Program Manager, Product and Services
Giving Tomorrow’s Marketers the Competitive Edge
Direct mail is one of the most powerful and trusted tools an advertiser can use to connect with the American public. But every year, thousands of marketing students graduate without ever learning how to use one of the most effective channels available to them.
The irony is striking. Direct mail consistently delivers higher response rates than digital channels for many campaigns. Yet in most marketing programs, it barely appears in the curriculum. Students learn about social media analytics, email segmentation and conversion funnels — all valuable skills — but many graduate without understanding how to build an integrated campaign that combines physical mail with digital touchpoints.
This disconnect has persisted for many years, so in 2017, the Postal Service began working with Bentley University in Massachusetts to develop the Direct Effect® marketing curriculum on the power of mail. The response from professors and students was overwhelmingly positive. From there, the Direct Effect program has dramatically expanded and, to date, has reached more than 15,000 students at nearly 250 institutions nationwide through in-person lessons and online courses, all of which are provided free for students and educators.
Direct Effect teaches students the fundamentals of direct mail, how to use it to influence consumer behaviors. Students learn about driving traffic to a retail location or a website as well as more complicated uses of mail in integrated marketing campaigns. This is achieved through live case competitions with real clients, online learning, class speakers and opportunities for students to earn credentials.
The program produces real results, but what matters most is what we are seeing outside of the Direct Effect program. Students who have been taught about direct mail’s merits are embracing the medium, and from their feedback, it is clear they believe direct mail elevates a marketing campaign and has reshaped their thinking about integrated marketing.
Direct Effect shows them that direct mail enhances — rather than competes with — digital tools.
Let me give you a hypothetical example. When you get home today, you’ll find a personalized, textured postcard made of metallic paper stock in your mailbox. It’s not your routine white envelope. It is something colorful, novel; something that piques your interest. And like most Americans who receive direct mail, you’ll read it and probably keep it. Maybe even place it on your refrigerator door.
The concise yet meaningful message on that postcard prompts you to learn more, and the prominent, precisely positioned QR code makes it easy to do so. With one tap on your mobile device, you are transported to the digital aspect of this experience, which adds depth and context to the original message.
Social media posts you’ll see throughout the week will reinforce the campaign, and when an email arrives from the brand involved with an offer tailored to your needs, you see the value in opening it, rather than ignoring it as you and many Americans do with unsolicited emails.
Each channel strengthens the others, and it all starts at the mailbox.
Direct Effect’s annual Innovation Challenges, launched in 2019, bring this scenario to life through an intensive one-day experiential learning event. Students work from actual briefs provided by brands like Capital One, ESPN, Legoland and The Boston Globe, as well as local nonprofits. Teams research, strategize, design the mailpiece and pair it with complementary digital components, all under real-time pressure and real client expectations.
Our efforts are doing more than educating a new generation of marketers on the benefits of today’s data-driven direct mail product. These students are entering the workforce with the competitive edge of an integrated mindset that understands the value of each marketing channel, and how they can be combined to produce a campaign greater than the sum of their parts. We’ve also heard from Innovation Challenge participants that the hands-on experience and collaborative spirit of the event helped them feel better prepared for interviews and for real-world work.
That perspective has genuine business value. Brands know that consumer behavior is shifting. Digital fatigue is very real, and it’s only compounded by growing privacy concerns about online tracking. Mailboxes feel less crowded than inboxes. And direct mail response rates consistently outperform digital for many campaigns. That knowledge is power, but without the efforts of the USPS Direct Effect program, more young marketers may enter the workforce with little to no exposure to one of the most effective marketing tools.
The Direct Effect team and I are excited to see what this year’s students deliver. If you are an educator, a marketing professional or a student interested in getting involved, visit usps.com/directeffectinnovation for information about this year’s event, as well as details on our self-paced e-learning courses and classroom speaker requests.
Carl Boettner
Program Manager, Product and Services