The mailbox versus the inbox - what's the best marketing tool?

I’m a firm believer in the omnipresence of marketing, and that that e-mail and direct mail can work together to create synergy. Both have it’s unique benefits and neither is superior. Rather, direct mail and e-mail should be linked together to blend both distinct benefits into one impactful marketing strategy. According to an insightful white paper by the USPS,

“Mailbox vs. inbox… the ultimate “boxing” match, right? Well-seasoned marketers know it’s not about choosing sides. By integrating both mail and the Internet into your media mix, yuo can command the attention of your audience where they live, work and play.” > Download the white paper

For example, you can send a post card to troubled homeowner and as a call to action, you can direct homeowners to a landing page such as yourrealty.com/foreclosurehelp, to view some kind of report such as “what to do when you receive a certified letter from your lender”, or “5 things you should never do if you fall behind on your mortgage payment.” Of course, the web visitor should fill out some sort of contact form before they have access to your free snippet of information. This way, you can capture their e-mail address to harness the power of both direct mail and e-mail, a smart marriage.

For example, you can:

- Send a post card with a brief statement of the benefits of your services.  As a call to action, direct the homeowner to a landing page.
- Once on your lending page, deliver some sort of free report in exchange for entering their e-mail address and phone number.
- Deliver the free report.
- Send out a personal letter to the homeowner, thanking them for downloading the report and explaining what is in it for them if they agree to let you help them.
- Armed with their e-mail address, you can write an e-mail that escalates in tone and urgency, and lays out the consequences of doing nothing.

There are many possibilities of using the inbox and the mailbox together to create trust and rapport. Neither are superior, but they can work together in tandem to create more completed transactions.