Profit From The Internet

For years, the answer to that was easy: direct mail was good old, USPS delivered letters and postcards. These days, there isn't a single "one-size-fits-all" answer as to what exactly constitutes it. Truth be told, the definition of direct mail seems to change every day.

No longer limited to postal services, direct mail today can just as easily be an email, a text message, an instant message, a Facebook post or any one of a gazillion different types of social media communication, from chat room interaction to a wiki contribution.

The means of delivery for direct mail is crucial, certainly. (And we'll examine the pros and cons of the different direct mail media in a bit.) But even more crucial is discerning between DM and display advertising. Website banner ads or in a printed news periodical don't speak to any one specifically, they are like highway billboards, waving wildly to passers-by. By contrast, direct mail focuses on talking to prospects directly, engaging them as individuals, and speaking as specifically as can be to them.

In the best of worlds, an all-around marketing approach that includes both traditional and new media may be the wise choice. What follows is a short checklist that could offer advice about where to direct your efforts:

USPS Direct Mail Advantages

* Less annoying: Customers may denigrate 'junk mail,' (at least when it comes at unwelcome times) but they hate email spam more;

* More involvement: Printed mail is tactile, attractive and can even smell good! All of which serves to command attention;

*Better lists: Because direct mail has been around longer, you'll likely have better access to solid lists, as opposed to email lists that are collected online.

Disadvantages:

* Cost: Designing, printing, mailing and list costs are not cheap; email, by comparison, is cheap as dirt;

* Response rate: The typical response rate for direct mail is 1 to 2 percent. It's not unheard of today to beat that response through targeted email;

* Not environmentally friendly: DM produces paper trash which is often not recycled.

Pros

*Cheap: Even if response rates are small, you're talking less loss than an investment in a printed DM campaign;

* Quick: Not only can recipients receive email as quickly as you can send them, replies can just as quickly come back to you;

* Flexible: You can alter headlines, boost offers, even totally change the whole email in a moment, then resend in minutes. With printed DM, that process would take days

Cons

*Will they open it or even see it? Thanks to spam protection, it's hard to know. People are more reluctant to open messages even from companies they've done business with before.

* Lists: Accurate email lists are difficult to source, and you can never be sure about them before you use them. But this is an issue with print mail, as well. So partner with a reputable list provider.

* Warning: The CAN-SPAM law should be held in the highest regard. The basic rule is you can't email to any prospect who hasn't given their approval, even if that approval was in response to another company not affiliated with you.

What's the bottom-line? Do your research, then choose either traditional or email media (or both), depending on your needs.