Quick answer
Addressed direct mail goes to a named person and gets the most attention and the highest response: 6.3% for warm mail and 1% for cold (JICMAIL). Partially addressed mail goes to 'the resident' at addresses selected with postcode data, so you can target look-alike households without a named list. It averages a 0.7% response. Door drops are unaddressed and reach every household in chosen areas at the lowest cost per item. They average a 0.3% response but a healthy £4.00 ROI per £1. Choose by audience: named customers get addressed mail, look-alike prospects get partially addressed mail, and broad local reach suits door drops.
Key takeaways
- Addressed mail has the highest engagement: 7.4 days in the home and 151 seconds of attention, against 6.0 days and 70 seconds for door drops (JICMAIL, Q2 2026).
- Partially addressed mail sits in between: 6.9 days and 100 seconds of attention.
- Door drops cost the least per household. Royal Mail Door to Door standard prices started at £84.00 per 1,000 items (20g, up to 25,000 items) for 2026.
- Return on investment is closer than response rates suggest: door drops average £4.00 per £1, against £2.10 for cold addressed mail (JICMAIL Response Rate Tracker).
- Unaddressed and partially addressed mail does not use a named mailing list, but you still need to plan targeting carefully.
The three types explained
| Addressed direct mail | Partially addressed mail | Door drops | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it is addressed | Named person and full address | 'The resident' plus the address | Unaddressed |
| Who receives it | People on your mailing list | Households chosen using postcode-level data, in groups of around 15 households | Every household (or selected households) in chosen areas |
| Data needed | A compliant named list, such as customers, supporters or rented prospects | No named data. Targeting uses postcode-level profiles | No named data. Targeting by area |
| Typical use | Customer marketing, appeals, acquisition from prospect lists | Prospecting look-alike neighbourhoods, local and national acquisition | Local promotions, store openings, broad awareness and acquisition |
Attention and engagement compared
| Measure (JICMAIL, Q2 2026) | Addressed direct mail | Partially addressed | Door drops |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interactions per item | 4.4 | 4.0 | 3.1 |
| Lifespan in the home | 7.4 days | 6.9 days | 6.0 days |
| Attention per item | 151 seconds | 100 seconds | 70 seconds |
| People reached per item | 1.14 | 1.06 | 1.07 |
All three stay in the home for days, much longer than most digital advertising. Addressed mail earns the most attention because it is personal and relevant. Door drops still earn a week of shelf life and repeated looks.
Response rates and ROI
| Mail type | Average response rate | Average ROI per £1 |
|---|---|---|
| Warm addressed direct mail | 6.3% | £8.80 |
| Cold addressed direct mail | 1.0% | £2.10 |
| Partially addressed mail | 0.7% | £2.30 |
| Door drops | 0.3% | £4.00 |
Response rates fall as targeting becomes broader, but so does the cost per item. That is why door drops can return more per pound than cold addressed mail, despite responding at a third of the rate.
Cost compared
| Service (Royal Mail, 2026) | Price | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| Advertising Mail, Economy Low Sort Mailmark letter | 30.4p to 29.0p per item | 4,000 items |
| Partially Addressed, Economy Low Sort Mailmark letter | 28.8p to 27.5p per item | Fewer than 10,000 may be charged at the Standard Unsorted price |
| Partially Addressed, 2nd Class letter | 36.6p to 35.2p per item | As above |
| Door to Door, standard booking (20g) | £84.00 per 1,000 items (up to 25,000), falling to £81.94 per 1,000 (100,001–200,000) | Minimum charge £200 |
Remember to add print and, for addressed mail, data processing and enclosing. Door drops and partially addressed items are often simpler single-sheet or self-mailer formats, which keeps print costs down. See how much direct mail costs for the full picture.
Which should you choose?
| Choose… | When… |
|---|---|
| Addressed direct mail | You are mailing customers, supporters or members; the message is personal; you need the highest response; you have a compliant prospect list |
| Partially addressed mail | You want to reach new households that look like your best customers, without buying a named list |
| Door drops | You want maximum local coverage at the lowest cost, such as a store opening, local service or seasonal offer |
| A combination | You want to mail existing customers by name and reach look-alike neighbours in the same campaign |
Example: Ocado
Ocado combined an A5 door drop with partially addressed mail for an Easter campaign and grew new customer acquisition by 14.38% against its January 2025 campaign (Royal Mail Marketreach).
Addressed direct mail, done in-house
Data processing, personalised print, matched enclosing and Mailmark sortation for addressed campaigns of any size.
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