Excerpt from Direct Marketing IQ With every new wave of technology, traditional marketing channels can waver with marketers. Those waves of new media channels come with great force and generate buzz and excitement, but they also can fizzle out just as quickly. However, one marketing channel remains consistent: direct mail. Direct mail is one of the most viable marketing channels available, and it produces some of the highest levels of customer engagement and ROI. It cuts through the crowded digital ecosystem and connects with your target audience in a very personal, tangible way. Cutting Through the Noise Every day, we see 2,904 messages (opens as a PDF). We pay attention to 52, but only remember four. Your message has a mere three seconds to gain the prospect's attention and another 12 seconds to capture interest and compel the prospect to act. To cut through the noise surrounding your potential customers, you have to make your communication stand out and establish a connection. But if you only rely on digital forms of communication, you're missing an opportunity to make meaningful, one-on-one connections with your customers. While print is still the most effective method of communication, combining it with digital can expand your reach and result in increased revenue. The Benefits of a Multichannel Approach Print and digital media were made for each other. A multichannel campaign increases the audience you're able to reach and makes the sum of your efforts more effective. According to the CMO Council, the average response rate for email is 0.12 percent, while the average response rate for direct mail is 4.4 percent. In one survey, 56 percent of respondents found printed material to be the "most trustworthy" of media channels, and 79 percent of consumers act on a brand's direct mail piece immediately. Adding direct mail to your marketing mix can increase ROI by 20 percent, but print can't always produce results on its own. To act upon direct mail marketing, customers often have to go online to complete the conversion. Alone, each approach can only do so much, but together, they work to increase conversion, engagement, and retention. Now that you've seen the benefits of direct mail marketing and implementing a multichannel approach, let's take a look at some powerful print marketing materials below:

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If you're interested in having your brand stand out, the mailing experts at AlphaGraphics are ready to help you. Contact us today at 916-787-1222 for more information.