In an increasingly demanding and competitive business environment, communication can no longer be limited to a single channel. The way organizations relate to customers, employees and suppliers must evolve at the same pace as people’s expectations.
Multichannel communication, based on the intelligent integration of physical and digital channels, has become a strategic lever to build stronger relationships, improve the recipient’s experience and maximize the impact of each message.
Digital channels -e-mail, SMS, WhatsApp or RCS- provide immediacy, interaction and the possibility of measuring results in real time. However, focusing the strategy exclusively on digital implies ignoring a key reality: physical channels not only continue to have value, but in many cases are essential to ensure reach, trust and inclusion.
The persistent value of physical channels
Why postal communication and direct marketing are still essential
Tangibility and differentiated attention
Printed messages offer a tangible experience that stands out in an environment saturated with notifications and emails. Physical contact with the message captures attention better, reinforces brand recall and generates a sense of closeness that is difficult to replicate from digital alone.
The success lies in using print in a strategic and premium way , as a tactical complement within an integrated communication :
- Multisensory interaction: the contact with the paper involves more senses, improving the memorability of the message.
- Permanence: unlike an ephemeral digital impact, a brochure or letter can remain visible for days or weeks.
- Legal and evidentiary value: in certain contexts, postal communication -such as the bureaufax- continues to be a legally unquestionable mechanism.
2. Trust, accessibility and generational equity
The challenge of digital ageism
Although Internet use among the senior population in Spain continues to grow, there are still significant gaps. According to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE, 2023), only around 60% of people between 65 and 74 years of age use the Internet, a percentage that drops significantly among those over 75 years of age, where barely one in three go online on a regular basis.
These data show that a significant part of the population still does not habitually use digital channels, either due to technological barriers, lack of familiarity or personal preferences. Limiting communication to digital can lead to exclusion and loss of impact.
In this context, physical channels, such as postal communication or print advertising, are key to ensuring that the message reaches all audiences in a clear, accessible way and with the same quality of experience.
3. Integration with digital: phygital synergies that multiply results.
Physical channels do not compete with digital channels: they are enhanced by phygital strategies that connect paper with the digital environment in a seamless, action-oriented way.
- A printed letter can function as a phygital entry point , incorporating QR codes that lead to personalized landings, dynamic content or specific digital experiences.
- Postal mail can precede or reinforce an e-mail marketing campaign within a phygital logic , increasing open, response and conversion rates.
Strategies that integrate physical and digital channels from a phygital approach often improve both the reach and impact of communication, generating more coherent, memorable and effective experiences for the recipient.
Benefits of a well-executed multichannel strategy
A strategy that coordinates physical, digital and phygital channels brings clear and measurable benefits:
- Greater personalization and relevance, thanks to the intelligent use of data and segmentation.
- Increased effectiveness of campaigns, by impacting the recipient in the right channel and at the right time.
- Improved customer experience, with multiple, consistent and contextualized touch points.
- Optimization of costs and results through continuous analysis and dynamic adjustment of the channel mix.
Conclusion: more effective, inclusive and humane communication
Multichannel communication is not a passing trend: it is a strategic response to the diversity of behaviors, preferences and access barriers of different audiences.
By combining the emotional power and accessibility of physical channels, the agility and measurability of digital channels and the phygital connections that bind them together, organizations can strengthen their customer relationships, drive loyalty and build truly memorable communication experiences.
At MailComms Group we accompany organizations throughout this process: from data analysis and segmentation to the composition, production, sending and automation of multichannel and phygital campaigns that integrate e-mail, SMS, WhatsApp, personalized printing and postal communication, always with a rigorous focus on information security and regulatory compliance.
“We firmly believe that the future of business communication lies in that intelligent symbiosis of channels, where physical and digital work together to generate real value.”
