24 Direct Mail Marketing Statistics to Improve Campaigns

Direct mail may feel like a traditional channel, but the numbers show it thriving in a digital-first world. Businesses are rediscovering its impact when it comes to building trust and converting customers.

If you are curious about how direct mail strategies are performing in today’s market, we’ve gathered the latest direct mail marketing statistics. These insights highlight how brands are using it to drive ROI, deliver personalized experiences, strengthen consumer relationships, and create seamless multichannel campaigns.

How we collected this data

The following statistics are drawn from leading reports by Lob, Optimove, and RRD. These findings are based on large-scale surveys and consumer studies, offering reliable insights into how businesses and consumers view direct mail today.

24 key direct mail marketing statistics

1. 84% of respondents agree that direct mail provides the highest ROI of any channel they use. [Lob]
2. 97% of businesses are satisfied with their data for effective execution of direct mail campaigns. [Lob]
3. 85% of marketers agree that direct mail delivers the best conversion rate. [Lob]
4. 79% of executives rank direct mail as the top-performing marketing channel. [Lob]
5. 68% of businesses cite personalization as the leading use of data in direct mail. [Lob]
6. 82% of businesses are increasing direct mail spend in 2024. [Lob]
7. 56% of businesses use a software or technology platform for direct mail automation. [Lob]
8. 64% of businesses use data to identify optimization opportunities in campaigns. [Lob]
9. 56% of businesses are using direct mail automation platforms to execute campaigns. [Lob]
10. 61% agree they cannot execute effective direct mail campaigns without AI and automation. [Lob]
11. 64% report they use multi-touch attribution methods to measure campaign success. [Lob]
12. 87% agree their company does a good job integrating direct mail with digital marketing. [Lob]
13. Financial services, banking, and telecom send the most direct mail pieces, with over one-third sending at least 10 million annually. [Lob]
14. Email, text, and other print media receive the largest share of remaining marketing budgets after direct mail. [Lob]
15. Marketers sending both batch and personalized campaigns rose by 10 percentage points year-over-year to 76%. [Lob]
16. Customer retention and acquisition campaigns account for 50% of direct mail sends. [Lob]
17. 81% of respondents unsubscribe from brands that send excessive messages across channels. [Optimove]
18. 54% of consumers cite the relevance of an offer as the main reason they open marketing emails. [Optimove]
19. 60% of loyal brand consumers want reminders about deals and promotions. [Optimove]
20. 49% of consumers consider direct mail part of their shopping routine, rising to 55% among parents. [RRD]
21. 72% of consumers regularly read or look at ads in the mail, with Gen X leading at 55% engagement. [RRD]
22. 1.6 minutes is the average engagement duration for a direct mail ad. [RRD]
23. 48% of consumers spend one minute or more reading a direct mail ad. [RRD]
24. 58% of consumers consider direct mail trustworthy. [RRD]

Conclusion

The numbers make it clear: direct mail is far from outdated. In fact, it’s proving to be one of the most effective and trusted channels for engagement, conversions, and ROI.

For businesses looking to strengthen retention, improve acquisition, and cut through digital noise, direct mail offers an opportunity that cannot be ignored. Pairing it with digital campaigns creates a balanced strategy that reaches customers where they pay attention—both online and offline.