From Postcards to Pixels: Marketing Lessons That Still Hold Up

Marketing may look different today with emails, social media, and digital ads complementing the use of direct mail – but it is still about solid messaging delivered where your readers with a solid call to action. Veteran direct marketer Jeffrey Dobkin built his career on connecting with audiences in a genuine, measurable way, and his advice still applies to marketers balancing both print and digital. Here’s how his old-school wisdom translates perfectly to today’s marketing mix.

It’s Not About You, It’s About Them

Dobkin’s first rule could hang above every marketer’s desk!

Your audience doesn’t care about you; they care about what you can do for them. Too often, brands fill newsletters, websites, and social posts with “we” statements — we do this, we believe that — instead of focusing on what their customers need.

The fix is simple but powerful: talk directly to the reader. Whether it’s a postcard, email, or Instagram caption, center the message around their benefit. What will make their day easier? What problem are you solving? Great marketing always starts with empathy, not ego.

Clarity Over Cleverness

Dobkin estimated that only a tiny percentage of people read direct mail from start to finish, and the same is true today for digital content. Attention spans are short and competition is fierce. That means clarity beats cleverness every time.

Make your point quickly. Keep visuals clean, copy simple, and calls to action strong. You’re not trying to educate the world about your brand, but instead trying to connect long enough to inspire one small action. To click, call, email, fill out a form, go to a physical storefront or website and BUY.

And while creativity matters, measurable performance matters more. Forget “image advertising” that only builds vague awareness. Instead, track your results, learn what works, and refine every campaign. A beautiful design means little if it doesn’t convert.

Good Products Need Great Marketing

It’s tempting to believe that great products will sell themselves, but Dobkin reminded us that they won’t. The best ideas in the world still need visibility and a strong, consistent message to find their audience.

Think in terms of momentum, not just one big push but a steady rhythm across multiple channels. Combine digital ads, email, and social media with direct mail to create a cohesive presence. And before you scale, TEST. Start small, measure, and adjust until your campaign pays for itself. In Dobkin’s words, “You need to make a profit in business, not just get experience.”

Be Smart About Timing and Placement

Even before print became a marketing partner with digital, Dobkin knew timing mattered. He advised advertisers to place their messages where their audience was already paying attention and to respect seasonal patterns that affected engagement. Understanding algorithms in today’s online world is also key to digital success… which is why print has become disruptive!

That advice is even more relevant now. Every platform has its rhythms depending on the product or service. LinkedIn engagement could peak midweek while consumer emails may perform better on weekends while print promotions shine everyday someone picks up the mail.

The smartest marketers go where the energy is. Follow your audience, not the trend.

Jeffrey Dobkin’s marketing lessons might come from the heyday of direct mail, but his wisdom transcends time and technology. Whether your audience finds you in their mailbox or their inbox, the rules haven’t changed: put the customer first, keep it simple, stay consistent, and measure everything.

The tools evolve, but human connection never goes out of style.