Pet owners will tell you that their dog, cat, parakeet, ferret or bunny are more like family than anything. Considering that 63% of households own a pet of some kind, it is no secret that Americans value our animal companions, and chances are that most pet owners also value personal service when it comes to choosing a veterinary office.

To give your office a more personal approach, rather than sending reminder emails, send reminder cards through direct mail. Contrary to belief, direct mail is far from dead; here are a few reasons why.

Inbox Overload
People are using their smartphones and laptops more frequently than ever, but that doesn't mean that every email gets read. Since the internet has become the epicenter of marketing, more businesses are choosing to email customers rather than use direct mail. It's for this exact reason that a snail-mailed reminder card can be attention-grabbing, simply because postcards and letters are becoming relatively rare. And studies have shown that 48% of people keep their physical mail for future reference.

Another reason people don't bother to read their emails? They get so darn much of it on a daily basis. Especially if they use an email provider that automatically sorts promotional emails from personal ones, like Gmail, folks tend to let email pile up in their inbox without giving it so much as a second glance -- or even a first glance. The same can be said for physical mail, but 70% of people believe that direct mail is more personal than receiving something electronically.

Personal Touches That Are Budget Friendly
Using direct mail marketing to send  reminder cards or personalized sympathy cards (like plantable memorial cards) is a great way to connect with customers, but it's also cost-effective. You only need to send these cards to your existing customer base, thereby targeting people who are more likely to use your services, yet there are also ways to attract new customers by using direct mail marketing. Flyers, advertisements in circulars, and even participation in coupon-book fundraisers will help make your practice's name a household name.

Increased Trust
With the recent stories of hackers breaking into presumed "secure" networks, consumers are increasingly wary of performing transactions -- even non-financial ones -- over the internet. Phishing scams are a real problem, which means that promotional emails are sent to spam folders before customers can even view them. Yet people are sure to see reminder cards or other direct mailings, because they have to physically touch them.

Instead of running the risk of attaching something to an email that may get lost, direct mail allows businesses to communicate without setting off alarms. It's also easy to personalize the cards, to make the message more appealing. As a result, consumers are more likely to trust your business -- and to patronize it.

Show your customers that you actually do care by sending reminder cards and sympathy cards to their mailbox, not their inbox.