Forget all that talk about direct mail being a strategy that’s gone kaput. Sure, digital is getting most of the attention today, but as the Direct Marketing Association reports, U.S. businesses upped their total spending on direct mail as a whole in 2014 ($46 billion!) and the number of people who read and/or scanned these pieces also increased. What makes direct marketing an effective approach? Consider all the possibilities with presentation. While consumers are being bombarded with competing messages on the web, that cleverly crafted postcard or package that arrives in the mailbox can really stand out. And then there’s personalization: today’s direct mail is not your old school, one-size-fits-all direct mail. Modern technology allows you to not only target your pieces to specific recipients, but also easily and affordably customize offers to each recipient’s wants and needs. Plus, it allows you the added benefit of communicating one-on-one instead of blasting a message to the masses. Online marketing may be the big thing right now, but don’t forget that integrating some print campaigns could help your strategy, too.