GITNUXREPORT 2025

Direct Marketing Statistics

Direct marketing yields high ROI, personalization boosts engagement, and mail remains most effective.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

76% of consumers say they prefer direct mail for product information over digital channels

Statistic 2

72% of consumers say that they prefer to receive messages via email from brands they trust

Statistic 3

80% of consumers say catalog marketing influences their shopping decisions

Statistic 4

56% of people find direct mail more trustworthy than digital ads

Statistic 5

65% of consumers say they are more likely to trust a brand after receiving a personalized message

Statistic 6

50% of consumers prefer receiving offers via direct mail rather than email

Statistic 7

70% of consumers find personalized direct marketing more relevant and helpful

Statistic 8

Direct mail has a 4.4% response rate, making it the most effective form of direct marketing

Statistic 9

Personalized direct mail campaigns can boost response rates by up to 30%

Statistic 10

The average response rate for email marketing is 1.5%

Statistic 11

54% of marketers say that email is their top channel for customer engagement

Statistic 12

60% of consumers have made a purchase after receiving a direct mail piece

Statistic 13

88% of marketers say that personalization in direct marketing improves customer engagement

Statistic 14

About 70% of recipients open direct mail pieces within the first week of receiving them

Statistic 15

Digital direct marketing campaigns have a click-through rate of about 2.5%

Statistic 16

On average, consumers recall 80% of direct mail pieces they receive

Statistic 17

45% of direct marketers plan to increase their budgets in digital channels over the next year

Statistic 18

The response rate for direct email marketing is higher among millennials at 20%, compared to 14% among baby boomers

Statistic 19

58% of marketers agree that multichannel campaigns improve engagement rates

Statistic 20

75% of consumers say they will act within a week after receiving direct mail

Statistic 21

The average click-to-open rate for email campaigns is about 15%

Statistic 22

50% of direct marketers say they use data analytics to refine their campaigns

Statistic 23

Direct marketing is responsible for acquiring 70% of new customers for many companies

Statistic 24

Mobile devices account for 55% of email opens, highlighting the importance of mobile-optimized emails

Statistic 25

The average conversion rate for direct marketing campaigns is approximately 3.4%

Statistic 26

63% of consumers act on direct marketing messages immediately, emphasizing prompt responses

Statistic 27

42% of consumers indicate that personalized emails motivate them to make a purchase

Statistic 28

80% of small to medium-sized businesses rely on direct marketing as their primary customer acquisition method

Statistic 29

Visual content in direct marketing increases engagement by up to 50%

Statistic 30

The open rate for direct mail is around 75%, significantly higher than most digital channels

Statistic 31

80% of direct mail recipients are more likely to do business with a brand that sends them personalized offers

Statistic 32

65% of marketers say better segmentation improves campaign performance

Statistic 33

Email marketing generates an average ROI of $42 for every $1 spent

Statistic 34

Direct marketing accounts for approximately 54% of all marketing budgets

Statistic 35

Internationally, the global direct marketing industry is estimated to be worth over $1 trillion

Statistic 36

The average cost per lead for direct mail is $45, compared to $175 for trade shows

Statistic 37

The median return on investment for direct marketing is 11:1, meaning $11 earned for every $1 spent

Statistic 38

48% of marketers report that direct marketing offers the highest return on investment compared to other channels

Statistic 39

68% of marketers see increased profitability from integrated marketing campaigns

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Key Highlights

Direct mail has a 4.4% response rate, making it the most effective form of direct marketing
76% of consumers say they prefer direct mail for product information over digital channels
Email marketing generates an average ROI of $42 for every $1 spent
72% of consumers say that they prefer to receive messages via email from brands they trust
Personalized direct mail campaigns can boost response rates by up to 30%
Direct marketing accounts for approximately 54% of all marketing budgets
80% of consumers say catalog marketing influences their shopping decisions
The average response rate for email marketing is 1.5%
Internationally, the global direct marketing industry is estimated to be worth over $1 trillion
54% of marketers say that email is their top channel for customer engagement
60% of consumers have made a purchase after receiving a direct mail piece
88% of marketers say that personalization in direct marketing improves customer engagement
About 70% of recipients open direct mail pieces within the first week of receiving them

In a world where digital dominates, direct marketing proves its unmatched power, boasting a 4.4% response rate and a staggering $42 return for every dollar spent, making it the most effective strategy to truly connect with consumers.

Consumer Preferences and Trust

76% of consumers say they prefer direct mail for product information over digital channels
72% of consumers say that they prefer to receive messages via email from brands they trust
80% of consumers say catalog marketing influences their shopping decisions
56% of people find direct mail more trustworthy than digital ads
65% of consumers say they are more likely to trust a brand after receiving a personalized message
50% of consumers prefer receiving offers via direct mail rather than email
70% of consumers find personalized direct marketing more relevant and helpful

Consumer Preferences and Trust Interpretation

In an era of digital dominance, consumers’ unwavering trust in direct mail and personalized catalogs underscores that sometimes, old-school marketing still owns the mailbox—and the trust that comes with it—more convincingly than a click.

Effectiveness and Response Rates

Direct mail has a 4.4% response rate, making it the most effective form of direct marketing
Personalized direct mail campaigns can boost response rates by up to 30%
The average response rate for email marketing is 1.5%
54% of marketers say that email is their top channel for customer engagement
60% of consumers have made a purchase after receiving a direct mail piece
88% of marketers say that personalization in direct marketing improves customer engagement
About 70% of recipients open direct mail pieces within the first week of receiving them
Digital direct marketing campaigns have a click-through rate of about 2.5%
On average, consumers recall 80% of direct mail pieces they receive
45% of direct marketers plan to increase their budgets in digital channels over the next year
The response rate for direct email marketing is higher among millennials at 20%, compared to 14% among baby boomers
58% of marketers agree that multichannel campaigns improve engagement rates
75% of consumers say they will act within a week after receiving direct mail
The average click-to-open rate for email campaigns is about 15%
50% of direct marketers say they use data analytics to refine their campaigns
Direct marketing is responsible for acquiring 70% of new customers for many companies
Mobile devices account for 55% of email opens, highlighting the importance of mobile-optimized emails
The average conversion rate for direct marketing campaigns is approximately 3.4%
63% of consumers act on direct marketing messages immediately, emphasizing prompt responses
42% of consumers indicate that personalized emails motivate them to make a purchase
80% of small to medium-sized businesses rely on direct marketing as their primary customer acquisition method
Visual content in direct marketing increases engagement by up to 50%
The open rate for direct mail is around 75%, significantly higher than most digital channels

Effectiveness and Response Rates Interpretation

Despite digital's dominance, direct mail still boasts a commanding 75% open rate—making it the seasoned veteran in customer engagement and reminding marketers that personalized, tangible messages often cut through the digital clutter with a response rate of 4.4%, which, when personalized, can jump by 30%, proving that in the race for consumer attention, hand-delivered relevance still wins the race.

Personalization and Segmentation

80% of direct mail recipients are more likely to do business with a brand that sends them personalized offers
65% of marketers say better segmentation improves campaign performance

Personalization and Segmentation Interpretation

With 80% of recipients favoring personalized offers and 65% of marketers recognizing that better segmentation boosts campaign success, it's clear that in direct marketing, tailored messages are not just courtesy—they're your best chance to turn mail into meaningful sales.

Return on Investment and Cost Metrics

Email marketing generates an average ROI of $42 for every $1 spent
Direct marketing accounts for approximately 54% of all marketing budgets
Internationally, the global direct marketing industry is estimated to be worth over $1 trillion
The average cost per lead for direct mail is $45, compared to $175 for trade shows
The median return on investment for direct marketing is 11:1, meaning $11 earned for every $1 spent
48% of marketers report that direct marketing offers the highest return on investment compared to other channels
68% of marketers see increased profitability from integrated marketing campaigns

Return on Investment and Cost Metrics Interpretation

With an astonishing $42 return per dollar spent and over half of marketing budgets devoted to direct marketing—worth more than $1 trillion globally—it's clear that when it comes to ROI, direct marketing isn't just a channel, but the reigning champion that 68% of marketers swear by to boost profitability through integrated efforts.