 The Consideration Stage 

The consideration stage is quite different from the awareness stage in the customer journey. During the consideration stage, consumer behavior can involve viewing a specific product or service on several occasions, signing up for e-mail communications, or alerts for restocks of specific products.  

When to Retarget: Let’s say you offer women’s clothing, and a particular user viewed several product pages for cardigans. Your retargeting campaign could showcase a handful of fashionable cardigans that highlight the latest seasonal trends. When retargeting campaigns are sent in this manner, they are perceived as thoughtful and helpful by consumers. 

#3 The Purchase Stage 

The purchase stage doesn’t always involve an actual purchase. In fact, it can involve consumer behavior that signals a strong desire to make a purchase in the near future. Common consumer behaviors of this stage in the customer journey include placing items in a shopping cart but abandoning it or attempting to use coupon codes on specific products.  

When to Retarget: The purchase stage is a great time to retarget with campaigns reminding a consumer about the contents of their shopping cart, offering discounts on their next purchase, or sending a campaign with customer testimonials on the specific product(s) he or she was interested in.  

#4 The Loyalty Stage 

Keeping your existing customers is wonderful for your bottom line. The loyalty stage of the customer journey is one of the most important stages that a business can initiate thoughtful contact.  

When to Retarget: Repeat customers are excellent candidates for receiving retargeting campaigns that upsell recent purchases, celebrate their birthdays, or offer membership into rewards programs.  

Pel Hughes offers a suite of direct mail services including retargeting for businesses and organizations throughout the United States. We also provide graphic design, campaign automation, and database services. Give us a call at (504) 486-8646 to launch your next campaign. 

Why You Need Direct Mail Retargeting

We’ve been excited about our new, effective product we offer our clients, direct mail retargeting. Direct mail retargeting is a powerful technology that can help you connect with digital visitors, increase conversions, and work around digital clutter and fatigue—a phenomenon that is plaguing consumers.  

Direct Mail Retargeting Circumvents Digital Clutter 

Digital clutter is a problem—and it’s affecting consumers and businesses alike. The concept of digital clutter is a thoroughly modern problem that leads to overwhelm, fatigue, and missed communication between businesses and consumers. 

 In extreme cases, digital clutter can lead to tens of thousands of unread e-mails in inboxes and days-long streams of notifications on mobile devices. Many consumers have downloaded apps specifically to mass delete countless e-mails, notifications, and spam texts because they feel so overwhelmed. Others may simply ignore communication all together or set-up filters to automatically move e-mails spam folders.  

While these actions can eliminate some digital clutter, it makes it difficult for businesses to reach out to their consumer base through digital channels. Direct mail retargeting is a great workaround for this issue as it involves using advanced software to send mail pieces to digital visitors to your website. 

Our Direct Mail Retargeting Program can have direct mail generated to about 70% of your website’s daily visitors within 24 hours. This makes establishing thoughtful contact and circumventing digital clutter a breeze.  

Retargeting Creates Higher Conversion Rates for Digital Consumers 

Over 95% of digital visitors leave a website before making a purchase. Direct mail retargeting software produces results by sending print mail to a digital user’s physical mailbox. This mail can be personalized to its recipient and even anticipate what products or services are most likely to appeal to an individual consumer thanks to advanced modeling and predictive software. When direct mail campaigns offer discounts through VIP coupon codes or BOGO deals, the likelihood of making a sales conversion increases substantially.  

Direct Mail Resonates with Almost Everyone 

Direct mail is more powerful than many people realize. In fact, print advertising is seen as significantly more trustworthy than digital. Even younger generations such as Millennials and Gen Z enjoy receiving brand communication via direct mail.  

Print campaigns resonate with consumers because they generate a sensory experience. After all, direct mail can be touched and even smelled—two powerful senses that cannot be stimulated in the digital realm. The likelihood that a consumer will hold a piece of mail from your business is far greater than the likelihood that that same consumer will open (and read) an e-mail campaign from your brand.  

The friendly experts at Pel Hughes are here to help you make the most of your next direct mail campaign. In addition to direct mail retargeting, we offer graphic design, campaign automation, and database services. We work with businesses, non-profit organizations, and higher educational institutions throughout the United States. Give our pros a call at (504) 486-8646 to learn more about how our team can serve your needs.  

Marketing to Millennials: Digital and Print Response 

Marketing to millennials can be challenging for print and digital marketers. This generation has had their lives earmarked by two radically different worlds. Imagine your formative years consisting of wall-mounted landline telephones, printed maps, and TV Guide subscriptions with your teenage years and adulthood consisting of smartphones, GPS, and Netflix. Tethering between these strikingly different ways of living, millennials are fully capable of embracing the rapid advancement of technology while holding a sentimental nostalgia for life before the Digital Age. The following are some helpful facts about millennials as well as tips for marketing to them for the best response.  

Understanding Millennials—Facts and Statistics You Need to Know 

  • The millennial generation is big! In fact, Millennials outpace Boomers by 1.5 million people. 
  • Millennials fall between the ages of 26 and 42. 
  • This generation is educated, with over a quarter having at least a bachelor’s degree.  
  • The average income for millennials hovers just above $35,000.  
  • Millennials collectively contribute over $1 trillion in disposable income to the economy. 
  • Millennials are the most racially, ethnically, and religiously diverse generation in the United States’ history. 

Due to their life experiences, millennials are largely misunderstood by older generations. The millennial generation grew up through widespread divorce, overworked parents, rapid increases in cost of living, and several economic and geopolitical crises. These events and experiences led to millennials prioritizing work-life balance and craving a sense of social progress through informed consumerism. Millennials have taken a hit in the press with numerous pieces written about them accusing them of being entitled or lazy because their priorities and worldview differs from that of their predecessors.  

Earning a millennials’ patronage of your business involves so much more than offering a great deal on a product or service. Due to coming-of-age with the World Wide Web at their fingertips, millennials tend to be very socially aware of global societal issues and want to spend their money with companies who operate ethically, sustainably, and fairly. This is why corporations and brands with strong social responsibility initiatives resonate particularly well with millennials.  

Beyond socially conscious consumerism, millennials respond well to personalization. From personalized sneakers to programmable thermostats, millennials enjoy products and services tailored to their needs and lifestyle.  

Tips for Effective Marketing to Millennials 

While millennials are dialed in to social media, e-mail and app-based commerce, they are surprisingly receptive to traditional marketing channels like direct mail. In fact, according to the USPS, millennials enjoy checking their mailboxes and are more likely to respond to direct mail than many other forms of advertising.  

When it comes to direct mail, offering coupons and promotional offers are helpful for grabbing a younger consumers’ attention but building a lasting relationship with millennials often involves selling your brand’s unique approach to social responsibility along with personalized goods and services.  

Although direct mail is a winning strategy for marketing to millennials, its effectiveness is best paired with an omnichannel approach. Smart direct mail—embedded with QR codes or PURLs along with personalized copy can help drive young consumers to your digital channels. QR codes and digital engagement will also provide the metrics you need to find out what types of messaging work best with millennial consumers.  

Pel Hughes is a full-service printer that provides next-level client service and embraces advanced printing and omnichannel marketing technology. We offer graphic design, direct mail, cross media marketing, campaign automation, and database services to businesses and organizations throughout the United States. Give our friendly pros a call at (504) 486-8646 to get started on your next print marketing campaign.  

Marketing to Gen Z with Print: Key Insights & Tips

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Gen Z—or “Zoomers”—are comprised of people born after 1996. While plenty of Gen Z folks are still in high school or college, a significant portion of this generation have been in the workforce for several years. As the oldest of Zoomers are approaching their late 20s more data is coming in about consumer activity, worldview, and lifestyle and how this information relates to marketing to Gen Z. While there is still a lot to be learned about this upcoming generation, there does exist data to help marketers develop messaging that resonates with Zoomers.  

What we Know About Gen Z (So Far) 

Unlike Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers, Gen Z has lived their lives entirely in the Digital Age. The oldest of Zoomers have very limited memories of a time before continuous Internet access and smartphones. Marketers have coined the term “Digital Natives” to illustrate this fact.  

Prior to COVID-19, Gen Z was on track to inherit a more robust economy than their millennial predecessors. They are also on track to becoming the most educated generation in our nation’s history. Unfortunately, a global pandemic has caused serious concerns about the state of Gen Z’s future. Living through the pandemic on the cusp of adulthood has rooted anxiety and uncertainty among the Zoomer general consciousness as many Gen Zers were directly affected by job loss and economic instability in the wake of COVID-19.  

Despite economic challenges, younger people intend to pursue higher education and gravitate toward employment in IT, finance, and other white-collar professions. A significant portion of Gen Z were raised by parents with college education including graduate degrees. 

Zoomers are ethnically diverse and about 22% of Zoomers have at least one parent who was an immigrant. By 2025, roughly one-quarter of Gen Z will be immersed in the workforce and as of now, Zoomers account for $300 billion in purchasing power annually.  

 Tips for Marketing to Gen Z 

Some may believe that marketing to Gen Z is a solely digital initiative, but data suggests otherwise. While Gen Z is certainly attuned to digital messaging, they are far more receptive to print advertising than many think. Gen Z responds well to direct mail—particularly when mail is personalized and contains appealing messaging. Zoomers want to be acknowledged and treated with respect. Compared to previous generations, Gen Z typically isn’t as forgiving as other consumers. One bad experience will lead them to seeking out goods and services from your competitors. Earning Gen Z consumer loyalty boils down to providing excellent customer service, personalized messaging, socially responsible business practices, and superior products.  

Like Millennials, Gen Z craves authenticity and print advertising helps satisfy that need. Zoomers are acutely aware of their need to unplug from the digital world. Holding a tangible piece of mail is a great way to reach out to consumers at times when they are tired from tech. Even though this generation is comfortable with PCs, tablets, and smartphones, their preferred reading medium is print.  

When it comes to marketing to Gen Z with direct mail, consider the following strategies: 

  • Like millennials, Gen Z appreciates personalized messaging. 
  • Zoomers respond very favorably to testimonials and reviews. Younger folks trust the opinions and experiences of other consumers more than slick sales tactics.  
  • Add value with coupons, discounts, and BOGO offers. Gen Z is quite thrifty—likely because their formative years were influenced by the Great Recession.  
  • Promote a tactile experience through direct mail. As more people engage with the world in a digital way, our sense of touch is neglected more than other senses. Adding embellishments like raised varnishes and using high quality stock on direct mail helps nurture our need for touch.  

The pros at Pel Hughes can help you take your direct mail to the next level. In addition to full-service printing and graphic design, we provide access to campaign automation software, personalization tools, database services, and so much more. Give our helpful experts a call at (504) 486-8646 to request a quote.  

Direct Mail Trends for 2024 

Direct mail continues to resonate with consumers across most demographics. The trick to producing great direct mail campaigns is to study emerging trends and implement the trends most likely to resonate with customers. For several consecutive years, marketers have found that personalized and digital-friendly direct mail has made great strides in engagement with consumers. As we progress through 2024, direct mail that is personalized and digital-friendly will continue to yield the best results for marketers.

Following is some helpful information on how to keep your direct mail campaigns on-trend for optimal results.

Important Direct Mail Trends to Consider in Your Next Campaign

Personalized Direct Mail is a Trend That is Here to Stay 

Personalization is powerful. As we become more dependent on technology in nearly every facet of our lives, feeling seen and heard matters. What personalization really boils down to is acknowledging the recipient of your direct mail as an individual. Personalized direct mail can involve addressing a recipient by their legal name but it can also go beyond that. With advanced software, technology can quickly analyze a consumer’s preferences, purchasing habits, and even anticipate products or services that can appeal to them. There’s data to back this notion up, too—personalized direct mail boasts a response rate that is nearly 30% higher than generic mailings.

Integrating Direct Mail with Digital Gets Results 

Enhancing direct mail with digital elements is a powerful trend that all businesses, non-profits, and higher education organizations should utilize. Implementing digital elements such as PURLs, QR codes, and links to social media on your direct mail improves your customers’ experiences. More than that, however, routing consumers to your digital properties like websites, social media, curated shopping carts, and personalized landing pages can provide very insightful metrics to help cater to the unique preferences and needs of individual consumers.

Sustainable Mail is Preferred by Most Consumers 

A growing majority of people are concerned with how businesses affect the environment. Leading with a commitment to sustainability resonates with people from diverse backgrounds and belief systems. Choosing recycled materials, for example, or working with printers who use energy-saving and environmentally friendly technology can be a huge selling point for the public. Be sure to mention your commitment to sustainable practices on your website and marketing materials to educate your consumers.

Emotional Storytelling Spurns Consumer Action 

Crafting emotional narratives in your direct mail copy resonates with people. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of remote work, and increase in reliance on technology, people long for connection with the world around them. Using powerful storytelling is a great way to humanize your business or organization while showcasing your products’ or services’ positive impact on consumers. Emotional storytelling can be as simple as sharing customer testimonials or highlighting your organization’s philanthropic efforts. The bottom line for marketers in 2024 is that it is not only ok—but effective—to use emotion to connect with your audience.

Pel Hughes is a full-service printer based in New Orleans. We work with businesses and organizations in diverse industries throughout the United States. In addition to custom direct mail, we offer cross media marketing, database services, and graphic design. Click here or call (504) 486-8646 to request a quote.

Direct Mail Marketing Insights from the USPS 

Direct mail marketing is a powerful tool to help expand your brand’s reach and engage with customers. In September, Adweek hosted a conference with executives from the USPS. These executives had several notable insights to share about direct mail and its impact on specific demographic groups. The pros at Pel Hughes have compiled a short rundown of what USPS executives had to say about direct mail marketing at the conference.

#1 The USPS is Modernizing

Sometimes, the USPS doesn’t get the credit it deserves for keeping American civilians and businesses thriving. For instance, millions of prescriptions are delivered on time each week. The USPS provides significant support to businesses of all sizes in nearly every industry. Then, of course, the USPS is tasked with the monumental task of delivering parcels during intense periods of consumer activity such as the winter holidays. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the USPS has seen huge upticks in meeting the shipping demands of numerous retailers.

In an effort to accommodate the changing landscape of American life, the USPS has implemented a 10-year plan to modernize its operations and keep up with the pace of our country’s mailing demands. As part of the bipartisan Postal Service Reform Act, the USPS will reduce its operating budget by $48 million in the next decade. The postal service will also implement a fleet of electric vehicles to deliver mail as part of this 10-year plan.

USPS executives are confident that the postal service will continue to meet the changing demands of American consumers and businesses.

#2 Gen Z is Very Responsive to Direct Mail Marketing

Overall, every generation responds favorably to direct mail marketing. In fact, direct mail has higher ROIs than social media and e-mail advertising. Surprisingly, Gen Z thoroughly enjoys direct mail. As “digital natives” it might be easy to assume that Gen Z would prefer digital contact to physical mail, but this generation is acutely aware of the need to reduce screen time and engage with the world in a more tangible way. Direct mail is appealing to younger folks because it evokes the sense of touch—a sense that cannot be nurtured by the digital world.

#3 Merging Direct Mail with Digital Marketing is Easier than Ever

Direct mail and digital marketing do not have to stand in competition with one another. In fact, direct mail and digital marketing can cooperate with one another in a way that enhances the customer experience and increases consumer engagement. Making your direct mail digital-friendly is a breeze with technology like PURLs (personalized URLs) and QR codes. Inversely, direct mail retargeting is great for making contact by mail after a digital interaction with a consumer.

The experts at Pel Hughes can help you take your direct mail to the next level. We offer an array of services including graphic design, cross media marketing, campaign automation, and retargeting to ensure that you receive the best ROI possible on your direct mail campaigns. Give us a call today at (504) 486-8646 to learn more.