Direct Mail for B2B Lead Generation: Why It Outperforms Email
Direct mail is used for many purposes, from product promotion to proof of transactions – but it is also the perfect tool for business-to-business lead generation, converting at 10–15% in reported campaigns while cold B2B emails struggle with 20% open rates and 2% click-throughs. This article covers why an integrated approach matters, the numbers behind B2B direct mail, and how to make a B2B mailshot stand out.
| B2B Lead Generation Statistic | Figure |
|---|---|
| Businesses using 5–7 marketing channels | 40% |
| Reported B2B direct mail conversion rate (Salesfusion) | 10% to 15% |
| Average email open rate | Around 20% |
| Average email click-through rate | Just 2% |
| Response rate, physical mail vs email (2012, B2B and B2C) | 4.4% vs 0.12% |
| Email cost per lead vs direct mail | Around £3 more per lead |
Why Integrated Marketing Matters for Lead Generation
The most successful businesses generate leads from several sources instead of just one media channel, so it’s very important to take an integrated approach to your lead generation and marketing strategies to maximise the number of people you appeal to. When businesses were surveyed on how many marketing channels they use, 40% said 5–7 channels – so if you’re still relying on only one or two, you may be falling behind your competition.
Why Does B2B Direct Mail Convert So Well?
Reports show an increasing number of companies are either planning to incorporate B2B direct mail into their marketing or have already done so with big success. The chief marketing officer of Salesfusion shared that her company found a 10% to 15% conversion rate using B2B direct mail within their campaigns. Compare that with email’s average open rate of around 20% and its tiny 2% click-through rate, and the conversion advantage is stark. A 2012 study also found direct mail’s response rate for both B2B and B2C was 4.4% for physical mailings against only 0.12% for emails. And despite emails costing little to send, their cost per lead works out around £3 more than direct mail’s – the statistics clearly favour physical mail for B2B generation, and they’re persuasive numbers to share with a B2B audience too.
Top Tips for B2B Mailshots
By using a traditional physical mailshot you automatically stand out, because the popularity of email and social media advertising has crowded the online space, while businesses receive hundreds of cold, basic emails daily that are rarely read or acknowledged. Direct mail lets you be far more inventive than other platforms allow:
- Upgrade your envelopes – Use unique images or shapes so the mailing demands attention before it’s even opened.
- Try premium finishes – Foil printing signals quality the moment your piece lands on a desk.
- Engage more than sight – Textures and physical formats involve senses no email can reach.
- Stand out on the desk – Physical mail is the perfect way to rise above the hundreds of other marketing messages businesses receive.
B2B Lead Generation With The Direct Mail Company
To learn more about how The Direct Mail Company can help with your B2B lead generation direct mail, contact us today at sales@thedirectmailcompany.co.uk or call 0333 038 3797 – and you can read our latest mailing service updates here.
B2B Direct Mail: Frequently Asked Questions
Is direct mail effective for B2B lead generation?
Yes. Reported B2B direct mail conversion rates run at 10–15%, while cold B2B emails average only 20% opens and 2% click-throughs – and physical mail’s cost per lead comes in around £3 cheaper.
Why does physical mail beat email for reaching businesses?
Businesses receive hundreds of cold emails daily and read almost none, while a well-made physical mailing stands alone on the desk and can use formats, finishes and textures no email can replicate.
How many marketing channels should a business use?
Successful businesses spread lead generation across several channels – 40% of surveyed businesses use 5–7 – so direct mail should sit alongside your email, social and other activity, not replace it.
How do I make a B2B mailshot stand out?
Distinctive envelopes with unique images or shapes, premium finishes like foil printing, and formats that engage senses beyond sight all lift a B2B mailing above the daily noise.
Who can produce my B2B direct mail campaign?
The Direct Mail Company handles B2B campaigns from data through print, enclosing and postage. Email sales@thedirectmailcompany.co.uk or call 0333 038 3797.
