Living in this digitally-dominant time of ours means that many brands depend almost exclusively on digital marketing campaigns. They are low-cost, many are free, easy to monitor and set up, and the channels for marketing your business online are practically endless. That level of digital abundance makes it a no-brainer for business owners to invest in this aspect of growth, rather than omnichannel diversification. In this case, we’re referring to what so many companies consider a dying art: the art of direct mail.
True, digital outlets are more prevalent, diverse by nature, and easy to track and implement. However, the need for personalization makes direct mail one hell of an opportunity for companies happy to go that extra mile. Still, the very act of your direct mail strategy doesn’t promise immediate results. You need to be smart, creative, and use the right tools to keep your direct mail efforts profitable and effective, and we’ve compiled a few suggestions that can help you get better results, and ultimately, more happy customers.
Target the right customers
This may be a single step in your direct mail strategy, but it might very well be the most effective one to define its success. Simply put, direct mail allows you to truly segment your audience and target a specific group of potential and existing customers so as to reap the finest rewards. Compile a list of prospective customers that fit your description, and you’ll already have a list of qualified leads instead of mass-producing direct mail campaigns that will be a mix of hit and miss responses.
Settle on specific parameters you’ll use to create the list for your target demographic. Let your expert marketers do some research and get to know your target audience in order to pick the direct mail formats that will make the most sense for them in particular. This learning stage can make or break every single piece of mail you send out, so pour your heart into it if you want your campaigns to take effect.
Timing can make all the difference
Every industry is different, and your customers will oftentimes be more receptive to your campaigns if you discover the right time to send your materials to them. Now that you have a better idea of who your ideal customers are and the people who will benefit from your services or products, you should figure out a direct mail timeline for sending out your materials and increase their chance to be opened instead of thrown out.
When you know the best day of the week to send out your mail, you’ll define your entire production strategy to fit that particular date. Everything from printing out your materials, setting aside a timeslot for postage stamping your mail, all the way to having your materials mailed, it will all be affected by that key moment in the week when your target customers will be most likely to read your mail.
Invest in the right technology
Keeping the process simple and streamlined is actually one of the most essential steps in your direct mail campaigns. It can be very time-consuming for your teams to craft and adapt your brand’s visuals to meet the needs of your packaging and stamping, and to personalize every single piece of mail to include the customer’s name and a customized message.
To speed this process along, you can use a franking machine, also known as a stamping machine, to automate this portion of the strategy. Add to that, you can customize the printing to add your brand’s logo and name, and you’ll have yet another way to increase the chances for your target audience to open up the mail: they’ll see your brand name and get curious about what you have to offer!
Personalization is a must
Much like within your digital outlets, a high level of personalization is necessary when you design and print all of your direct mail material. That means that different customers call for a different approach, and in addition to addressing the mail correctly to an individual, you should also go a little further into finding other details you can use to connect.
For example, if you know that you’re sending your mail to someone who is married, you can add a coupon, or a gift card for something they could give their spouse as a Valentine’s Day present. Make sure that you advertise the right products to the right category of people and the more you learn about them through your digital outlets, the easier it will be to promote your brand in direct mail, too.
There’s no need to choose one channel over the other, or abandon your direct mail for the sake of digital outlets. You can use them both in favor of your business, especially if you tweak your approach and brace yourself for learning more about what makes your target customers tick – or in this case, what makes them love your direct mail campaigns. Refine them over time, and more people will show their loyalty to your brand.
