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Digital marketing might get the headlines, but direct mail ROI tells a different story. In a world tuning out digital noise, physical mail is cutting through. Backed by neuroscience, favored by every generation, and integrated with modern marketing tech, direct mail is having a serious moment.
Let’s get this out of the way: direct mail isn’t just “holding up”—it’s outperforming most digital channels. In fact, it delivers some of the highest response rates in the marketing world.
Direct mail response rates are 5–9x higher than email, paid search, or social media. DMA, 2018
9% average response for house lists and 4.9% for prospects—nearly unheard of in digital marketing. DMA, 2018
Marketers saw a 118% lift in response rate when combining direct mail with at least one digital channel. Merkle, 2015
88% of marketers reported conversion rates at least 5% higher from direct mail than any other channel. SG360, 2023
84% of marketers say direct mail delivers their best response rate. CompereMedia, 2024
Response rates are great, but what really matters? ROI. And direct mail delivers—big time. Whether on its own or part of a broader strategy, it consistently outpaces digital channels in driving profitable customer action.
84% of marketers rank direct mail as their top-performing channel for ROI. CompereMedia, 2024
Including direct mail in the mix leads to a 12% ROI lift. Demand Metric, 2020
Consumers who receive mail spend 28% more and buy 28% more items than those who don’t. USPS, 2018
It’s not just marketers singing direct mail’s praises—consumers genuinely enjoy receiving and engaging with it. In contrast to the flood of digital messages, physical mail feels personal, memorable, and even exciting.
84% of consumers said they converted because of a direct mail piece in the last 6 months. SG360, 2023
71% say physical mail makes them feel more valued. MarketReach, 2020
49% of Americans look forward to checking their mail every day. Vericast, 2024
72% of consumers read or look at ads in their mail regularly. Vericast, 2024
54% of people keep mail they like to refer to later. Vericast, 2024
Marketing is about memory and attention—and direct mail wins on both fronts. Neuroscience-backed studies show that physical mail triggers stronger emotional responses, leads to better brand recall, and requires less mental effort to process.
Mail takes 21% less cognitive effort to understand than digital ads. Canada Post, 2016
Brand recall is 70% higher when consumers see direct mail versus digital ads. Canada Post, 2016
Mail prompts stronger emotional responses that linger longer. USPS, 2015
Consumers spend 45% more time engaging with direct mail (1.6 min vs. 1.1 min for digital). Vericast, 2024
75% of mail stays in the home for more than 4 weeks and is looked at multiple times. MarketReach, 2020
67% of Millennials use mail as a trigger to go online. USPS, 2019
62% of Millennials said a mailer drove them to a physical store. USPS, 2019
82% of Millennials view print ads as more trustworthy than digital. USPS, 2019
66% of Boomers report a better brand impression when a company uses direct mail. USPS, 2021
Consumers are drowning in emails, texts, push notifications, and social ads—and they’re starting to push back. That’s where direct mail steps in: low-volume, high-impact, and far more trusted than its digital cousins.
81% of consumers unsubscribe from brands that over-message them. Optimove, 2024
59% are more concerned about privacy in digital ads than direct mail. CompereMedia, 2024
Only 23% say they receive too much mail, compared to 46% for email. CompereMedia, 2024
39% of consumers are less likely to trust brands that only engage digitally. CompereMedia, 2024
Direct mail doesn’t have to compete with digital—it can enhance it. When used together, mail and digital channels create higher recall, stronger engagement, and better performance across the board.
91% of marketers say integrating direct mail with digital improves results. Direct Mail Industry Report, 2023
When primed by direct mail, consumers spend 30% more time looking at social ads. JICMAIL, 2020
Integrated campaigns get 39% more attention than digital-only efforts. Canada Post, 2016
60% of consumers are more likely to act when they see a promotion across multiple channels. Direct Marketing Revolution Report, 2023
Modern direct mail isn’t just a postcard blast. With new technology, brands can send hyper-personalized, automated mailers triggered by online behavior—and the results speak for themselves.
98% of marketers say personalized campaigns generate better results. Keypoint Intelligence, 2023
84% of consumers are more likely to open personalized mail. IWCO, 2024
Personalization can increase direct mail response rates by up to 500%. Romano & Broudy, RIT, 2010
84% of marketers are now using direct mail automation. (Direct Mail Industry Report, 2023)
Personalization goes beyond swapping out names—it’s about sending the right message to the right audience at the right time. Tailoring offers, headlines, images, and even messaging tone based on behavioral data can significantly boost engagement and ROI.
Let’s set realistic expectations: It’s true that personalization requires more data, more planning, and often more coordination between marketing and production teams. But it also reduces waste and improves targeting—giving you more results for fewer impressions.
The stats are clear: Direct mail is far from dead. In fact, it’s thriving—especially when combined with smart strategy, personalization, and modern tech. Whether you're targeting Boomers or Gen Z, building awareness or driving conversions, mail deserves a spot in your marketing mix.
At Thysse, we’ve seen firsthand how effective direct mail can be when it’s done right. Whether it’s targeted campaigns powered by variable data printing, highly personalized messaging, or seamless integration with digital strategy, we help brands turn mailboxes into measurable results. Our high-efficiency variable data print technology allows us to produce large-scale, fully customized mailings faster and more cost-effectively—so you can get the right message to the right audience at exactly the right time.
If you're ready to cut through the noise and create something worth opening, reach out—we’d love to help.
