Direct Mail: A Marketing Legend Lives On

Direct mail marketing is by no means a new concept, and some might even call it a relic. But this dinosaur’s still got teeth! Did you know that direct mail recipients purchase 28% more items and spend 28% more money than people who don’t get that same piece of direct mail? Or that 73% of consumers say they prefer being contacted by brands via direct mail because they can read it whenever they want? 

Last year, many of us spent more time at home than ever before, and companies were quick to adopt effective methods of reaching us there. We expect more change, more growth, and more opportunities to connect with customers via one of the all-time most cost-effective forms of marketing in 2022. Whether you’re considering a new strategy or refining the one you’ve already got in place, this checklist is here to help you get your direct mail campaign in fine fighting form.  

Analyze

Detailed trade area analysis helps you get to know your customers. Invest in understanding your audience –– that’s what helps you target your marketing. Who do you most want to reach? To use one example, recent movers are five times likelier to become core users of your brand when they’re targeted within the first 60 days of settling into their new home. Now you know who you want to reach and when you want to reach them. Check out our strategic local marketing success story here!

Compel

Now it’s time to figure out what you’re offering and what you want your message to be. Determine your campaign goal and decide on a clear call to action. The goal here isn’t so much impressions and brand-building as it is engagement, but not every piece of direct mail needs to be about driving sales. Drive traffic to your website with incentivized online surveys. Send out QR codes that allow additional entries to promotions, contests and giveaways. Offer to trade mailers for in-store freebies. (Collecting mailers and using QR codes also makes it easier for you to track the success of your campaign, but more on that in a minute.)

Customize

Customization is a crucial component of effective messaging. Select coupons or offers that make the most sense for your location and goals. Use language that speaks to your targeted audience and communicate clearly and concisely.

Design enhances your message, so select images that will appeal to your target audience. Use strong headlines to grab attention and make sure your location and contact info is impossible to miss.

Track

A unique offer code helps you assess the performance of your campaign. Compare sales of discounted and regular-priced items to see how well mailers are getting the word out about LTOs. The QR codes we mentioned above can help you collect even more data, including email addresses, and if customers swap their mailers for in-store freebies, you’ll know exactly who deserves a thank-you note. Which brings us to our next point!  

Follow Up

Keeping track of who’s responded to your direct mail campaign helps you to know who deserves VIP treatment. Thank-you notes and members-only opportunities guarantee great word of mouth and repeat business. 

Remember, it often takes three interactions before someone will respond to a piece of direct mail. If a flier goes out first, stay top of mind with a followup postcard or door hanger. There’s nothing wrong with a hybrid approach – you can also follow up with an email rather than another direct mail piece.

Print is still alive and well, but it takes an extraordinary marketing partner to wrangle all the finer points of data acquisition, production, and distribution. That’s us! Get in touch today to talk more about how direct mail marketing can work for your brand, and see this case study for more about how we can help you reach businesses in your market with targeted outreach.  

Source: https://www.smallbizgenius.net/by-the-numbers/direct-mail-statistics/#gref