In today’s Digital Market, what is the value of Direct Mail?

Mark Twain’s famous quip, “The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated,” can easily be applied to e-marketers’ proclamations about the demise of direct mail.  While research indicates that e-mail marketing continues to gain traction, The Data & Marketing Association (DMA) reports that direct mail’s response rates are anywhere from 10 to 30 times higher than that of digital, noting that consumers find digital marketing channels increasingly cluttered and overwhelming.  DMA and USPS also report that the volume of direct mail dipped 149.4 billion in 2016, but direct mail as a percentage of all mail went up.

These statistics highlight the conclusion that well planned direct mail continues to drive sales because it is tangible, targeted and less overwhelming than digital marketing. With the correct strategy, it reaches the right audience at the right time with the right message. So how do you get beyond stuffing, stamping and mailing out promotions to random households? Here are three tips to dramatically increase the odds that your next direct mail campaign delivers measurable results and value for your brand:

Recognize that data reigns supreme.

Clean, up-to-date databases, sorted with various demographic and psychographic overlays, form the roadmap to your success. At Take 5 Media Group, we segment our extensive lists based on consumer profiles, buying history and life stages to identify likely prospects. Other considerations, such as seasonal relevance, also are crucial to a campaign’s success.

Take a customer-centric approach.

Today’s marketing world is all about creating positive customer experiences before and after the sale. Here’s how direct mail can meet consumers’ needs and earn their loyalty:

• Provide solutions. For example, weekends are meant for living, not cleaning, and the new vacuum cleaner you are selling has been shown to cut down on household cleaning time by 45 percent.
• Offer a tangible benefit for doing business. A special promotion code, for example, can encourage additional purchases and also drive traffic back to the website, helping marketers track the effectiveness of a direct mail campaign.
• Design a pleasing format for the intended audience, such as a colorful, lifestyle catalog of children’s clothing for new moms.
• Personalize the correspondence. Addressing your prospects by name is a surefire way to grab their attention.

Harness the power of repetition and integration with other marketing channels.

It takes more than a one-time communication to build a relationship, which is why successful direct mail campaigns typically consist of multiple mailings. Repetition builds familiarity and familiarity builds trust. Consumers on the target list also should be included in your other marketing campaigns, such as email and social media initiatives. A multi-pronged approach covers all your bases and is most likely to boost consumer response.

To find out more about how Take 5 Media Group can help you reach your target audience through direct mail and other marketing channels, call us at 561-819-5555 or visit take5mg.com.