Many marketers have found that digital only marketing is not as effective for them as a mix that includes direct mail. There are so many choices of marketing channels now you may feel overwhelmed. Each company should have a different mix that works best for them. Did you know that direct mail is visually processed more quickly than digital media? When considered in concert with its higher motivation and lower cognitive load, this suggests it gets the message across faster. Are you using mail effectively?
Reasons why direct mail stands out in the digital age:
1. Recipients:
They like mail and view it as less intrusive than other forms of marketing. Not only that but studies have shown mail messaging is understood and acted upon more often than digital. Direct mail is easier to understand and more memorable than digital media. It required 21% less cognitive effort to process and elicits a much higher brand recall.
2. Competition:
There is now less competition in the mail boxes. You can really stand out. Build your brand recognition and get noticed.
3. Physical:
Mail is tangible. Your customers and prospects can touch it, manipulate it and save it for later. They can even pass the information provided in a direct mail piece to their family or friends. You can add special coatings and folds to really give people something to touch. Mail is far more persuasive than digital media. Its motivation response is 20% higher even more so if it appeals to more senses beyond touch.
4. Targeting:
Unlike all other forms of marketing, you can extensively target your audience with very specific details. The better you target your list to your offer the more response you will get.
5. Personalized:
Direct mail can be hyper personalized. The more information you have on your customers and prospects the more personal you can get. Personalizing with more than a name is important. Use personalized offers, images and text to draw people in and get them to respond.
With mail, it is most important to know who your audience is. Only 14% of organizations say they are currently running coordinated marketing campaigns across multiple channels. Be one of the 14%. Oversized pieces stand out the most according to the DMA 2017 report. In fact oversized pieces have been shown to increase response rates by 10.4%, producing the best overall response rate! 66% of direct mail is being opened and 62% of consumers who responded to direct mail in the past three months made a purchase. These are powerful numbers and you need to make the most of them.
Track your direct mail results:
Don’t forget to be tracking your results. The only way to continue to improve your campaigns is to modify them based on the results from each campaign. Your ROI depends on you knowing what is working and what is not.
If you have any questions, contact us today. We are glad to help!