Direct mail may be less common in today’s digital world, but it is still a highly effective method for reaching customers outside of digital marketing. Most of the marketing done today is through a digital pathway; however, when it is done well, physical advertising can have a significantly positive impact on your clients, which can directly impact your bottom line. When you integrate direct mail marketing with other marketing channels, you can provide your clients with a unique and personalized experience that ensures your business stands out from the crowd. In this guide for small businesses, we explain what direct marketing is and how successful campaigns can benefit your company.
What Is Direct Mail Marketing?
Direct mail marketing is physical correspondence that you send out to your customers and potential clients via the mail in order to gain their business. Most direct mail marketing techniques include a business identifier, a call to action, and a method of contact for the consumers interested in doing business to contact you. Check out Lob for more information about direct mail marketing.
Direct Mail Business Benefits
While it can often seem as though the entire world has gone digital and taken a step away from paper, traditional mailing campaigns still have a solid place in marketing strategies. It has been found that direct mail campaigns often yield a higher return on investment than other digital marketing operations. When we look at direct mail marketing, there are several factors for why the campaigns perform so well when compared to digital avenues.
- Interactive: One of the top reasons that direct mail marketing performs so well is due to the fact that it is interactive. As customers receive direct mail, especially campaigns that include a promotional offer or a call to action, they are more likely to read the material and enquire for more information if interested.
- Memorable: For many people, when they receive something in the mail, it conjures nostalgic feelings about when physical mail was the norm; this can lead to an emotional response to your direct mail, which typically engages the customer in responding. Increasing the connection felt when receiving your marketing campaign by utilizing a personal touch such as the customer’s name or adding a handwritten signature not only engages the client but boosts your brand.
- Wide Demographic: Direct mail marketing can reach a wider audience than using digital marketing alone, as many potential customers may not use social media or email.
- Creative: There are endless ways you can get creative with direct mail marketing. One of the most popular ways is by combining direct mail marketing with digital solutions to expand your company’s target audience.
- Competitive: Many companies have abandoned their physical marketing strategies, which have created a competitive niche for businesses that use both in order to stand out from their competition successfully. In today’s digital world, people are often surprised when they receive physical mail; creating intricate and eye-catching direct mail can go a long way in boosting your brand and overall revenue.
How Does It Work?
When it comes to launching a direct mail marketing campaign, the process is similar to the digital strategies, with the only difference being the distribution method.
- Define Goals: Consider the desired outcome of your mail campaign, as having a clear goal in mind will provide you with the perfect foundation.
- Understand Target Audience: In order to run a successful direct mail marketing campaign, you will need to tailor it to your target audience to ensure engagement. Think about your goals and how your client’s needs will fit into this; if you have previous marketing campaigns, use the analytics to provide you with the necessary information.
- Create Mailing List: There are two types of lists that you will use for a direct mail marketing campaign; existing customers and prospective clients. Initially, focus your efforts on the list of existing customers as you build a high-quality list of prospective clients in the proper target audience.
- Call To Action: One of the most crucial factors in your direct mail marketing is the call to action. The call to action is essential for a successful campaign and is the reason why having defined goals before you begin is vital. You need to be able to communicate with the client reading your mail, why you took the time to send it, and what you require of them. Good calls to action are memorable and grab the attention of the reader; it is important to take your time writing the copy in order to have the best call to action possible.
- Design: Keep your goal and call to action in mind when you are designing your mail in order to focus the piece around those factors. It’s essential not to let yourself get bogged down with the graphics or including too much text; a typical direct mail template uses a simple structure to make it easy for eye-catching words to jump out at the customer as they skim your mail.
- Distribute: This step is simple; once your direct mail campaign is ready, you can either print and send out the mail yourself or work with an automation company to streamline the process.
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