--- title: Direct Mail vs. Email for Industrial Marketers. What Works Best? description: Study from Harvard Business Review (HBR) comparing the ROI of direct mail versus e-mail. image: https://www.thereppgroup.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/direct_mail_versus_e-mail-1.jpg --- [![The-Repp-Group-Logo-2025-r2](https://www.thereppgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/The-Repp-Group-Logo-2025-r2.png?width=640&height=211&name=The-Repp-Group-Logo-2025-r2.png "The-Repp-Group-Logo-2025-r2")](https://www.thereppgroup.com) Open main menu Close main menu - [Tom Repp](https://www.thereppgroup.com/tomrepp) - [What We Do](https://www.thereppgroup.com/consulting) - [Resources](https://www.thereppgroup.com/publications) Open the submenu - [Content REPPliKator](https://www.thereppgroup.com/repplikator) - [REPPliKator Q&A](https://www.thereppgroup.com/repplikator-qa) - [Partners](https://www.thereppgroup.com/partners) - Industrial Marketers Ask Open the submenu - [What Are The Seven Infrastructure Pillers](https://www.thereppgroup.com/what-are-the-seven-infrastructure-pillars) - [What Is the Digital Moat?](https://www.thereppgroup.com/what-is-the-digital-moat-framework) - [What Are Large Language Models (LLMs)?](https://www.thereppgroup.com/what-are-large-language-models-llms-what-every-industrial-ceo-must-understand-now) - [What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?: How AI Answers Are Quietly Rewriting Industrial Buying](https://www.thereppgroup.com/what-is-answer-engine-optimization-aeo-how-ai-answers-are-quietly-rewriting-industrial-buying) - [What is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): Why Industrial Leaders Need to Know](https://www.thereppgroup.com/what-is-generative-engine-optimization-geo-why-industrial-leaders-need-to-know) - [Why B2B Industrials Aren’t Using the Web as a Channel to Market](https://www.thereppgroup.com/why-b2b-industrials-arent-using-the-web-as-a-channel-to-market) - [What Percentage Should Mid-size B2B Industrials Spend on Digital?](https://www.thereppgroup.com/what-percentage-should-mid-size-b2b-industrial-spend-on-digital) - [In the Digital Age, Does a Mid-Size Industrial Need to Rethink Their Brand Message?](https://www.thereppgroup.com/does-a-mid-size-b2b-industrial-need-a-great-brand-story) - [How Will the AI Revolution Effect B2B Industrial Marketing?](https://www.thereppgroup.com/how-will-the-ai-revolution-effect-b2b-industrial-marketing) - [How Long for Online Success for B2B Industrials?](https://www.thereppgroup.com/how-long-for-online-success-for-b2b-industrials) - [Should Mid-Size B2B Industrials Deploy Marketing Automation?](https://www.thereppgroup.com/should-mid-size-b2b-industrials-deploy-marketing-automation) - [Do B2B Industrials Need a Marketing Coach or Consultant?](https://www.thereppgroup.com/do-b2b-industrials-need-a-marketing-coach-or-consultant) - [Do B2B Industrials Need a Digital Marketing Agency](https://www.thereppgroup.com/do-b2b-industrials-need-a-digital-agency) - [As an Industrial Marketer How Often Should I Update Website](https://www.thereppgroup.com/how_often_do_i_need_to_upate_my_industrial_website) - [Do Mid-Size B2B Industrials Need to Embrace AI for Digital Marketing?](https://www.thereppgroup.com/do-mid-size-b2b-industrials-need-to-embrace-ai-for-digital-marketing) - [Contact Me](https://www.thereppgroup.com/contact-me) ## Hiring an outside marketing guide...is well worth it. ![Tom-Repp-Front-page-transparent](https://www.thereppgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/images/Tom-Repp-Front-page-transparent.png?width=2000&name=Tom-Repp-Front-page-transparent.png) # Direct Mail vs. Email for Industrial Marketers. What Works Best? ![Tom Repp](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/a31fd2565e9302ced7f587a7d4791f5a) [Tom Repp](https://www.thereppgroup.com/author/tom-repp) May 15 2013 [industrial marketing strategy](https://www.thereppgroup.com/tag/industrial-marketing-strategy) ![blogging equals more leads](https://www.thereppgroup.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/direct_mail_versus_e-mail-1.jpg?width=400&height=300&name=direct_mail_versus_e-mail-1.jpg "direct mail versus e-mail")I have often wondered if there were quantitative differences between direct mail ROI (return on investment) and email ROI? I recently found a study done this past January (2013) from Harvard Business Review.  It is very instructive and appears to answer some pretty basic questions and dilemmas we all face while marketing to your industrial customers. As you can see this is from HubSpot, one of the real content kings on the web. Clearly content such as this is designed to sell HubSpot services…in this case the e-mail capabilities of HubSpot’s integrated marketing software. True to the HubSpot mantra, “Always provide an offer and a call-to-action (CTA)” there is an offer at the bottom of this blog post.   Providing great content with offers and calls-to-action is why they are the market leader in integrated marketing software…and their software is terrific and produces measurable ROIs. I have used massive amounts of paper printing out HubSpot’s white papers (sorry tree huggers!) such as the one featured in this blog post.  I have always found HubSpot’s content to be top quality.  I believe HubSpot’s endorsement provides creditability to this study…not to mention the data originated from Harvard Business Review. [An Investigation into ROI of Direct Mail vs. Email Marketing.](http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/34032/An-Investigation-Into-the-ROI-of-Direct-Mail-vs-Email-Marketing-DATA.aspx?goback=%2Egde_1094247_member_207370143) **Two lessons here:** Take e-mail marketing seriously for your industrial customers and ALWAYS provide an offer and a call-to-action. Comments?  Can you share any measured experiences with your e-mail or direct mail marketing efforts? 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