Direct mail in the B2B marketing mix. A Pitney Bowes White Paper

To paraphrase the famous Mark Twain quote, reports of the death of direct mail have been greatly exaggerated. For the past two decades – perhaps more - we have heard with regularity about direct mail’s fragile existence in a digital world.

As each new communication technique flourishes, so arrives another posse of pundits ready to hammer another nail into direct mail’s coffin.

And yet, decades on, in a world of email, sms, personalised URLs and social media, businesses continue to devote significant budget to mailed marketing messages.

In the B2B arena direct mail commands some 16% of total marketing budgets, the largest single slice of the marketing pie. So what is the role of direct mail in the modern marketing mix? Why is the technique enduring in a digital age?

These are important questions at a time when B2B businesses are under intense pressure to prove return on investment against every marketing decision.

Prospecting activity is essential as the economy recovers slowly from recession but retaining and nurturing existing customers is equally critical. Any indication of the marketing techniques that are proving successful with both audiences will be welcomed.

Pitney Bowes commissioned research among senior decision makers in key European economies (the UK, France and Germany) and the US to evaluate direct mail’s role within B2B communications. The results provide B2B firms at every level with peer-to-peer evidence of direct mail’s continued success and importance.

Key findings:
• Direct mail is still the most effective way to reach senior contacts in B2B prospect organisations according to 56% of European and 53% of US companies.
• 35% of European B2B firms declare that their most valuable customers are ‘least likely’ to prefer e-mail contact.
• Personalised mail is used by 62% of European and B2B firms (67% US) specifically to ‘make customers and prospects feel more special and valued.’
• 53% of European B2B companies believe that removing direct mail from their marketing mix would substantially damage business lead generation.
• 47% of European B2B businesses (39% US) plan to scan and digitise all incoming messages in the next five years.

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