As the world becomes more digital, direct mail marketing is slowly disappearing. Despite the ever-increasing impact of online marketing strategies, direct mail still has a place and can be a surprisingly effective tool to promote your brand.
While electronic correspondence has become the de facto form of communication in almost all corners of our lives, there is something special about receiving a piece of traditional mail. It is precisely because such mail has become so rare that receiving a letter the old-fashioned way is so memorable.
Unopened email all looks the same: the name of the sender followed by a one-line subject. Most people receive so much marketing email each day that they rarely open messages before sending them to the trash.
By contrast, each piece of direct mail has its own look and feel, meaning there is far more opportunity to catch the attention of whoever receives it. Customizing your mail and putting together an attractive package can be enough to entice someone to open it and take a peak.
Hold it in your hands
It takes little more than the click of a mouse to send an email to the trash folder, and it’s just as easy to flick away from an ad on television or on the radio. Mail, on the other hand, demands a bit more time.
It’s something you can hold in your hands and feel. Being able to see something that had to be made and sealed by a person somewhere can go a long way toward showing that your mail’s content has value.
Personal touch
Direct mail is highly customizable. If you have your client’s home or work address, you probably already know something about them—meaning you can tailor your letters or fliers to different segments of your customer base. Address your customers by name. People are much more likely to read something if it includes a greeting with their name on it. If you’re working with something on a large scale, ask your printer or direct mail vendor about variable data printing techniques.
Direct mail is measureable
Promotional campaigns conducted through direct mail can help refine your brand’s marketing strategy and provide valuable data about the needs of the customers you are trying to reach. Direct mail that gives recipients an incentive to respond, whether it’s through coupons, contests, or limited-time promotions, helps generate new interest in your brand while giving you measurable benchmarks that demonstrate the impact your marketing strategy is having in the areas where you send direct mail.
Another tool in the belt
While often overlooked in recent years, direct mail marketing isn’t a silver bullet, but rather another tool to help extend the reach of your brand. Direct mail marketing should fit into your comprehensive plan and complement your other marketing strategies—online and otherwise.
If you would like to learn more about how direct mail might work for your business, whether or not variable printing can make a big impact in your creative, or if there might be another solution to reaching out to clients and prospects… please connect with SRJ Marketing Communications for a free consultation. You’ll be glad you did.
