Direct mail is still very popular and used by thousands of businesses very effectively. Companies use direct mail for a number of different reasons:
Direct Mail For Sales Promotion
If you are looking to promote your product to consumers or businesses, direct mail can be very useful in getting a 'hard copy' into someone's hands. We all get the flyers from estate agents asking if we are looking to sell our houses, or about houses sold in the area. Or mailings from recruitment companies (normally including a promotional item of some sort). There is a high casualty rate with sales mailings, as most do get binned; however it must still work as combined, companies spend millions a year on sales mailings across the UK.
Direct Mail For Communication
Keeping in touch with clients is very important if you want them to come back time and again. Many companies send reminders through the post (thinking of garages reminding you of an upcoming service for your car) which can have a big effect on the repeat business that comes as a result. Also companies like doctors surgeries may send out reminders or updates and can use a direct mail company.
Direct Mail For Bills
Many businesses would use a direct mail company to send out bills, statements etc. Think of all the banks sending reminders, pin numbers, replacement cards or mobile phone companies sending bills and phone records. Hundreds of thousands of mailings every day and all handled by mailing companies.
If companies stopped using direct mail, then the Royal Mail would have very serious issues; due to the volumes of mailings that are going around the UK every day
Direct Mail Companies cover mailings of any size ranging from small mailings on behalf of smaller businesses (perhaps to the local area) such as builders or plumbers,' up to multinational companies such as banks, government departments, mobile phone companies etc.