Much can be said for online marketing and social media; they certainly have their place in the marketing mix. However, there are a few benefits to direct mail that you can’t get anywhere else, and we’ve got them listed right here (along with tips to take them to the next level!).
Perfect Targeting Potential
When it comes to targeted marketing, direct mail wins hands down. Whether it’s staying in touch with existing customers and sharing new products and offers with them or targeting a specific geographic area (guaranteed to reach residents of that area!), direct mail has some of the most robust and granular targeting options out there. Use them.
Supersize tip: Combine social media with direct mail targeting by having prospects opt in for an exclusive deal on social media, then deliver the deal by mail!
A Tactile Experience
Email is nice. Websites are convenient. Social media is fun. But you can’t use them as a bookmark or scribble a phone number in a corner. As we all shift to electronic mail and communications, the value of tactile media goes up, if only due to its uniqueness.
Supersize tip: Take a leaf out of your kids’ books and increase the tactile nature of direct mail with texture. Whether it’s high-end paper, or printing a furniture company flyer on sandpaper instead of card, you will get attention when you play up the feel of your direct mail pieces.
People Trust Paper
We all love the Internet, but many of us are still a little wary of it – and every phishing or hacking story out there makes us a bit more nervous. Postal mail, on the other hand, is trustworthy. Someone took the time to put it on paper and made the effort to send it to you, so there’s automatically more credibility attached to a direct mail piece.
Supersize tip: Add a scratch-off area with a unique “claim code” that your customer can quote when they call in, or use mail merge to personalize pieces with your prospect’s name and other information.
Create, Automate, Repeat
One of the biggest benefits of direct mail is that after the initial setup, testing and tweaking of your campaigns, you can run the same campaign over and over again, with minor changes here and there. This is a big plus for consistency and brand building. Additionally, for companies that regularly offer the same deal or discount, this approach can generate a lot of business relatively cheaply.
Supersize tip: Instead of using the same ideas over and over, make subtle differences – like running a contest that requires prospects to register an account on your website and enter a series of mystery words. You’ll get the repeated “touches” that marketing requires and their digital details too!
These are just a few of the benefits of direct mail marketing that have kept this type of marketing going for centuries. Use them, and our supersize tips, to create an integrated and impactful marketing plan.
