It’s a digital marketing world today, right? So why would a company even bother sending out those direct mail packages in the hopes of garnering business? Isn’t snail mail a thing of the past? You may be surprised; direct mail marketing is still a viable and effective way to market your business.
Digital versus Print Marketing
Digital marketing should definitely be a part of your marketing strategy, but you can’t ignore the proven benefits of direct mail marketing. Businesses, especially local ones, can profit from direct mail marketing. People still read their mail. Even the majority of millennials will read their postal mail.
In recent years, the term “fake news” is causing a sense of distrust of online information sources. Email providers have spam filters that automatically classify incoming messages as spam, where the recipients don’t even see them. Even if they do make it through those filters, the emails are often deleted without the recipient even opening them.
This distrust requires companies to try harder to get customers to know, like and trust their brand. Printed materials seem to be more credible in the eyes of today’s consumer. So taking advantage of that type of marketing is important.
How to Be Effective in Direct Mail Marketing
To be successful in direct mail marketing, there are some areas where you should focus your efforts.
1. Create Customer Personas
As with any marketing strategy, you need to know your audience when creating a direct mail marketing campaign. Collecting data on your typical consumer, like age, gender, buying trends, income and location are all important in addresses their preferences.
2. Reduce the Risk of Undelivered Mail
If your printed mail is to a business, direct it to the decision maker, if at all possible. Mail addressed to a generic department, like Finance, or job function or title, like Chief Financial Officer, may get trashed before it reaches its destination.
If you’re using a list for mailing the pieces, review it to ensure all information is current and complete. If not, it will be returned as undeliverable, resulting in wasted money and effort.
3. Focus on Content
Using postcards to send out direct mail may be less expensive, but not as effective as including marketing material in an envelope. The envelope should have words that encourage the recipient to actually open it. Messages like, “Special Offer Inside” can generate enough curiosity to open the package.
Make sure the packaging quality and message in the mail relays a positive perception of your brand. If you’re tempted to go the cheaper route, consider what message that sends to the recipient.
4. Track Results
Don’t waste time and effort on a direct mail campaign by not knowing how it’s performing. You need to track statistics to determine if you need to adjust it for improved effectiveness and increased ROI. A couple ways to do that:
- Include a tracking code or coupon on the mail
- Have a dedicated contact method (phone number, email or landing page) on the mail piece. When you get contacted or receive orders through that method, you’ll know it was the result of the mailers.
Address-Free Direct Mail
Did you know that the U.S. Postal Service offers Every Door Direct Mail® (EDDM) service? This service allows you send direct mail without having names or street addresses. You simply select an area you’d like to target, and the mail carrier delivers your direct mail to every mailbox in the targeted area.
You’ll also save money with EDDM. The cost of EDDM Retail is $0.16 per piece, for a savings of up to 7 cents over standard letter mail or 3 cents over 4×6 postcard first class postage rate. This savings can add up when you’re sending out hundreds or thousands of mailers!
In conclusion, you should consider direct mail advertising as a viable component of your overall marketing campaign. When combined with online digital marketing, it can be a recipe for marketing success.
This post was written by Minuteman Press St. Peters. They are a full-service commercial printer serving businesses in the St. Louis and St. Charles metro areas. With a complete range of products and services available, they help businesses get their message out to customers, employees, and vendors alike.