Direct mail is still a highly relevant marketing channel in today’s world. You might think that it has been replaced by all things digital, but direct mail still has multiple benefits. It’s longer-lasting than digital ads and can hold people’s attention for a greater period. If you’re thinking about harnessing the advantages of direct mail, you need to make sure that you get it right. There are certain dos and don’ts that you should follow to get the results that you want.
Do Use Audience Targeting
Direct mail is often targeted based purely on postcode. However, this isn’t the best way to do it if you want to make sure you spend your budget wisely and get the best ROI. Instead of targeting based purely on geography, you should be using the information you have about your audience and customers to be more selective. You can target your campaigns based on demographics, interests, and other relevant factors, such as age. Gen Z is 40% more likely to say that mail will change their mind about a brand.
Do Link Your Direct Mail to Your Digital Marketing
Linking different marketing channels together is a must if you want to create comprehensive campaigns. 88% of Gen Z prefer brand experiences that combine digital and physical channels, so it’s beneficial to put the two together. You can direct people towards online channels by including your website and social handles on your direct mail, as well as perhaps including digital offers or discounts.
Do Use Your CRM
The use of CRM software makes it much easier to manage your direct mail campaigns. A CRM gives you useful information about your customers, helping you to target the right people. It also helps you to keep track of your campaign and the results you receive. Your CRM is excellent for automating your direct mail too, allowing you to build in trigger events that help you to distribute direct mail and track the responses.
Do Use Quality Design and Print Services
Your direct mail materials should be of good quality before you send it out. No one is looking for the most expensive options, but it’s also important that your direct mail doesn’t look cheap. 38% of young people say that they are more likely to look at mail that is printed on high-quality materials, so don’t underestimate the power of choosing the right printing service. Make sure you have a good designer on your team too.
Don’t Overlook Personalization
Personalizing your direct mail is crucial if you want to get results, and there are several ways to do this. According to Royal Mail figures, 72% of empty nesters like receiving mail that’s relevant to them, and personally-addressed mail is more effective on them. Other age groups respond to personalisation too, with 84% saying they would be more likely to open personalised mail. Even just using someone’s name helps to make your direct mail more personal.
Don’t Forget a Call to Action
Your direct mail should make it clear what someone should do next. If they’re interested in what you have to offer, what should their next step be? A clear call to action tells them what to do next, and it can be an excellent way to link your direct mail to your digital marketing too. You might direct people to go to your website, send you an email, call or perhaps find you on social media.
Don’t Bypass Quality Control
Even if you choose a reputable printer for your direct mail materials, remember to perform a quality check before you send anything out. Sending out direct mail that isn’t up to standard, or that has typos or incorrect information could damage your brand’s reputation. Before you start sending anything out en masse, be sure to check that it’s what you ordered and that it’s suitable to send out to customers and prospects.
Don’t Neglect Follow-ups
Following up on direct mail is part of running a campaign. Your work isn’t over once you have sent out your mail. A digital follow-up to your direct mail could increase your conversion rates by up to 28%, so you don’t want to forget about it. You can follow up in several ways, whether through email, phone calls or even sending more direct mail. Your CRM can help you to do this too.
Getting direct mail right requires careful planning of your campaigns. Follow these dos and don’t and you can find success with your direct mail marketing campaigns to both obtain and retain customers.