Q1: How does Direct Mail relate to other advertising media?

A1: Many successful marketers have discovered that a mailing's response will be higher when it's part of an integrated campaign that also includes advertising in the print, broadcast and/or web media. The resulting "cumulative recognition factor" can work in favor of a mailing and bolster its effectiveness. If direct mail is part of a greater, coordinated marketing effort, you may want to adopt a different creative approach than when your packages are not supported by other media.

Q2: How does the cost-per-thousand (CPM) for direct mail compare to other advertising media?

A2: For direct mail, the CPM is greater than those of the print and broadcast media. However, your cost per response and in many cases its cost per sale is in fact the lowest of any advertising medium that you can use. By definition, the CPM figure refers to the cost per thousand people reached. Virtually all broadcast and print vehicles include a considerable amount of "waste circulation," bringing your message to thousands or even millions who are simply not interested in your product or service.

But with direct mail, you get precision targeting that allows you to zero directly in on the most desirable patient base. This is both a highly effective and cost efficient method of reaching larger numbers of the right people with the right message. In the end, with direct mail, you pay to contact fewer individuals and every one of them really matters. So it results in the industry's hardest-working advertising component for the money.