Your company's success hinges on your ability to effectively reach your target audience and motivate them to invest in your products or services. In an age when consumers are so bombarded with electronic marketing that they are blocking online advertisements, direct mail marketing is seeing a resurgence. Below is a look at the top seven benefits of direct mail marketing along with five steps to help you design a superb direct mail marketing campaign.
What are the top benefits of direct mail marketing?
Direct mail marketing offers a refreshing change from the barrage of digital marketing tactics that are now commonplace among businesses of all sizes. In addition to being memorable and easy to launch, direct mail marketing is gaining popularity because customers feel more valued when they receive direct mail. Below are the top seven benefits of direct mail marketing.
1) Direct mail can be personalized.
Unlike online ads or digital marketing materials, direct mail is highly customizable. There are many ways that you can personalize direct mail marketing materials. For instance, you can address each piece of mail to a specific consumer or include a hand-written note with your mail. Notably, 84% of people report that they are more apt to open a piece of personalized mail, highlighting the effect that personalization can have on the direct mail process.
2) People are more likely to remember a message sent by direct mail.
In today's highly competitive landscape, you must make sure that your company and products are memorable. Through its tangible design and personalized approach, direct mail marketing helps companies achieve this goal. Roughly one-third of people regard direct mail marketing as the most effective way to make a product memorable. Even more compelling, 57% of people indicate that they are more apt to remember a message delivered by direct mail.
3) Direct mail is an effective way to make customers feel valued.
Customers who feel valued by a company are more likely to place an order, highlighting another strength of direct mail marketing. In a study conducted by the UK Royal Mail, 57% of respondents said that they feel more valued when they receive a direct mail marketing postcard. When asked to speculate why receiving direct mail makes consumers feel valued, they concluded the following:
"Giving, receiving and handling tangible objects remain deep and intuitive parts of the human experience."
4) Direct mail marketing campaigns are easy to launch.
Most marketing specialists would agree that the process of sending direct mail is straightforward. Breaking down the steps of a direct mail marketing campaign is painless and requires limited resources. The process is as easy as following these simple steps:
- Identify your target market(s)
- Determine what type of mail you wish to send (letter, flyer, postcard, or another type of mail)
- Prepare an effective marketing message
- Head to the post office and begin sending your mail
5) Results of direct mail marketing campaigns are easy to measure.
In addition to being easy to launch, direct mail marketing campaigns produce results that are easy to organize and measure. In a nutshell, you simply need to figure out what close ratio you need to achieve in order to break even. Here is a summary of the relationship between the number of pieces mailed, your close ratio, and campaign cost:
"If the B/E close rate you calculate is less than your actual close rate, you'll make money. Notice that the B/E close rate declines as the number of pieces mailed increases. This is because when the number of pieces mailed increases, you amortize the fixed cost of the campaign over more pieces of mail. Therefore, the fixed cost per piece is less."
6) Consumers are more likely to open direct mail than e-mail.
If you considering abandoning the idea of direct mail marketing in favor of e-mail marketing, then you may wish to conduct some additional research. Consumers are roughly three times more likely to open direct mail than e-mail, emphasizing the impact of direct mail. Consumers also tend to choose direct mail as their preferred mode of receiving offers or unsolicited information from businesses.
7) Direct mail marketing produces an impressive response rate.
Direct mail generates new customers and engages existing customers by providing a tangible and memorable illustration of product offerings. People who receive direct mail marketing materials are significantly more likely to take action when compared to those who are targeted by e-mail. Millennials, in particular, are more responsive to direct mail than e-mail. When asked which form of marketing was more likely to prompt them to take action, 30% of millennials cited direct mail while only 24% cited e-mail.
How can you launch a successful direct mail marketing campaign?
Clearly, direct mail marketing offers a host of advantages to organizations seeking to etch their names in the minds of their target audiences. However, not all direct mail marketing campaigns are created equal. In order for your campaign to be successful, you need to design your campaign carefully and monitor its progress. Below are five steps to help you launch an effective direct mail campaign.
1) Tailor your message to your audience. Resist the urge to send the same mailer to all segments of your target audience. Instead, do your research and tailor your message to resonate with each key segment of your audience. Through customization and personalization, you will enhance the likelihood that your mailer will be opened.
2) Time your direct mailers accordingly. Your timing can be the difference between a highly successful direct mail campaign and one that is a massive flop. If you schedule your mailer too far ahead of your peak season or event, your audience might forget about your company. However, waiting too long to launch your campaign can cause you to miss out on opportunities altogether.
3) Seek the input of members of your target audience. Prior to initiating your direct mail campaign, it is helpful to solicit feedback from a small sample of your target audience. Show them your proposed mailer and ask them to suggest ways that you could improve upon your message and design. Most important, ask if they would be prompted to invest in your products after receiving your mailer.
4) Be sure to monitor your campaign's effectiveness. One of the biggest mistakes you can make with a direct mail campaign is to assume that your marketing responsibilities end once you have finished mailing your target audience. Failure to track your results can leave you guessing which elements of your marketing initiative were effective.
5) Enlist the support of an industry expert. The best step you can take to launch a top-notch direct mail marketing campaign is to seek the guidance of a direct marketing specialist. A trusted industry expert can help you design an effective, highly-targeted direct mail marketing campaign.
The Bottom Line
Most marketing experts would agree that you cannot thrive in today's competitive landscape without an effective marketing campaign. One of the most effective ways of reaching consumers is to launch a direct mail marketing campaign. In addition to making customers feel valued, direct mail marketing campaigns are simple to launch and monitor. Most importantly, they produce impressive results that can produce a strong ROI. By following the steps above, you can develop a stellar direct marketing campaign that can help your business grow and thrive.
