Though digital marketing is all the rage, direct mails remain the most profitable marketing channel for today’s data-driven market.
A report revealed 70 percent of Americans find direct mails more personal than the internet. Moreover, 80 percent of people sort through the mails right away and are influenced to make a buying decision. So, direct mails are in vogue!
Without a doubt, engaging customers using multiple marketing channels is the ticket to attracting dollars to a business. Direct mail marketing is a foolproof marketing tool that can help marketers target and convert prospects across geographies. However, if not planned well, the campaign can fail miserably, adversely affecting the marketing budget and profitability.
When executed well, direct mail marketing offers the highest return on investment (ROI) for new-age marketers. Whether you desire to engage existing customers or reach out to your prospects, direct mails can deliver the right message to your audience, ensuring maximum customer response.
Here are four effective ways in which you can optimize your direct mail campaign, thereby boosting your profits.
- Keep Calm and Crunch Data
Your database may be a goldmine, but are you paying attention to the cues it’s giving you? Market research and data collection are ineffective unless you use every bit of the data to engage your audience.
Make data hygiene a norm. It is worth hiring a reputed data services vendor for list cleansing, thereby improving the quality of your database.
Use predictive modeling and data analytics to anticipate future trends, streamline your customer acquisition efforts, and access a larger universe of target customers. Predictive modeling uses data like customer attitude and spending habits, and their preferred channels, allowing you to craft effective brand communication that will appeal to the right audience.
- It’s the Personal Touch
A recent report shared that online pop-up ads are least trusted by Americans among all the advertising channels as they carry poor content and are annoying. Consequently, most Americans use ad-blocking to thwart unwanted ads and offers.
On the other hand, direct mails are the most trusted as they feel personal and credible, attracting a better response rate than other channels.
People buy solutions, not products. When designing a direct mail campaign, use emotional reasoning to attract your target audience (neuromarketing). For instance, Mark doesn’t buy a 146kW BMW bike per se, but he buys how the bike makes him feel: powerful and in control.
Personalization doesn’t mean merely mentioning the name of the customer. Offer dynamic content using segmentation and versioning, prompting interest and evoking the required action among your customers.
Ask yourself the following questions to understand your audience and fine-tune your campaign accordingly.
- Am I targeting the right audience? Define your target audience based on demographics and buying capacity and behavior.
- Does my direct mail have personal appeal? Consider including the customer’s name, gender, geo-location, shopping habits, and past purchases in the mailer.
- What don’t I know about my audience? State the new insights you gained after interacting with them.
- Are my brand communication and product offer strong enough to engage customers? Pay attention to the headline and the direct mail copy.
- Does the direct mail design match the personality and social status of my target audience?
- Are my prospects able to connect with me? Give them multiple ways to respond, such as postage-paid postcards, order-form inserts, unique coupon codes, QR codes, and PURLs (personalized URLs).
- Do my mailers have a clear, repeated, and compelling call to action (CTA)?
Pay attention to the three major elements of personalizing the direct mail, namely the image, the creative copy, and the product offer. The image sets the mood, the copy draws interest, whereas the offer drives customers to take action.
Deploy technology to make the direct mail interesting. Mailers and brochures embedded with sound and videos enable customers and prospects to listen to your message and see the product, thereby improving your customer conversion rate.
A reputed multimedia marketing partner can prove to be an asset when planning and implementing a direct mail campaign. Look for advertising firms that specialize in such campaigns. Hire an agency in your neighborhood that enjoys a good reputation. For instance, if you are looking for San Diego direct mail advertising services, simply visit the company’s site and see what their clients have to say about them.
Personalizing direct mails can catapult your direct mail response to the next level, boosting the effectiveness of your campaign.
- More Information Is Good News
Despite the enormous migration to electronic devices, research has shown that the tangible aspect of direct mails leaves a significant impact on the mind in comparison to digital media (refer the chart).
Recipients respond to direct mails differently than on-screen messages. They review direct mails for a long time and go through all the information shared on them before making a buying decision. Therefore, it is wise to include as much relevant information in the direct mail as possible without making it wordy.
Make sure your content is customer-centric and offers benefits and solutions instead of product features. For instance, if you are promoting an over-the-counter antacid with quick-dissolving technology, it is best to highlight how the technology will help in the faster resolution of symptoms, offering quick relief.
Be consistent and send multiple mailers to your target audience. Remember to align the direct mailers with your online advertisements and social media campaigns to build synergy, thereby strengthening your omnichannel messaging strategy.
Further, testimonials from satisfied customers are effective in offering social proof to prospects, enabling them to make a decision in your favor.
- What Gets Measured Gets Done
Estimate the cost and expected returns before you create a direct mail campaign. Keep the following information handy in order to determine your campaign’s ROI.
- Target Audience Size – How many individuals will you send the mail to?
- Total Campaign Cost – Include all the possible costs like design, copywriting, mailing list, printing, distribution, response management, and administrative labor.
- Customer Conversion Rate – What percentage of responders do you estimate will make a purchase?
- Average Customer Spend – How much will an average buyer spend on your product. For instance, if you are marketing monthly-disposable contact lenses that cost $100 a pair, a regular customer is likely to spend $1200 per year.
After sending the direct mails, calculate the campaign ROI using the above data and track the customer response regularly. Your customer service team should be aware of each campaign and measure the response rates at regular intervals.
Do the callers want to make a purchase? Do they need some product information? How do they feel about the product? The responses to these questions will offer valuable market insights, helping you measure the effectiveness of the campaign.
Use the A/B testing method to determine whether or not a content strategy is working, thereby optimizing your direct mail marketing efforts.
An effective direct mail campaign maximizes response rates at minimum cost. Take time to conduct a thorough campaign cost assessment, thereby improving the chances of success in the future.
Direct mail marketing, when planned and implemented tactically can grab the attention of your target audience, allowing a deeper level of engagement with them.
With your campaign goals, a clear strategy, and the above-mentioned smart tips in mind, you will be all set to create a unique direct mail campaign that is bound to reach your customers and prospects and drive business results.
Author Bio:
Debbi Gourley is President and Founder at Money Mailer of San Diego, an advertising firm that provides shared mail, solo mail and print services. You can connect with her on Linkedin.