logo
episode-header-image
Yesterday
52m 21s

How Direct Mail Became a Secret Weapon i...

Edward Sturm
About this episode

E828: Direct mail has quietly made a comeback. In a world crowded with emails and digital ads, physical mail is getting attention again - and delivering real results.

Wilson Zehr joins the show to break down how to easily do direct mail campaigns.

He’s been doing direct mail since 1999 and built a technology company that makes sending physical mail as simple as sending an email.

Wilson explains how direct mail has evolved, why it now performs better in some cases than digital marketing, and exactly how to set up and measure your own campaign.

We discuss:
- How direct mail works in today’s digital landscape
- How to find and target the right mailing list
- The costs, ROI, and tracking methods that matter
- When to use postcards vs. letters
- Real examples of businesses using direct mail effectively

If you’ve ever wondered how physical mail still fits into modern marketing, this episode breaks it down step by step.

⭐️ Zairmail - https://www.zairmail.com/
⭐️ Wilson Zehr on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilsonzehr/

💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/

00:00 Evolution of Direct Mail in the Digital Age
00:34 Zairmail: Bridging Legacy and Digital
01:40 Speedy: A New Direct Mail Application
02:37 The Appeal of Direct Mail
03:26 Basics of Setting Up a Direct Mail Campaign
04:50 Finding the Right Contacts for Direct Mail
06:59 Success Factors in Direct Mail Campaigns
08:57 Practical Examples and Niche Markets
15:57 Cost and ROI of Direct Mail
26:03 Comparing Direct Mail with Digital Campaigns
26:35 Challenges of Email Marketing
27:31 Effectiveness of Direct Mail
28:22 Combining Direct Mail with Digital Funnels
30:42 Case Studies and Examples
31:35 Targeting New Movers for Local Businesses
35:18 Automating Direct Mail Campaigns
38:17 Crafting Compelling Direct Mail
46:29 Innovative Direct Mail Campaigns
49:41 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The Edward Show. Your daily digital marketing podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#directmail #ecommerce #marketingstrategy #marketing

Up next
Oct 9
Ranking Social Media Platforms by How Well They Rank on Google (Parasite SEO Explained)
E827: I rank the top social media platforms by how well they show up on Google - and break down what people call parasite SEO. You’ll learn which platforms perform on Google search and how to use videos and written posts on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Reddit, and more to ... Show More
10m 22s
Oct 8
How to Do AI-Generated SEO Blog Content (the Right Way)
E826: AI-written blog content is everywhere - but how do you actually do it the right way for SEO? I break down the 3 levels of AI-generated SEO blog content, inspired by Search Engine Land’s recent experiment with publishing AI-written guides. You’ll learn: - The difference betw ... Show More
10m 12s
Oct 7
Why Big Blogs Are Collapsing (And How to Fix Them) - Lars Lofgren
E825: Big blogs that once dominated SEO are now collapsing - and it’s not just because of AI. The SEO legend, Lars Lofgren joins the show. Lars was one of Neil Patel’s early employees back in 2011 and was active in aggressive marketing when the term, “growth hacking” was invented ... Show More
1h 36m
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2024
Rethinking SEO in the age of AI | Eli Schwartz (SEO advisor, author)
Eli Schwartz is a leading SEO consultant and the author of Product-Led SEO. He has worked with industry giants like Zapier, Tinder, Coinbase, Quora, LinkedIn, and WordPress to build and execute global SEO strategies that significantly enhanced their organic visibility at scale. I ... Show More
1h 55m
Aug 30
Game plan for balancing AEO, SEO, and GEO in your 2026 strategy
84% of search queries now trigger AI-powered results, fundamentally reshaping optimization strategies. Aimee Jurenka from seo SUSTAINABLE shares her proven framework for managing enterprise clients transitioning from traditional SEO to multi-channel search optimization. She outli ... Show More
3m 31s
Sep 14
The ultimate guide to AEO: How to get ChatGPT to recommend your product | Ethan Smith (Graphite)
Ethan Smith is the CEO of Graphite—the leading SEO growth agency—and my go-to expert on SEO. After 18 years of mastering traditional SEO, Ethan has been at the forefront of what is called AEO: answer engine optimization, or, more simply, getting your product to show up in ChatGPT ... Show More
1h 11m
Aug 18
The fusion of SEO & CRO with AI/LLMs
SEO and CRO strategies require AI integration for maximum impact. Shaun Hinklein, Head of SEO at Apollo.io, shares how data-driven content can create superior user experiences while balancing automation with human authenticity. He demonstrates practical methods for analyzing comp ... Show More
38m 2s
Sep 3
SEO Is Dead: The #1 Skill You Need in 2025
Want Kipp's Loop Marketing Prompt Library (over 100 prompts)? Get it for free: https://clickhubspot.com/elm Episode 74: Is SEO really dead—and if so, what’s the number one marketing skill you need to stay ahead in 2025? Matt Wolfe (https://x.com/mreflow) and Kipp Bodnar (https:// ... Show More
46 m
Apr 2025
Optimizing For Traditional Search Engines Vs AI Platforms
SEO professionals face a strategic dilemma between traditional search and AI platforms. Chris Andrew, Co-founder and CEO of Scrunch AI, explains why optimizing for both simultaneously is possible by focusing on human-centered content. He reveals how AI models access content in re ... Show More
4m 56s
Aug 26
Tools and Tips Special - Navigating AI Search, Ads & SEO in 2025
In this episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast, hosts Daniel Rowles and Ciaran Rogers return with a fresh round of insights and hands-on tools to help digital marketers adapt and experiment in the evolving AI-driven marketing landscape. From Google's AI Max campaigns to the exp ... Show More
27m 20s
Aug 29
One word that describes the current state of SEO integration
SEO professionals face unprecedented change as AI transforms search discovery. Aimee Jurenka from SEO Sustainable brings enterprise-level expertise in navigating algorithmic shifts while maintaining sustainable growth strategies. The discussion covers embracing industry transform ... Show More
2m 58s
Mar 2025
The Latest Digital Marketing Tools & Techniques
Updated to fix audio gap on Daniels mic! In this episode Ciaran and Daniel Rowles dive into the most exciting new tools that can transform the way marketers work—from AI-powered social media automation to SEO optimisation and content enhancement tools. They also share a whole ran ... Show More
31m 47s
Aug 20
The evolving relationship between SEO and B2B
In this episode, Shaun Hinklein of Apollo.io examines the evolving relationship between SEO and B2B marketing. He predicts that as AI adoption reaches near-universal levels in the B2B space, the focus will shift from whether content is AI-generated to how effectively AI is being ... Show More
2m 42s