
Direct Mail Is Not Dead
This morning, I opened my inbox and saw a gem tucked at the bottom of HubSpot’s newsletter:
“What’s the most underrated marketing channel right now?”
Kevin Indig’s answer?
👉 Direct Mail.
“A well-designed print piece can break through the clutter and make an impact.”
Cue me practically kissing my computer screen.
Now don’t get me wrong—I love tech. I love my inbox. I live for a good automation tool. But let’s be honest: most emails get skimmed, skipped, or swallowed by the spam folder. We’re all swimming in a sea of subject lines, and it’s easy to drown.
But a great piece of mail?
That’s a different story.
It lands.
When something shows up in your actual mailbox, you notice. There’s a physical moment of interaction—opening, holding, reading—that digital just can’t replicate.
🧠 Fun fact: Direct mail has been shown to trigger activity in parts of the brain responsible for long-term memory and emotional processing. People literally remember it more.
It lingers.
Unlike an email that disappears with one swipe, a printed piece sticks around. It sits on desks. It gets pinned to bulletin boards. It’s visible. Tangible. Memorable.
📬 In fact, 42% of direct mail recipients either read or scan the mail they receive. That’s a lot more than most email open rates.
It gets passed around the office.
People share a great print piece. Whether it’s a beautifully designed postcard, a clever fold-out brochure, or a promotional product that makes them smile—it travels.
👀 Bonus stat: According to the Data & Marketing Association, direct mail response rates are 9x higher than email on average (yes, you read that right).
And sometimes… it ends up on the fridge.
Because hey, good design deserves a spotlight, even in the kitchen.
Why Direct Mail Works (Especially Now)
We live in a digital-first world. But that’s exactly why physical marketing stands out. It’s unexpected. It feels personal. And with the right strategy, it integrates beautifully into an omnichannel campaign—one that touches your audience both online and off.
💡 73% of U.S. consumers say they prefer being contacted by brands via direct mail because they can read it whenever they want. And when combined with digital channels, direct mail can lift response rates by up to 118%.
When Print is Done Right, It’s Not Just Mail—It’s Marketing Magic
That’s the key, isn’t it? Not all mail is created equal. A generic flyer? Easy to ignore. But a smart, well-designed piece with intention behind it? That makes an impact.
At Cascade Print Media, we’ve been helping businesses tap into that magic for decades—turning ideas into high-impact print, promo, and graphic materials that stick (sometimes literally).
So if you’ve been sleeping on direct mail, it might be time to bring it back into your marketing mix. Just sayin’.
Ready to stand out?
Let’s create something that lands, lingers, and earns a spot on the fridge.
👉 Contact us or check out our work here