Direct mail has the potential to drive revenue like few other things do. Marketing research indicates that the return on investment for direct mail is much higher than even social media ads. For this reason, savvy business owners are taking advantage of the ability to market in a tangible way to their perfect target demographic, and they keep returning for more.
Direct mail sounds fairly simple, but it does take some know-how and expertise to achieve the goals most companies desire. Partnering with a skilled and reputable company that offers mail services for businesses and specializes in printing and mailing services is the best thing you can do to drive results. A knowledgeable partner will walk you through the process while adding an invaluable understanding of what exactly makes potential customers take notice.
Why Direct Mail Works
A study by Xerox showed that when a company sends out marketing via direct mail, their intended recipient opens them 70% of the time. 79% of direct mailings capture the target customer’s attention for at least one minute. The beauty of all direct mail is that because it has the power to grab attention, it has a response rate of 3.7%, outperforming all combined digital channels by 600% increase from digital forms of marketing. This result makes perfect sense because people actually see direct mail marketing. There are no inbox filters directing physical mail to a junk mail folder, and there are no algorithms excluding intended targets from your campaign. Your customers get the rare opportunity to physically interact with your marketing materials, giving you quite the opportunity to make an impression.
How to Succeed With Direct Mail
In addition to partnering with experts, there are some tips and tricks that you can apply to your next direct mail campaign to increase its effectiveness. Chances are, after you consult with the experts and make thoughtful choices, you will drive your sales and keep coming back for more direct mail campaigns.
1. Stand out from the Crowd
Chances are you’ve checked your mail and seen multiple pieces of direct mail sent to you as a targeted customer. Some of them catch your eye, while some go straight into your recycle bin, never even making it into your house. So what is the difference? Mail that is eye-catching, has a fresh and new design, or even entices you with a teaser will have a much better chance of surviving the recycle bin.
2. Narrow Your Market
You do not appeal to everyone. Few businesses are a fit for every single market and demographic. That’s why you must define your target, narrow your audience, and tailor your message. If your message resonates with customers, they are far more likely to pursue business with you.
3. Provide Offers and Incentives
Don’t we all love a good deal? People are far more likely to follow through with a purchase if they feel as though they are on the receiving end of a good deal. Throw a coupon their way, offer them incentives for acting within a time frame, or post a limited-time deal. Offering people a way to engage with your business while feeling they are saving money is a solid way to earn record profits.
4. Make it Clear
Your marketing should be concise yet informative. Striking the balance of providing the right amount of information without getting lost in wordiness will keep people’s attention. Remember that the same customers you are trying to draw in have a lot of competition for their attention. Making your message clear and attention-grabbing will help people want to create space for you in their busy lives.
5. Make it Easy
Your customers should know exactly how to act on what you offer them. Include phone numbers, websites, QR codes, or a physical location. Customers should not need to work hard to spend their money, so the easier you make it to follow through on a purchase, the more sales you will make.
6. Follow Up
Follow up with your customers with every mailing that you do. Whether you complement your direct mail campaign with some digital advertising, an additional mailing to signal upcoming deadlines, or an email calling them to action, follow-up is a great tool to increase the response rate from your mailing.
7. Create a Schedule that Works
There is an art to deciding how often you should target your potential customers to act on your product or service. When customers see you come through their mailbox too frequently, they start to ignore it. But if you wait too long, they forget about you and move on to something else. A direct mail expert can help you determine the perfect interval for your mailings. Because the answer will differ based on the product or service you are providing and the incentives you offer, there isn’t a standard one-size-fits-all answer. Partnering with an expert is critical.
With the right strategy, your direct mail campaign will grab the attention of the customers you are looking for and drive your revenue to new heights. While we all love the opportunities the digital age has provided for us and our businesses, there are a few old ways of marketing and doing business that simply cannot be beat. Direct mail is a prime example.
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