Fresh Ideas for Your 2017 Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns

Every year, marketers anticipate what the new trend will be in hopes of catching the next wave of innovation aimed at capturing the attention of their audience. Though many may assume these changes are exclusive to online marketing, direct mail also provides opportunities to be cutting-edge (paper related pun intended) and get key messages into the hands of your audience. By taking advantage of the effectiveness of direct mail, you can easily drive results for new sales, increase website visits, or help build your social media network.

Have Relevant Conversations

Thanks to the massive amounts of data on buyer behavior available to marketers, consumers now have the expectation that communications being sent to them will be relevant to their interests and life circumstances. In order to accomplish this, targeting must be a key factor of every campaign. Consider doing smaller mailings with unique messages for each segment of your audience. This could be as simple as including the recipient's name or as robust as studying purchase history to encourage a logical next purchase.

Capture Prospects in the Moment

Timely marketing can influence prospects at crucial times in their decision making process. For example, send a direct mail postcard to a website visitor within 24 to 48 hours after they visited your online store and left items in their cart. Transforming simple website monitoring into usable data that can be used to design your marketing campaigns will help convert shoppers into buyers and increase sales.

Make it Easy to Learn More

Think of direct mail as the start of a conversation. Use your postcard to pique a recipient’s interest, directing them to visit your website to learn more or complete the buying process. Direct mail has a unique ability to capitalize on investments made to websites and online tools making the marketing method not only timely, but allows you to capture attention in times when audiences aren’t glued to their handheld devices. The ways in which you can convert print marketing to website engagement are abundant - consider QR codes, unique URL’s, or asking them to download your storefront mobile app. The call to action should clearly instruct your audience on what next step to take, helping them move through the purchase process.

Build Your Social Media Network

Direct mail can also serve as a gateway to guide your audience to platforms that give you the ability to share information in a setting they frequently visit, like social media. If you’re looking to increase your followers or activity on your company’s Facebook page, consider promoting contests that require them to like, share, or comment on the page to participate. Direct mail communicates with your audience in a space where there is often minimal distractions, especially when compared to social media, online banner ads, and radio advertising. Flipping through the mail at a home or business is a daily activity, and when marketers communicate effectively using something as simple as a direct mail postcard, they can bypass the online clutter to capture the attention of their audience and accomplish goals.