Direct Mail Best Practices for 2019 and Beyond

This guest blog comes to us from Carylanne Crowe of Insty-Prints.

Tailor Marketing Goals with Direct Mailing

There’s no secret that finding effective ways to market is important. This is true no matter whether your business sells products or services. The internet has transformed the way that marketing takes place. Although there are many fast and beneficial ways to market online, this does not supersede traditional strategies, such as direct mailing efforts.

Direct mailing on its surface is as basic as marketing gets. This is putting information in the mail to consumers and potential customers. Depending on your field or industry, you might want to send flyers, menus, sales information, and coupons through direct mail. Today, technology has provided business owners with opportunities to use creativity in these types of marketing campaigns.

In 2018, Forbes reported that this process of marketing is far from dead despite all those online options available. The Direct Marketing Association compared and analyzed data that compared online marketing and direct mail marketing. Their results showed that consumers respond to mailed information 4.4% of the time and only 0.12% to emails. This data shows the importance that direct mailing has on revenue.

Personalize Your Sales Pitches

Many business and store owners are familiar with their surroundings. They understand the diversity they see in their brick-and-mortar locations. This knowledge is useful when it comes to putting together marketing materials. Being able to personalize your direct mail allows you to tailor your sales pitches. In some instances, this may mean accommodating zip codes, portions or town, and demographics.

Studies of millennial shoppers have shown that they respond favorably to direct mail marketing. This is true whether they are sent invitations to shop, promotions, or sales announcements. Considering this group means also understanding that their purchasing power is likely to reach $1.4T by 2020. Exclusive offers mailed directly can be a great strategy when focusing on what sparks the interest of consumers.

Use Diverse Types of Content

No matter what approaches you use in your marketing campaigns, diversity is important. This allows you the chance to connect with many different types of customers. Some people will use the internet to find physical locations to shop. Others are only interested in shopping online for their products and services. Business owners have to use diverse methods and content to reach audiences.

Digital marketing is just one approach for steering shoppers to websites and shopping malls. Direct mail can be utilized in the same ways. Coupons, for example, are some of the most popular tools for marketing. These are often used to serve dual purposes by owners and managers. They establish the brand of chain stores bring traffic to a specific location. Coupon expiration dates are useful in this way, as well.

Design Appealing Materials

The materials that you use for marketing are extremely important. This is how you will make your first impression on new customers. The design of these materials is also effective when it comes to brand awareness. Your existing customers may likely open your mail because they recognize logos, colors, fonts, and names. According to RNB Group, all of these details work together successfully.

Direct mailing is not simply a tool to bring people to physical stores and locations. This is a productive way to bring shoppers to your website or a specific page. Sales are the primary goal of these campaigns, but they are not the only one. Mailing information through traditional methods can be the best way to highlight causes and special events for organizations. Having the right design is essential to this process.

Prepare Your Campaign Strategy

There are many things to consider as it relates to any type of marketing campaign. Budgeting for this is just like investing in other parts of your business. Marketing ROI is very important to consider, which is why analytics systems are so important. Using these results to fine-tune who you are marketing to and in what way will help you streamline the strategy. Here are some direct mail examples for 2019:

• Catalogs
• Newsletters
• Letters
• Packages

Fit Small Business reports the benefits that these types of investments can offer. Understanding what the average cost for these campaigns the best way is to prepare for it. These materials must be designed, produced, and then mailed. Setting goals in advance for this process can be helpful. Some businesses will decide to pursue these campaigns incrementally and others on a larger scale.

Some studies have shown that 27% of mail stays in the home for over 4 weeks. This provides you with the chance to catch the eye of the consumer. The type of direct mailing materials you use must be effective and appealing. You’re expecting these materials to market on your behalf, in many instances long after they reach the consumer’s home. A good call to action is required for direct mailing

Caryl Anne Crowne is a contributing writer and media specialist for Insty-Prints. She often produces content for a variety of marketing blogs.