A love letter to print

Letterbox marketing is BACK!

Ok, really it never went away, but everyone seems to be talking about it more these days. While we’re slowly drowning in copious messages and busily deleting overflowing inboxes, print has been quietly motoring along in the background, gaining traction. Whether it’s the fact that printed books and magazines are having a renaissance, or printed catalogues are making a comeback, printed media clearly still has the power to surprise, delight and linger in the reader’s mind. It’s seriously and proven to be effective in this digitally saturated world.

“I know all of this!” we hear you say. “It’s already part of my marketing strategy, so tell me something new please.”

Fair enough. Here’s what we really want to know – is print really working hard for you? Is it something you really craft, not just put onto a page?

Is it working alongside the other channels to increase your commercial profit? And if the answer’s “yes”, then can it be doing more?

Letterbox marketing really is having a moment.

Printed media covers a staggering range of products, including DD, PAM, DM and catalogue marketing. It spans leaflets and inserts, postcards and posters and even goes further afield into weird and wonderful realms – think water reveal cards or even edible post.

Not only that, print is anything but a one-trick pony. That’s what makes it so effective (when done well may we stress) and may also be the reason why it’s an actively growing media channel. In a recent survey of 250 businesses that use direct mail, 84% identified it as their highest ROI channel in 2024 – a 17% jump from 2022*.

Combine this with the fact that 73% of consumers prefer to be contacted by post, plus the fact the average piece of direct mail stays in the home for weeks, and the benefits are clear. It’s no wonder why printed communications are having a moment.

Part of print’s power is that it’s so damn flexible – there are just so many ways you can adjust it to make it work. Like a bespoke tailored suit – a small tweak to your paper type here, a subtle personalisation there, and you can enhance your output and the corresponding engagement in a way some channels can only dream of. There really are no limits to where your creativity can take you.

So what makes letterbox marketing so great (and how can it work even better)?

1. It gives you reach.

Want to get your message out to over 30 million people? With the proliferation of channels and the diverse ways audiences consume media, you could argue that door drop is the last mass media channel, with scope to reach every household in the UK. Not only that, but it has potential to be passed around different household members, so that’s more eyes on your message.

Up your printed media power by: honing in on the right audience. Reach the people that matter with a highly targeted approach, that makes door drop work hard and effectively.

2. It has a long shelf life.

Once your print communication gets to your audience, it stays there. The average piece of Direct Mail stays in the home for 7.4 days**, giving plenty of time for readers to soak in the message, revisit the content and convert in their own time. This makes it a brilliant form of media when it comes to cost per second of eyeballage!

Up your printed media power by: using nifty devices to help keep your printed communications in people’s minds for longer. Think branded products, useful keepsakes like notepads, even coasters or calendars.

3. It established trust with your audience.

“71% say they completely trust the mail they receive – and it’s trusted across all age groups.”***

Fake news and mistrust of digital messages is an ever-present issue in today’s digitally saturated world. This is why trust in print remains high – four times as many people associate scams with digital media and twice as many people believe that print is more secure compared to its digital counterpart. It’s this confidence that helps build a positive brand perception and foster loyalty. The job in hand is response, but the power to build brand is strong.

Up your printed media power by: thinking carefully about who the your message comes from. Signatories are an important factor when it comes to establishing trust – which in turn will impact whether your audience will act.

4. It’s tangible

Print is physical – you have to hold it and touch it. Its tactility and tangibility already puts it on a strong footing with your audience and makes them far more likely to read and retain your message.

Up your printed media power by: thinking about the reader’s sensory journey when they open the pack. What adjustments can you make to improve this journey? Maybe you use embossment or gloss on the paper, adjust its weight to make it feel more premium, even add small flourishes like a hand-written invitation or note to make it feel more personal?

5. It’s sustainable (yes really)

Paper print? Sustainable? Yes – sustainability is not a nice-to-have, it’s a need-to-have. From considering materials and the print process, to ‘less waste’ targeting, doormat marketing gives you a myriad of options to help make it a sustainable choice.

Up your printed media power by: incorporate waste reduction in every part of the printing process. Opt for digital proofs over physical ones, use eco-friendly ink, consider track printing. All these little things combined can make one heck of a difference.

6. Combine it with digital to give you the ultimate flexibility.

Print really comes into its own when it works alongside other channels and the crossover between these can create pretty powerful results, limited only by your creativity.

With 40% of website visits promoted by direct mail generating a sale****, the beauty of printed communications is that you can merge tangible print with its digital counterpart, crossing from one to the other seamlessly, painting a more rounded, multi-faceted world for your customers.

Up your printed media power by: making it part of your bigger brand story. Can you include QR codes or PURLs to take readers onto your website, or can a call to action direct them online? Can print unlock exclusive content, such as video or augmented reality?

In an arena where experience is light and skills have been lost, it’s essential to work with people who have the depth of knowledge to give your printed communications the extra edge and ensure you pick up every response possible.

Golley Slater are 121 specialists that create and invigorate Door Drop, PAM and Direct Mail campaigns, creating a seamless blend between print and digital.

From targeting and strategy to buying print and maximising your personalisation options, we make your doormat marketing more effective and more efficient.

Additional Sources

*Lob and CompereMedia