Editor's note: The USPS promotion mentioned in this article has expired. To view current promotions from the US Postal Service, click here.

Direct mail that creates strong engagement with the recipient also has the potential to deliver a greater return on investment. That’s why many marketers are turning to new or unique ways to design direct mail pieces. One way to stand out from the crowd is through the use of different applications of ink, paper, and folds.

Despite the rapid rise of digital marketing, direct mail has remained one of the most effective marketing channels in terms of consistently delivering return on investment (ROI).

As a marketer, this is probably a question you’ve heard before or maybe even asked yourself. It’s not surprising. In a world that has jumped on the digital bandwagon, less emphasis has been placed on the more traditional marketing channels, almost making them appear obsolete.

I was recently at a marketing luncheon, networking with like-minded marketers while learning the latest and greatest in social media. Out of nowhere, the woman sitting next to me asked the guy across from her, “Does anyone even do direct mail anymore?”

Editor's note: The USPS promotion mentioned in this article has expired. To view current promotions from the US Postal Service, click here.

Direct mail continues to be a strong medium for many of today’s marketers, and the emergence of new technologies is just one of the ways it has remained competitive in an increasingly digital world. Advances in technology now allow the recipients to engage with a mailer via their smart phone or tablet, seamlessly blending the world of print and digital.

With 2016 approaching, it’s time to reflect back on some of the most popular blog articles and videos of the last year. From creative design to mailing to sneak peeks of our team in action, see what others found to be the most enjoyable and beneficial content from Suttle-Straus.

Ever wonder why some companies get tons of attention despite an average presence at the trade show or conference? There is a good chance the booth is just the tip of the iceberg. The real magic happens behind the scenes.

Smart sponsors don’t wait until the day of the event to engage. They warm leads up weeks before the doors open and stay engaged with the biggest opportunities well after everyone goes home.

The average consumer is exposed to hundreds of marketing messages each day in one form or another.

From radio commercials during the morning commute to the banner ads we see online, advertising clutter has created a big challenge for brands competing for our attention in an increasingly noisy world.

Over the past decade, “being green” has gone from a popular catchphrase to a serious goal companies and consumers commit themselves to. Research from the Annual Tork Sustainability Study in 2013 found that 78 percent of people say they buy green products, and that number continues to rise today.

For many companies concerned with print’s impact on the environment, the obvious knee-jerk reaction has been simple: Stop using commercial printing and turn exclusively to digital.

If you haven’t noticed, direct mail campaigns are getting smarter thanks to systems allowing mailers to finally track each piece being sent out. Now, direct mail marketers can see why a campaign either worked or fell short of expectations by analyzing this important data.

The USPS’s Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) tracking system is a way to encode mailing information for letters and flats.

Given all the ways we communicate digitally through text, email, social media just to name a few, many wonder why “physical” marketing like direct mail is still used extensively by marketers.

With statistically longer lead times than digital as well as the expenses that come with printing and delivery, why do companies continue to connect with us through the mailbox?

In short, because it works––when it’s done right, that is.