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08/21/2007: "Email Marketing Beats Out Direct Mail In UK for First Time"

As important to business people as direct mail is, it may be starting to experience the beginning of the end. An article just out in DM News says, "For the first time in the UK, e-mail marketing volume has overtaken direct mail volume, according to a new report by the Direct Marketing Association’s Email Marketing Council."

I'm not sure what this may mean. I think direct mail is still a vital component in the marketing programs of many businesses. Indeed, some use it as the cornerstone of their advertising. They do so with great success.

But I think the findings do indicate what we in marketing have known for a good long time now: that advertising and marketing works better on the Internet since that's where so many people spend so much of their time.

People spend time online for social reasons and for business reasons. They read newspapers and magazines far less than ever before. And they seem to pay less attention to mail and even television.

In light of those things, advertisers should plan their marketing around where their target market is.

Does that mean you should forget direct mail? No. It just may mean that direct mail should play a smaller part in your marketing play book than in the past.

Having said that, however, I must tell you that many businesses will still need to depend on direct mail to get their messages out. It's still the most efficient and effective form of getting business in many cases. So don't be too fast to throw it out.

But it's beginning to look like radio and online marketing are the two best ways to get to the biggest audience.