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For today’s average consumer, engaging with brands in a single-channel format is simply not enough to move them through the sales funnel. In fact, research shows that consumers engage with brands on at least three channels before they decide to purchase a product or service. This means companies must think in a more multi-channel way when conceptualizing sales and marketing campaigns in order to create as many touch points.

A recent look at the current state of the insurance industry found that more insurers are rapidly embracing smart digital technology platforms like AI-enabled chatbots to provide more personalized customer experiences on their websites. Today’s consumer expects custom, highly-targeted messaging that speaks to their individual wants and needs, and this is especially true when it comes to matters of insurance. 

It’s no secret that sustainability is top of mind for companies across nearly every industry. In fact, a recent study found that 65% of companies rank sustainability as one of the most important issues to address in their short and mid-term planning. While the direct impact of a more eco-friendly business model is helping to protect the environment, there are a number of other benefits for companies in focusing on more sustainable practices. 

A recent study found universities spend between $429 and $623 per enrolled student each year on marketing campaigns to help drive enrollment. While some of this spend is on digital marketing campaigns, a sizable percentage is spent on print marketing collateral like direct mail and brochures. 

It would be an understatement to say that the healthcare industry is invested in print. For example, research shows that the average 1,500-bed hospital prints more than 8 million pages per month. What’s more, even in the age of paperless billing and electronic health records (EHRs), more than 50% of consumers still prefer to receive print copies of critical customer communications like billing statements, account summaries, and medical records. 

Print automation for direct mail marketing helps companies execute strategic, highly-targeted campaigns that leverage the power of print to engage and drive customers to act. But print automation also makes it easier for marketers to understand the ROI of their direct mail campaigns in order to better allocate print marketing dollars and resources. 

Compared with digital communication channels like email, direct mail has a greater capacity to produce robust response rates and a deeper, more personal connection with a brand, product, or service. The ability of print to resonate in this way is part of the reason why marketers continue to leverage direct mail campaigns as part of their print communications budget. 

A recent survey found that more than 50% of consumers prefer print notices over electronic notifications for customer communications such as account summaries, invoices, and billing statements — and the percentage is actually greater for more critical customer communications such as insurance policy overviews, property tax statements, medical bills, and financial statements like quarterly earnings reports from stock market investments. 

Here’s the good news for marketers seeking a viable alternative to crowded digital channels: Postcard direct mail programs are a simple, cost-effective way to create personalized marketing communications that can speak to highly targeted audiences in ways that drive robust response rates and meaningful ROI.

A recent study found that 82% of those surveyed trust print advertising over any other communication channel. Additionally, a related survey revealed that 79% of consumers are more apt to respond to a print call-to-action compared with just 45% with emails or other digital channels.

It’s clear the pathway for print is wide open, and print-on demand (POD) has emerged as a valuable tool in helping companies leverage the flexibility, speed, and real-time consumer data necessary to deliver timely, highly targeted, and personalized print that can help drive growth.