If you are looking for a way to improve your response rates, direct mail is the way to go. Direct mail is a great marketing channel with proven results, if done correctly. Here are some fundamentals on how and why using direct mail effectively can help generate better response rates regardless of your industry:
Direct mail drives more engagement than digital marketing.
Direct mail is a marketing channel that's not just about efficiency, it's about effectiveness. It drives more engagement than email marketing and offers the ability to go beyond sending out yet another "buy now" message. In fact the average return on investment for direct mail campaigns is $4.09 for every $1.27 spent. You can create something truly memorable for your customers with a tangible item that they'll actually want and will look forward to receiving. That is why 23% of B2B brands plan to increase their direct marketing budgets (vs 14% on email marketing) in 2023.
The key here is using creativity in the design of your piece and strategy in the planning of your campaign. You can use unique fonts and colors to draw attention to certain details or emphasize certain points in your copy (like an offer). In short, you have total control over how people perceive your business through this medium.
It's a great tool to drive web traffic.
You can incorporate QR codes for a seamless transition between your print and digital marketing strategy. With a QR code, you can connect your direct mail audience to a landing or website page that highlights the product or service being promoted with a QR code. The landing page should be designed specifically for the ad campaign and include an incentive such as a user-generated content contest or a special promotional offer.
Additionally, direct mail is a great way to drive more traffic to social media pages. Create custom direct mail pieces with products featured in Facebook, Twitter, or even Instagram ads that link directly back to your social media account. Customers will be able to follow you easily and you might even increase your social following!
Personalize everything you can.
Personalization is the key to a successful direct mail campaign. More than 70% of Gen X consumers feel mail is more personal than online digital communications and are more likely to read promotional mail than emails. You can use any number of different items and actions to personalize your message, but it all starts with having a solid database. The more customer data you can collect, organize, and analyze the better you'll be able to understand your customers and what resonates best with them. Use this data to:
- Use their name
- Mention their location (city or state)
- Discuss their interest as proof points for products or services offered in your direct mail piece (Example: "You love golfing! That's why we're offering...").
- Look at past behavior when determining what offers to make based on past purchases/interests/etc. This is especially important when dealing with new customers who may not have much history tied into an existing profile
With new printing technologies like VDP you can really hyper-personalize nearly any aspect of a direct mailer.
Get a good list — the best way to use personalization tactics.
If you're using direct mail, it's very important to get a good list. It's not enough to send out a handful of random pieces in hopes of getting the right response rates. Having your market segmented properly is key. The best way to do this is by refining the list that you already have and identifying your target audience (geographic location, income level, gender etc.). Once you have identified your audience and collected valuable information about them, you can use the personalization tactics above to start your campaign and drive results.
Find an experienced and knowledgeable partner.
Direct Mail is becoming an increasingly popular channel used by some of the most forward-thinking marketers. It's a great way to reach buyers and can give you a competitive advantage in your industry. Direct mail has historically been used for customer acquisition, but more recently companies have realized its importance for customer retention. Want to learn more about direct mail, or thinking of starting a DM campaign? Baesman can help! Let's Talk!
