The United States Postal Service reports that they add 4,221 new addresses to the postal delivery database every day.

Assuming an average 2.5 persons per address that means 10,552 household members.

That is a direct marketing gold mine as well as the reason direct mail is still one of the most powerful means of reaching an audience.

Considering direct mail acts as a one-to-one salesperson in the form of a card, letter, brochure or catalog, the scope of new recipients is awesome.

Even if some of the 10,552 household members are not your cup of tea, layering your specific criteria will enable you to pinpoint your best target, and reach them before your competition. Surely, smart marketers of services and products for new homeowners or those who recently moved into a new neighborhood, realize what a fertile market segment this could be for them.

Taking the math just a bit further, thirty days of new addresses is over 126,630. Mining this data and approaching them with your messages makes good business sense.

Receiving mail is time honored and valued more than emails or any other form of communication. The daily delivery of mail is like being handed a present everyday that is filled with surprises. Almost no one lets mail linger in their mailboxes. It is a mystery that people get to solve in a unique and meaningful way.

The trip from the mailbox to the kitchen counter is your first opportunity to get attention. The first look needs to be interesting enough to survive the initial culling of mail. Landing on the counter and being available for a second look is the goal. It is the second look where you must work the hardest to prompt the possibility of response.

The second look is about visual attraction. Does your mail piece graphically support the message and represent the value of your offer in a professional way? Design is not the place to use sophomoric graphics. The next level of engagement is the headline. Does it make a statement that prompts curiosity, desire to pursue further information, or present a real argument for consideration? The call to action must be reasonable, not tricky or gimmicky in any way, and encourage the recipient to call or visit your website for more information or to purchase. You must explain what is in it for them. Granted, you are the best, have the most advanced widget, or other feature worth showcasing, what matters to the consumer are the benefits to them. Will they save time, save money, gain prestige, or be the first? The audience demographics you are targeting will provide the strongest way to position your message.

Direct mail presents a unique opportunity to spend time in a personal interaction with your prospects. Your message is in their home, in their hand and selling. The more you align your mailings with in-person selling, the more productive they will be. You are communicating with the person, not the address. Would you call a prospect and deliver a monotone diatribe of features and expect a favorable response? Of course not.

Direct mail marketing is often considered an expensive proposition. The pencil does not lie. Calculate what it costs to have a salesperson contact prospects, make cold calls, in person appointments, follow up visits or calls, and may or may not close the sale. Now calculate the number of mail pieces you will need to equal those results. You will find that the cost of direct mail is favorable when compared side by side.

The more strategic your direct marketing is, the more you will realize the massive opportunity and value to your company it represents.

The author, Greg Demetriou is the CEO of Lorraine Gregory Communications, the founder of GregsCornerOffice.com and the host of the Ask A CEO video and podcast show. He can be reached at greg@lgcli.com.