| The internet has given birth to | | | | marketing and they simply delete or spam |
| electronic mail, more popularly known as | | | | the e-mail if they do not identify it as |
| e-mail. E-mail opened new avenues to the | | | | their regular e-mail. In contrast direct |
| world of communication. In the | | | | mail is seen with respect and people |
| beginning, e-mail was only used as | | | | pick through their mail as a daily |
| another means of communicating with | | | | routine and open them with a priority. |
| other people for personal or business | | | | Direct mail has a personal feel attached |
| related matters. Now people of every age | | | | to it, one of the reasons why people |
| group have an e-mail address. Over the | | | | prefer mail greetings over an electronic |
| past few years, its potential for | | | | greeting. It takes time to personalize a |
| marketing has been exploited to its | | | | direct mail where as an e-mail is |
| maximum both in good and as well as bad. | | | | instant and the fate of e-mail is also |
| At the same time, who can disregard the | | | | instant i.e. immediate deletion. |
| services of direct mail which has been | | | | Researchers are constantly puzzled by |
| operating for nearly two centuries? It | | | | the mystery surrounding why people are |
| is still the preferred method of | | | | so enthusiastic about direct mail. But |
| communication for many people. | | | | no worries this only good news for the |
| E-mail is the cheapest method of | | | | marketers that they have something in |
| communicating available as of now. The | | | | their tool kit that works. So marketers |
| advantage with email is that you can | | | | have the mailing list of potential |
| send email to many people at the same | | | | customers handy and send some nicely |
| time with the click of a mouse. Where as | | | | composed letters to them about your |
| in the case of direct mails, one has to | | | | company and its products. |
| go through putting letters in envelopes | | | | Snail mail has the potential of going |
| for each and every person, make | | | | through the hands of gatekeepers and |
| different address labels, mail it and | | | | administrative assistants before |
| also has to bear the cost of mailing. | | | | actually going to their boss which can |
| Time is money and e-mail marketing saves | | | | end up being thrown in the trash. The |
| a lot of time. | | | | survival chances are rare unless the |
| While e-mail marketing might look easy, | | | | subject is business oriented and has |
| comparing the net results of the story | | | | some sort of important information. But |
| is totally different. When you are | | | | e-mail wins in this regard, as it |
| marketing through e-mail, you need to | | | | directly reaches the person to which it |
| make sure that you are e-mailing the | | | | is intended to go, after that its fate |
| right person otherwise the e-mail is | | | | is left to the person whether to read or |
| going to end up in the junk folder. Also | | | | send it to spam folder. |
| you need to be careful that you don't | | | | A more scientific explanation of why |
| miss the subject or the body of the | | | | direct mail is more effective than |
| e-mail otherwise the result is going to | | | | e-mail is the sensory perception of |
| be the same. In this age of spamming, | | | | people. Direct mail uses three of the |
| spammers use a variety of subjects, so | | | | four senses of a person i.e. visual, |
| you have to title the subject keeping in | | | | verbal, listening and touching where as |
| mind that it wouldn't send your e-mail | | | | e-mail does not use the senses of |
| to the spam folder again. In contrast, | | | | listening or touching. But this can be |
| the direct mail method gets better | | | | achieved by adding appealing graphics, |
| treatment. Studies show that direct mail | | | | text reading ability and streaming audio |
| is more efficient and has better success | | | | to the e-mail. |
| than e-mail. | | | | Statistics show that direct mail has not |
| First, it is not as easy to block direct | | | | died and in fact the volume has grown by |
| mail as junk e-mail and secondly the | | | | leaps and bounds in the past few |
| process of blocking mail itself is not | | | | decades. A typical example is the fact |
| automated like e-mail. The other reason | | | | that we receive more magazines, |
| why people hate e-mail marketing is due | | | | journals, mails from universities, DVDs |
| to the constant bombarding of e-mails | | | | etc. than we used to receive few years |
| from spammers and illegal marketers from | | | | ago. This leaves the marketers with a |
| Nigerian money scams to porn to online | | | | dilemma about which method to use. The |
| prescription drugs to stock quotes to | | | | answer is simple, use email to contact |
| what not. In addition to that, you also | | | | only those people who you know and use |
| get promotional offers from big | | | | direct mail for the people who don't |
| companies. People have developed a | | | | know you. |
| negative perception about e-mail | | | | |