79 Direct Mail Statistics that Marketers Need to Know in 2024

Despite the surge in digital communication methods, direct mail continues to hold its own--delivering tangible, personalized experiences that uniquely resonate with consumers. To highlight direct mail's enduring power and relevance, we've compiled this list of 79 direct mail statistics. These insights underscore how direct mail not only competes with but also complements your digital marketing strategies, earning its place in your marketing mix.

These statistics also reveal that direct mail's tactile nature and ability to deliver a personalized message create a memorable experience for recipients. It's no wonder that many brands continue to allocate significant portions of their marketing budgets to direct mail campaigns. From its unparalleled open rates to its impressive ROI, direct mail demonstrates a unique capability to cut through the digital clutter and connect with audiences on a personal level.

1. The direct mail industry is projected to reach a market value of $73.57 billion by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.3%.^[1]
2. 59.4 billion pieces of marketing mail were sent through the United States Postal Service in 2023.^[2]
3. In 2023, American marketers invested over $39 billion in direct mail.^[3]
4. 89% of marketers have increased or maintained direct mail investments in the last year.^[4]
5. 75% of marketers say that direct mail is the best channel for reaching the C-Suite.^[5]
6. 43% of marketers use direct mail for customer acquisition campaigns, 27% for customer retention, and 34% for brand awareness programs.^[4]
7. Postcards are the most frequently used type of direct mail, used by 66% of marketers.^[6]

8. Direct mail has an average engagement rate of 95%.^[7]
9. Direct mail response rates are 5 to 9 times higher than any other advertising channel.^[8]
10. Direct mail has a higher open rate of 80-90%, compared to email's 20-30%.^[9]
11. 71% of people read direct mail the day it is delivered.^[10]
12. Direct mail is kept in a recipient's home for an average of 17 days.^[9]
13. 52.5% of target audiences say they read postcards from businesses and organizations.^[11]
14. 60% of consumers are able to recall specific direct mail promotions.<^[12]
15. Individuals spend approximately 108% more time reading content in direct mail than digital marketing materials.^[12]
16. Direct mail is 49% more memorable and 33% more engaging than email marketing.^[12]
17. 97% of organizations and companies that engage in direct mail campaigns have reported steady performance.^[12]
18. 73% of American consumers say they prefer being contacted by brands via direct mail.^[13]
19. 39% of consumers try a business for the first time because of direct mail advertising.^[14]
20. 70% of consumers feel direct mail is more personal than online interactions.^[15]
21. 56% of consumers who responded to direct mail went online or visited the physical store.^[16]
22. 62% of consumers who responded to direct mail in the past three months made a purchase.^[16]

23. Direct mail receives the highest ROI of 112% across all mediums, followed by SMS (102%), email (93%), and paid search (88%).^[17]
24. 74% of marketers report getting the best ROI through direct mail marketing compared to other promotional channels.^[10]
25. Direct mail marketing yields an average response rate of 4.4%, compared to 0.12% for email.^[18]
26. 56% of people tried a new business in the past 6 months because they received mail.^[19]
27. Direct mail marketing has a 9% response rate when using an in-house mailing list and 5% when using a purchased mailing list.^[20]
28. Utilizing direct mail and digital strategies can lead to an approximately 28% increase in conversion rates.^[12]
29. Companies can increase attention by about 39% by integrating digital and direct mail campaigns, compared to a single-media campaign.^[20]
30. Consumers will spend about 30% longer looking at a social media ad if they've been primed by a physical mailer.^[21]
31. Direct mail speeds up the purchase timeframe, with 73% of purchase decisions taking only 1+ day.^[10]
32. Website visits increased by 77% when direct mail was used in marketing campaigns.^[9]
33. 64% of marketers use direct mail to increase customer purchases.^[9]
34. 56% of marketers use direct mail to increase program signups through their marketing efforts.^[9]
35. Direct mail can improve brand recall by 75%.^[22]

36. 70% of recipients feel valued when receiving direct mail.^[10]
37. About 63% of consumers said they take direct mail seriously compared to 18% for email.^[9]
38. Approximately 70% of people are driven to an online behavior or action as a result of receiving direct mail.^[7]
39. About 26% of consumers feel direct mail advertisements help them make more prudent purchasing decisions.^[23]
40. 47% of consumers retain print ads, compared to only 17% who retain electronic ads.^[3]
41. Reading and comprehending direct mail requires 21% less cognitive processing than digital alternatives.^[22]
42. 90% of millennials believe direct mail is more reliable than email.^[25]
43. 75% of millennials say direct mail makes them feel special or valued.^[25]
44. 71% of baby boomers and 71% of Gen X'ers say mail feels more personal than digital communications.^[25]
45. 72% of Gen Z'ers say they would be disappointed to no longer receive mail.^[25]
46. 58% of millennials worry less about direct mail privacy than digital media privacy.^[25]
47. The average lifespan of direct mail is 17 days, compared to the 17 second average lifespan of an email.^[9]
48. Americans receive on average 605 emails and 16.8 pieces of mail every week.^[26]
49. 98% of people check their physical mail daily and Americans spend upwards of 30 minutes with their mail on a single occasion.^[27]

50. 58% of marketers plan to increase their direct mail spend in 2023, with 16% planning to significantly increase it.^[10]
51. Almost 60% of marketers plan to increase the use of direct mail in the next five years.^[9]
52. Newsletters and postcards are the most common format for direct mail used by marketers in the U.S. at 66%.^[9]
53. Catalogs are used by about 48% of marketers in the U.S.^[9]
54. Multi-touch attribution models are the most common way for marketers and brands to track direct mail (58%).^[9]
55. Approximately 64% of brands and marketers utilize direct mail to increase purchases of products and services.^[9]
56. 89% of marketers have increased or maintained direct mail investments in the last year.^[4]
57. 68% of companies said their direct mail budget had either increased or stayed the same in 2023.^[28]
58. 76% of marketers believe mail is far more versatile and effective than people think.^[4]
59. 43% of marketers utilize direct mail for customer acquisition campaigns.^[4]

60. Personalizing direct mail with the recipient’s name can increase response rates by 135%.^[12]
61. Nearly a quarter of direct mail is shared with other members of the household—not just the immediate recipient.^[23]
62. 52% of customers expect direct mail to be personalized.^[10]
63. 36% of marketers cite enhanced targeting ability as a core driver for increasing direct mail spend.^[3]
64. 34% of marketers cite increased personalization ability as a core driver for increasing direct mail spend.^[3]
65. Personalized direct mail generates a 6.5% response rate, compared to 2% for non-personalized direct mail.^[9]
66. 84% of consumers say they are more likely to open direct mail if it's personalized.^[9]

67. 85% of marketers are adjusting their digital marketing strategy due to data privacy concerns — of those, 76% have opted to reallocate budget to direct mail.^[29]
68. Coordinating digital and direct mail increased conversion rates by 28% and brand recall by 75%.^[9]
69. 60% of consumers say they are extremely/very likely to respond to an advertising promotion when they see it across multiple channels.^[28]
70. 68% of marketers integrate email with direct mail.^[19]
71. 58% of marketers integrate social media with direct mail.^[28]
72. 48% of marketers integrate display ads with direct mail.[28]
73. 36% of marketers integrate retargeting and remarketing with direct mail.[28]
74. 35% of marketers integrate mobile SMS/MMS with direct mail.[28]
75. 34% of marketers integrate video marketing with direct mail.[28]
76. 33% of marketers integrate search engine marketing with direct mail.[28]
77. 60% of catalog recipients visit the website of the company that mailed them the catalog.[19]
78. 68% of marketers said combining digital and direct mail increased website visits.[12]
79. 60% of marketers said combining digital and direct mail increased ROI.[30]

These stats will help you gain a deeper appreciation for the versatility and impact of direct mail in today's marketing ecosystem. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or new to the field, these insights will equip you with the knowledge and inspiration to harness the full potential of direct mail in your marketing strategies.