Direct mail involves sending advertising materials directly to potential customers through the postal system. It has its origins in the 19th century as postal services expanded and people began sending cards and letters to advertise. Popular direct mail items included sales letters, postcards, catalogs, and brochures/folders sent en masse through the mail. Direct mail offers advantages like selectivity in targeting audiences, speed, flexibility in formats, and ability to personalize messages. However, it also faces drawbacks like higher costs than mass media and reliance on quality mailing lists.

1. DIRECT MAIL
Direct Advertising
By DHAIRYATA JAIN

2. Example: A brochure sent to a prospect by mail and a printed matter delivered to the prospect directly are both Direct mails.
DIRECT MAIL: Any direct advertising sent to the prospect through mail.
 HISTORY:
• Big growth of postal services and direct mail came in 19th century.
1. BEGINNING OF 19TH CENTURY:
i. Advertising was done person to person by mouth to mouth publicity.
ii. Cards and letters appear for delivering the advertising messages.
2. MID CENTURY: Direct mail came up for delivering the advertising message to the masses.
3. CIVIL WAR: Notices and circulars became very popular for communication and spreading information.
4. END OF 19TH CENTURY: Catalogues started to appear
5. By the expansion of Mail Order Houses, new techniques were devised for communicating effectively in the 20th
 Effective Direct Mail advertising is based on Efficient Postal system.
 Print media advertising started with DIRECT MAIL.
 DIRECT ADVERTISING: Any form of advertising that is issued directly to definite, specific prospects,
usually through mails, by sales people, by dealers or other means. They are usually reproduced in quantity.

3. TYPES OF DIRECT MAIL
 MAIL ORDER ADVERTISING: Any method of selling in which the product is promoted through
advertising and ordered by the customer through mail. No personal selling is involved.
1. SALES LETTER:
• Most frequently used form of direct mail.
• The first form any business firm will use.
• Publicity of the business can be done with minimal costing.
• It can be individually typed, multi graphed or reproduced.
2. POST CARDS: A rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and
mailing without an envelope.
• They may be either 1st class or 3rd class:
i. 1ST CLASS POST CARDS: A personal touch by an individually written message can be there.
ii. 3RD CLASS POST CARDS: It sticks to printed matter with a stenciled signature and no personal
touch.

4.  REPLY CARDS: They are used to encourage a direct reply of the mail from the receiver.
3. LEAFLETS:
• A single printed sheet often used in conjunction in a letter to explain an offer or idea more fully.
• Normally folded once or twice.
4. FOLDER: Larger than leaflets
• Piece of information which is folded
• Printed on heavier stock
• Large size holds more sales story and permits use of more visual material.
• It can often be handled economically.
5. BROADSIDES:
• Larger than a folder
• Its size helps to impress the receiver with the importance of the offers.
• It is sent to the dealers for display in the store as posters or point of sale.

5. 6. BOOKLETS: A leaflet that contains several pages.
• It is used to convey complicated sales-story and considerable information.
Example: Automobile companies provide booklets that deal with information of their product along
with some driving rules and regulations.
7. CATALOGUES:
• It has many pages.
• It serves as a reference book.
• Buying guides designed to be used over a period of time.
• Uneconomical to send it to any real prospect of the product.
8. HOUSE ORGANS:
• Publications issued periodically by business or other organizations .
• Company magazines
• Put out by schools, government units, welfare agencies and military units.

6. • SELECTIVITY: Any circulation can be built according to the wants and the coverage pattern.
• INTENSIVE COVERAGE: Dealers can be reached whenever needed and so the time span won’t
hamper the image among the customers. Mail will have the same impact if sent after a period of
time as the one before.
• SPEED: It can be moved quickly and can take advantage of the timely and seasonal appeals.
• FLEXIBILITY OF THE FORMAT: No physical limitation except the budget.
• COMPLETE INFORMATION: It can furnish a great deal of information on demand which can include
long copy, illustrations, diagrams which will boost the sales.
• PERSONAL: Each mail can be individualized as necessary and highly personalized.
• It offers a variety of formats and provide enough space to tell a complete story.
• It can engage a reader’s attention.
• Its possible to gather consumer characteristics such as name, product, usage, purchase history and
income.
ADVANTAGES OF DIRECT MAIL

7. • MAIN DRAWBACK: Wide spread perception of it as a JUNK MAIL and an intervention of privacy.
• Higher cost per thousand than mass media( print media).
• Success depends on the quality of the mailing list which is hard to get.
• Advertisements contain no editorial/ entertainment material to soften the impact of the
advertising message.
DISDVANTAGES OF DIRECT MAIL