Published Thursday, August 26, 2021 1:52 p.m.
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A survey by Mail Print found that 70 percent of people who received direct mail from a company they no longer worked with encouraged their relationship with them. Do you have customers who, for one reason or another, have stopped doing your business? If you look at examples of direct mail, like that of Land Rover, who invited 100 customers with a balloon in a box to open its showroom in Liverpool, you will understand why direct mail is still effective. At the end of the balloon chain was the marketing message and the invitation to the event, which made the follow-up discussion a welcome experience.
The benefits of direct marketing are obvious to marketers who have tried different approaches in their marketing. Everyone knows that digital ads are easier, cheaper to set up, and are likely to be forgotten. If you do something that clearly shows that you’ve gone the extra mile, people will notice and definitely take a mental note. Also, having a physical reminder of your business with your customers will definitely keep your business in view.
What is direct marketing?
This type of marketing refers to any type of physical correspondence that business owners send to their customers. The goal is to get them to respond positively, which usually leads to them patronizing your brand. This marketing method can be used for both B2C and B2B direct mail marketing campaigns. All you need as an entrepreneur is an identity, a call to action and of course a contact opportunity. Be creative but make sure the core of the message gets to your customers. You can use the following common forms of direct mail:
- Newsletter
- Catalogs
- brochures
- Flyer
- packages
- Coupon envelopes
- Postcards
- business cards
- Toy cards
Direct mail is tangible
When you examine how effective direct mail is, you will come across studies like that from Epilson – a marketing company – which found that 59% of consumers said they would like to receive direct mail from brands on new products. This shows that the physical mail meets the human need for connection through the 5 senses. Your direct mail marketing strategy should include creative ways to connect with the human senses, and so should the look (sight), texture (touch), and even smell if possible. You can overcome email fatigue by targeting determined customers with creative and personal direct mail.
This enables you to effectively address the ideal customers
The best way to send a marketing message is to send it to people who actually want to hear from you. Otherwise, you will waste a lot of promotional products on people who don’t even look at them.
Determining the right audience depends on your type of business. As Edward Nash, the father of Direct Mail, puts it when it comes to identifying your target market: “There is only one common denominator that you can count on – interest in your product” (Nash, 2000, p. 56). Additionally, you may need to answer a few questions to determine your specific audience:
- gender
- age
- Income level
- Level of education
- Homeowner or not
- Car owner or not
- Children at home
- Employed or not
- Similarities of your current customers
- Unique attributes
The better way to do this is to use 5 main audience segmentation methods that will help you effectively target more qualified prospects and maximize your marketing spend.
- Location-specific
- Personal statistics
- Business statistics
- Hobbies & Qualities
- Customer segmentation
People appreciate effort
One of the best examples of direct mail is that from a kindergarten chain, Planet Kids, who created an invitation to announce their annual celebrations that was passed on to parents through their students. The idea of the ‘hand puppet’ was born out of A4 paper, which captivated the students in such a way that they could pass on their enthusiasm to their parents.
With such creative direct mail design options, you can never go wrong. Personalize your mail to make it a gift rather than a post. This can be done easily with 4OVER4’s die-cut printing and hassle-free direct mailing services which go a long way in delivering unique prints and saving you time and money.
Has more influence on buyer decisions
A 2018 study by the Data & Marketing Association found response rates of 9% for those who had previously dealt with a brand and 5% for prospects. These rates are in most cases higher than email marketing, which shows that physical mail has a significant impact on purchasing decisions. However, one of the best direct marketing tips is that you need to focus on your customers’ thinking. Before sending your email, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is my brand well represented?
- Does my brand offer a solution to the customer’s problem?
- Is everything clear and convincing enough, including the call to action?
Direct mail is creative and versatile
With direct mailings you can easily express your creativity in a unique way, like with the mailers for World Water Day. A mailing was sent to companies and the press in which the letter could only be read underwater – proof that water is really the source of all knowledge.
It is clear to see that direct mail can deliver results that no other form of marketing can deliver, especially when compared to digital advertising. It’s about knowing your target audience and offering the right solution, using creativity, setting clear calls to action and having a printing partner who can bring your direct mail marketing ideas to life at low cost. With our direct mail service we print your products and also send them! All you have to do is design your product and send us your address list to ship. Have you come across any interesting examples of direct marketing marketing, what caught your attention?
Story by Olivia Jennings
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