The chances are that your bank has gone paperless with statements, you receive reminders for your car insurance via email, and rather than catching up via hand-written letters, you Facebook message your friend that’s working abroad.
So what are you receiving through your letter box? My guess – not much! A few cheaply made, poorly designed takeaway vouchers that go straight to the bin at the most. And it’s the same for the majority of the public as consumers become more tech-savvy and businesses strive to be digital.
If you are thinking about using Direct Mail as part of your marketing strategy, now may be the best time to use it. Both businesses and consumers are receiving less and less mail, as companies favour the cost effective option of email marketing. Whilst this is both instantaneous and cost effective it doesn’t come without its disadvantages. In this day and age, we’re overloaded with generic web ads and our inboxes are inundated with both solicited and unsolicited emails; it can become almost an automatic act to ignore web ads and to delete emails without even opening them.
On the other hand if you have something physical and aesthetically pleasing in your hands with a relevant personalised message, you’re far more likely to interact with it. Direct Mail is an opportunity to connect with your customers on a more personal level and provides a tangible, enjoyable and therefore memorable experience.
Here are some top tips for your Direct Mail:
- Make it targeted – Review your data and make your audience specific. For best results, use Direct Mail to warm leads. Then make sure your mailer is relevant and will peak the interest of your audience. If you have the data, such as previous purchases or enquiries, why not even personalise the mailer to make the most of your efforts?
- Think quality and creativity – This is an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. Direct Mail allows a level of creativity that email doesn’t. Use techniques such as pop-ups, punch-outs or folds. Use a premium paper so it not only looks but feels premium and different to the receiver.
- A clear call-to-action – Make the message easy to digest, with short snippets of text, using subheadings and bullet points if necessary, but most of all – make sure the reader knows what you want them to do.
- Integrate with digital – Lead your customers or prospects on a journey with your brand. Communicate via different channels, such as your website, personalised email and social media during their purchase journey. Give your audience a reason to visit your site, subscribe to your mailing list, and purchase from your store whatever your objective is. This will also make your campaign’s success more measurable.
- Offer something free or exclusive – it’s not always possible or relevant, but envelopes with lumps in attract attention! Freebies or simply the word ‘free’ attract attention. Give your audience a little something to build their trust, or appreciation, building on a relationship towards a purchase.
Now is the time for your marketing team to put their heads together and come up with a truly creative eye-catching campaign giving you the chance to beat your competitors, who are busy getting caught in spam filters!
If you are looking for innovative ways to target your customers, get in touch with Zircom today, to see how we can help maximise your marketing success.
