Direct Mail & AI: Old-School Impact with New-School Tools

Direct mail is making a comeback — and when paired with AI, it becomes an even stronger marketing tool. In a digital-first world, a tangible piece of mail can stand out, build trust, and validate your brand. Add AI into the mix, and you can streamline the process, refine your
message, and connect with prospects in smarter, more personal ways.

In this episode, Donna Peterson shares how direct mail can deliver old-school impact while leveraging new-school tools like ChatGPT. She walks through her recent Fabtech promotion as a case study, highlighting how validating postal data, segmenting audiences, and
integrating direct mail with digital campaigns creates measurable results.

You’ll also discover how AI can support every step of the process — from reviewing lists for accuracy to cultivating messages that resonate with different audiences. The result? Stronger relationships, deeper trust, and marketing that truly cuts through the noise.

Key Takeaways You Can Implement Right Away:

• Validate your list before you send — accurate data builds credibility.
• Segment your audience so each message speaks directly to their role and challenges.
• Use AI to refine your copy — test different tones (professional vs. conversational) and let ChatGPT help polish your message.
• Integrate channels — don’t stop at postal; link your direct mail with email, social, or tradeshow outreach.
• Start small, then scale — test with 50 targeted pieces, measure responses, and expand from there.

Episode Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction: The Power of Direct Mail
• 00:38 Meet Donna Peterson: Your Guide to Direct Mail
• 01:11 The Resurgence of Direct Mail
• 02:18 Building Trust Through Direct Mail
• 04:02 Case Study: Promoting Fabtech with Direct Mail
• 05:58 Steps to a Successful Direct Mail Campaign
• 09:28 Segmenting Your Audience for Maximum Impact
• 10:41 Crafting Personalized Messages with AI
• 14:15 Integrating Direct Mail with Digital Marketing
• 17:40 Conclusion: Old-School Impact with New-School Tools

If this episode sparks ideas for your business, we’d love to hear from you.

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