101 Direct Mail Response Rate and Marketing Statistics to Inform Your 2024 Strategy

Can direct mail still give you a worthwhile return on investment and yield new leads in 2024?

These direct mail marketing statistics will provide insight into the cost, effectiveness, and pros and cons of this tool and how it fits into an overarching advertising and communication strategy:

Direct Mail Frequency Statistics

1. The average amount of marketing mail received in a U.S. household was 361 units in 2021[K1].

2. The average amount of direct mail from nonprofits received was 94 units in 2021[K2].

3. About 70 percent of recipients[K3] feel valued when receiving direct mail, and personalization is a big driver.

4. Newsletters and postcards are the most common format for direct mail used by marketers in the U.S. at 66 percent[K4].

5. Catalogs are used by about 48 percent of marketers in the U.S. [K5].

6. 71 percent of people [K6] read direct mail the day it is delivered.

7. Personalizing direct mail can increase response rates by about 135 percent[K7].

8. Multi-touch attribution models are the most common way for marketers and brands to track direct mail (58 percent[K8]).

9. Almost 60 percent of marketers [K9] plan to increase the use of direct mail in the next five years.

10. About 63 percent of consumers [K10] said they take direct mail seriously compared to 18 percent for email.

Statistics on Recipient Trust and Impressions

11. 70 percent of Gen X individuals[K11] are excited to check their mail each day and see what’s there.

12. 57 percent of Baby Boomers[K12] say they’d be disappointed to stop receiving mail.

13. 71 percent [K13] of Baby Boomers feel direct mail is more personal than other content delivery methods.

14. In 2022, 63 percent of Gen Z and 62 percent of Millennial recipients[K14] were more excited about receiving direct mail than the year prior.

15. 48 percent of consumers [K15] feel direct mail is important for relationship building with a brand.

16. 41 percent [K16] of people believe receiving direct mail feels special to them.

17. 45 percent[K17] of recipients ages 15 to 24 find direct mail more trustworthy than other marketing content.

18. About one in two people [K18] are concerned about their personal privacy and security when they receive direct mail from a brand they don’t know.

19. Nearly 70 percent of Millennials[K19] say they have a better impression of businesses who send out relevant marketing mail than those that don’t.

20. 65 percent of Millennials [K20] say they enjoy getting coupons from local retail businesses via direct mail.

21. Approximately 60 percent of Millennials aren’t worried about privacy when it comes to direct mail.

22. About 26 percent of people [K21] say they’re most comfortable receiving direct mail and catalogs.

Statistics on Direct Mail Effectiveness

23. Direct mail has an average engagement rate of 95 percent[K22] because of the sensory element. That includes opening, reading, and/or filing it.

24. 35 percent of recipients[K23] donated, made a purchase, or took another online action as a response to receiving direct mail.

25. About 47 percent of Millennials, 43 percent of Gen Xers, and 38 percent of Gen Zers[K24] went to a company’s website after receiving relevant mail.

26. Approximately 24 percent of Millennials, 19 percent of Gen Xerx, and 19 percent of Gen Zers[K25] made a purchase after receiving a reminder in the mail.

27. When direct mail takes the lead in a campaign, it results in a 27 percent return on investment (ROI)[K26]  compared to 23 percent for other marketing strategies.

28. Direct mail is about 35 percent more memorable and 35 percent more engaging[K27] than social media marketing.

29. Nearly 90 percent of consumers[K28] prefer a campaign with a mixture of physical and digital elements.

30. Deals are the most effective element in direct mail at 89 percent.

31. 33 percent of Gen Zers[K29] are inclined to make a purchase for something they’ve seen promoted in a piece of mail.

32. 68 percent of people [K30] are more likely to interact with mail if it’s personalized.

33. 47 percent of recipients [K31] are introduced to new brands via direct mail.

34. Direct mail open rates can be as much as 90 percent[K32] .

35. 39 percent of people [K33] try a new brand because of a direct mail campaign.

36. By combining digital and direct mail, you can increase response rates by 63 percent.

37. By combining digital and direct mail, companies can increase website visits by 68 percent.

38. A combination of direct mail and digital can also boost leads by 53 percent. [K34].

39. 73 percent [K35] purchase decisions are made in approximately one-plus days when it comes to direct mail.

40. Oversized envelopes have the highest response rate when it comes to direct mail.

41. 51 percent of people [K36] “sometimes” or “often” direct mail with family and friends.

42. About 60 percent [K37] of marketers and companies use direct mail to increase brand awareness.

43. Approximately 64 of brands and marketers [K38] utilize direct mail to increase purchases of products and services.

44. Direct mail is kept in a recipient’s home an average of 17 days[K39] .

45. About 26 percent of consumers [K40] feel direct mail advertisements help them make more prudent purchasing decisions.

46. Utilizing direct mail and digital strategies can lead to an approximately 28 percent increase[K41] in conversion rates.

47. Nearly a quarter of direct mail[K42] is shared with other members of the household—not just the immediate recipient.

48. Approximately 70 percent of people[K43] are driven to an online behavior or action as a result of receiving direct mail.

49. Direct mail is 49 percent more memorable and 33 percent more engaging[K44] than email marketing.

50. 97 percent [K45] of organizations and companies that engage in direct mail campaigns have reported steady performance.

51. Companies can increase attention by about 39 percent [K46] by integrating digital and direct mail campaigns, compared to a single-media campaign.

52. Consumers will spend about 30 percent[K47] longer looking at a social media ad if they’ve been primed by a physical mailer.

53. Individuals spend approximately 108 percent [K48] more time reading content in direct mail than digital marketing materials.

54. 47 percent [K49] of consumers retain print ads.

55. Only 17 percent [K50] of consumers retain electronic ads.

56. Direct mail marketing has a 9 percent [K51] response rate when using an in-house mailing list and 5 percent when using a purchased mailing list.  

57. About 60 percent of consumers [K52] are able to recall specific direct mail promotions.

58. Reading and comprehending direct mail requires 21 percent[K53] less cognitive processing than digital alternatives.

59. 52.5 percent [K54] of target audiences say they read postcards from businesses and organizations.

Statistics on Direct Mail Costs

60. Direct mail marketing spending in 2023 was approximately $39.36 billion[K55].

61. The average cost per unit for a direct mail campaign is $0.30 to $3[K56].

62. Businesses pay about $0.05 to $0.35 per record [K57] when purchasing mailing lists.

63. Printing costs about $0.05 to $2 per unit [K58] for direct mail, depending on certain variables.

64. The cost for Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) is about $0.66 to $1.50 per delivery[K59].

65. About one-third of marketers [K60] spent approximately 25 percent of their marketing budget on direct mail campaigns.

66. The average ROI for direct mail is $4.09 for $1.27 spent[K61].

67. Paper prices have jumped nearly 40 percent [K62] over the past few years.

68. First-class postage for direct mail ranges from $0.40 to $1.16 per piece[K63].

69. The direct mail industry is projected to reach $73.57 billion [K64] in compound annual growth by 2026.

70. Approximately 76 percent of marketing teams[K65] have reallocated funds from digital advertising back to direct mail campaigns as a result of privacy and security concerns.

71. Direct mail campaigns generate an average ROI of 29 percent[K66].

72. Catalogs have an ROI of $3 to $9 per $1 spent[K67].

73. Two-thirds of companies [K68] feel direct mail has a better ROI than other marketing strategies.

74. 28 percent[K69] of direct mail volume is spent on acquiring new customers.

75. Approximately 30 percent[K70] of direct mail volume is dedicated to retention efforts.

76. In 2024, the U.S. Postal Service is offering a 30 percent postage credit [K71] for increased mail volumes as an incentive.

77. Mailers can get a 3% to 4% discount [K72] on postal rates for integrating emerging and advancing technology.

78. Direct mail makes for more than 52 percent [K73] of the marketing budget on a national level.

79. Mailing 1,000 postcards to your customers or supporters could cost about $500 to $2,000[K74].

Statistics on Elements Included in Direct Mail

80. 64% of all consumers[K75] actively recycle their mail, which is a reason to consider eco-friendly materials.

81. Additionally, 62% of consumers think it’s important to see recycling information on the materials they receive.

82. Gen X individuals have the most awareness of QR codes, at 67%, followed by Millennials at 66 percent and Gen Zers at 65 percent.

83. Millennials have the most awareness of personalized URLs, at 50 percent, followed by Gen Zers at 46 percent and Gen Xers at 42 percent.

84. About 28 percent of Baby Boomers[K76] are not aware of direct mail digital enhancements, such as QR codes, personalized URLs, and smart-home enabled features.

85. About 55 percent of consumers[K77] are interested in QR codes.

86. Easy-to-find branding is important to about 54 percent [K78] of Gen Zers.

87. 43 percent of recipients [K79] find images of an item, brand, or service they’ve previously purchased to be appealing.

88. 40 percent of people [K80] find it appealing to see images of a local event or location.

89. The likelihood of recipients opening and/or reading direct mail is 72 percent for a single offer or promotion[K81] and 73 percent for multiple offers and promotions.

90. The likelihood of recipients opening and/or reading direct mail is 51 percent[K82] if it includes a last and first name.

91. QR codes are used by approximately 38 percent of marketing teams [K83] to measure campaign success.

92. About 90 percent of mailers [K84] already have—or plan to—integrate digital marketing tools into direct mail campaigns.

93. Mail with digital elements jumped to 10 percent [K85] from 2000 to 2021.

94. Direct mail copy has decreased by approximately 62 percent [K86] in the past two decades.

95. Response rates increase by about 45 percent [K87] when full color is added to mailers.

96. The recipient’s name, full color, and database info can increase response rates by more than 500 percent[K88] .

97. Direct mail provides an approximately 21 percent [K89] coupon-redemption rate.

98. 82 percent [K90] of Internet users say they trust print ads when it comes to making purchase decisions.

99. 80 percent [K91] of consumers are more likely to do business with brands who offer a personalized experience.

100. Approximately 60 percent of direct mail [K92] recipients find the content included “usually interesting.”

101. Finally, 41 percent [K93] of Americans look forward to checking their mailbox on a daily basis. Why not have a direct mailer waiting for them?

Preparing Direct Mail Campaigns in 2024

Direct mail offers a significant ROI across demographics and industries. People enjoy receiving mail, especially from companies and organizations they trust, or those who offer products and services that are relevant to them. If you’re looking for assistance on upcoming direct mail campaigns or ideas for integrating digital elements into print materials, contact our team at Third Angle. Our print and mailing services cover an array of EDDM and direct mail offerings.