Google Still Using Direct Mail

Back in September of 2009 I wrote a post about Google using direct mail to solicit customers for its online advertising program, AdWords. Today's mail brought another direct mail solicitation from Google, this one bearing a coupon worth $100 toward AdWord advertising. I have used AdWords in the past and, frankly this is a tempting offer. $100 would allow me to place an online ad in front of a lot of people searching for products my printing company supplies. But then something occurred to me.

I am online and using Google all day, every day that I am working and whenever I am online at home. But I hadn't given a thought to re-instating my online ads with Google until I received this printed offer! This printed ad, received by mail, had an impact greater than innumerable online ads I have been exposed to over the last 18 months.

Does Google's use of direct mail mean that I should never consider online advertising? No, of course not. Online advertising does have a value. And yes, I have clicked on an occasional AdWord ad in a few of my online forays for products. But what it does mean is the marketing folks at Google understand the impact of direct mail advertising. No one is in a better position to use online self promotion than Google, yet they choose to add printed communications to their list of marketing tools.  What they know is direct mail is still the gold standard for advertising response rates and ROI.