The marketing tactic everyone's sleeping on right now

Summary

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Episode Overview

Title: The marketing tactic everyone's sleeping on right now
Podcast: MarTech Podcast ™ // Marketing + Technology = Business Growth
Host: Benjamin Shapiro
Guest: Ryan Ferrier (CEO, Lob)
Date: January 23, 2026

This episode explores a "forgotten" marketing tactic poised for resurgence: direct mail for B2B marketing. Benjamin Shapiro interviews Ryan Ferrier, CEO of Lob, about innovative approaches that blend traditional mail with modern technology, and why direct mail is currently an underrated and high-performing channel.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Overlooked Power of Direct Mail in B2B

[01:23]

• Ryan Ferrier highlights: Most marketers think of direct mail mainly for B2C, but it’s highly effective in B2B—especially to engage stakeholders within target accounts.
• Example: An eCommerce retailer moving upmarket designed a campaign using:
  • Curated email touches
  • LinkedIn ads
  • Direct mail sent to the top 100 B2B prospects (targeting senior roles like CMOs, VPs of CRM)

Ryan Ferrier:
“One thing that people are sleeping on... is actually sending direct mail for B2B purposes... they hit all of these businesses, not just end consumers, with a direct mail piece.” [01:23]

Key Takeaway:
Combining digital and physical channels, especially targeted direct mail, can break through digital clutter and drive impressive engagement.

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2. Innovating with Direct Mail & Voice Technology

[02:16]

• The host describes a voice/AI integration:
  In past direct mail campaigns, recipients could use a voice assistant (like Alexa or Google Assistant) to say a code and unlock special offers from the mail piece.
• While initial voice chat adoption slowed, there's renewed hope as AI integrations with virtual assistants improve.

Host:
“When you get a piece of direct mail, you could say ‘Hey Google’... and say a secret code word and it will tell you the offer that you get from your direct mail piece... I think it’s coming back now that we have artificial intelligence...” [02:16]

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3. Real-World Example: Alexa & Automated Mail

[03:08]

• Ryan shares an early experiment in voice-activated direct mail:
  • Their VP of Solutions built an Alexa app that let users send a physical mail piece—just by talking to Alexa, no keyboard required.
• Demonstrates marrying old tactics with modern tech to reduce friction and surprise recipients.

Ryan Ferrier:
“Our VP of solutions... created an app on Alexa where he actually used Alexa to send a mail piece. So he said, you know, ‘Hey, Alexa, I’d like to send a mail piece to XYZ’ and literally never interacted with a keyboard and was able to send a mail piece.” [03:08]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ryan Ferrier:
  “If we're reaching out to the right person with the right message and a clear call to action, then it's just a matter of timing.” [00:47]

• Host (on innovation nostalgia):
  “What's old is new again when it comes to direct mail.” [03:40]

• Host (wrapping up):
  “Just focus on keeping your customers happy.” [04:36]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:25 - 00:47: Setting stage—current digital marketing tactics and stats
• 01:23 - 02:16: The overlooked potential of B2B direct mail
• 02:16 - 03:08: Integrating direct mail with voice assistants and AI
• 03:08 - 03:40: Real-life Alexa direct mail experiment
• 03:40 - End: Key takeaways; recapping why direct mail is poised for resurgence

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Summary

This episode unpacks why direct mail—especially in B2B—is a marketing tactic worthy of renewed attention. Ryan Ferrier shares both data-backed results and clever innovations, such as leveraging voice assistants to send and interact with mail. The overall message: blending the tactile impact of direct mail with digital and AI tools offers a significant, untapped opportunity for brands looking to stand out in crowded digital channels.

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Transcript

[Benjamin Shapiro]

The Martech Podcast is a proud member of the I Hear Everything Podcast Network. Looking to launch or scale your podcast, I Hear Everything delivers podcast production, growth and monetization solutions that transform your words into profit. Ready to give your brand a voice? Then visit iheareverything.com.

[Host]

From advertising to software as a service.

[Ryan Ferrier]

To data across all of our programs and clients, we've seen a 55 to 65% open rate.

[Host]

Getting brands authentically integrated into content performs better than TV advertising. Typical lifespan of an article is about 24 to 36 hours. If we're reaching out to the right.

[Ryan Ferrier]

Person with the right message and a clear call to action, then it's just a matter of timing.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

Welcome to the Martech Podcast, a member of the I Hear Everything Podcast Network. In this podcast, you'll hear the stories of world class marketers that you use technology to drive business results and achieve career success. Here's the host of the Martech Podcast, Benjamin Shapiro.

[Host]

All right, last question for you. What's the marketing channel or tactic everyone's sleeping on right now that you think will explode in the next two years?

[Ryan Ferrier]

I was talking to an e commerce retailer yesterday and they're actually looking to move up market and so I think one thing that people are sleeping on, they offer a B2C solution as well as a B2B solution that folks are sleeping on is actually sending direct mail for B2B purposes. So what they've done is they've architected a campaign all around curated email touches, they have LinkedIn ads, but as well they have a direct mail campaign going to their top 100 prospects across the US and it goes to their, I think their CMO, their, their VP of CRM and one other person and they hit all of these businesses, not just end consumers, with a direct mail piece.

[Host]

Hmm, interesting. I, I have a friend who works in direct mail and he was developing some sort of a solution when everybody was talking about voice chat, which was when you get a piece of direct mail, you could say hey Google or Alexa or whichever voice chat app you want to use and then say a secret code word and it will tell you the offer that you get from your direct mail piece, which I thought was a really intelligent way. Then people kind of stopped using voice chat the way that we had expected. And I think it's coming back now that we have artificial intelligence, now that everybody's going to be talking. Once Google integrates with Siri and then people can actually have a coherent conversation with Siri, then I think we've got a better chance of actually being able to talk to our digital assistants.

[Ryan Ferrier]

It's really funny that you use that use case. So our VP of solutions and you were talking very similar time horizon about 3 users years ago created an app on Alexa where he actually used Alexa to. To send a mail piece. So he said, you know, hey, Alexa, you know, I'd like to, you know, send a mail piece to XYZ and every, like, literally never interacted, you know, with a, a keyboard and was able to send a mail piece.

[Host]

I love it. Yeah. Hey, Alexa, send my mom some flowers. I think that's really the one that we all need. All right, well, Ryan, I appreciate you coming on the podcast. Thank you for surviving the lightning round and telling us a little bit about why what's old is new again when it comes to direct mail.

[Ryan Ferrier]

I appreciate you having me on.

[Host]

All right, that wraps up this episode of the Martech podcast. Thanks to Ryan Ferrier, the CEO of Lob, for joining us. If you'd like to contact Ryan, you could find a link to his LinkedIn profile in our show notes or on martechpod.com or you can visit his company's website, which is lob l o b dot com. If you haven't subscribed yet and you want a daily stream of marketing and technology knowledge in your podcast feed, hit the subscribe button in your podcast app or subscribe on YouTube and we'll be back in your feed next week. All right, that's it for today, but until next time, my advice is to just focus on keeping your customers happy.

[Ryan Ferrier]

Foreign.

[Benjamin Shapiro]

Thanks for listening to the Martech podcast, and I hear everything. Production Looking to launch or scale a podcast like this one for your brand? Then visit iheareverything.com.