Direct Mail Trends to Put to Use Now
As the digital marketing age continues, many marketers wonder how to best engage potential customers. For those that are wondering, as of 2022, direct mail holds the #1 position in highest return on investment when using a letter-sized envelope with a 112% return. However, various sized postcards and envelopes still return higher than 90% on their investment.
In addition, research shows that people who read something written down or in print are more likely to remember it than via digital methods (smart phone, tablet, or online)
It’s also projected that direct mail advertising revenue will continue to exceed 10 billion US dollars annually.
Every year, marketers continue wondering how to best engage their audiences. In analyzing current and projected trends, it’s clear that direct mail marketing continues to be a force to be reckoned with for marketers that want to stay on top of their game.
What are the direct mail and marketing postcard trends that marketers should keep in mind?
People still like personalized marketing.
According to a recent report by the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, 71% of consumers expect personalized marketing and 76% said they get frustrated when they don’t find it.
As personalization becomes more mainstream, it’s no longer an option. That is, whichever method of marketing you pursue, ensure that you have an element of personalization incorporated, regardless of whether it’s digital or print marketing or a combination of both. Don’t get left behind as your competitors start using it.
What types of ways can you personalize your direct mail marketing?
- Make sure you use their name so they don’t feel they are simply part of a mass marketing campaign. Something with a person’s name on it will do far better than “Occupant” or simply an address with no name. It demonstrates you’ve spent some time finding this information instead of doing a “shotgun” approach.
- Consider unique location opportunities or targeting strictly by their location. If you’re targeting a specific neighborhood, you can include the name(s) of the specific developments in your direct mail or at least the town in which they live.
- Have the message come from a team member rather than the company. It helps recipients put a face and/or name to the company rather than simply a logo.
No matter your business, personalization will help you rise above the competition. And since we know that direct mail, in particular, garners higher response rates than any other marketing medium, perhaps indicating a personal connection that recipients make with the direct mailer they receive.
Expectation of data-driven strategies.
Marketers can use a combination of data and personalization to create mailers and marketing postcards that truly stand out. One idea is to use MailChimp or a similar email marketing platform to create segmented email lists.
One example for consumer brands would be to use these lists to segment your audience by purchase history or how they found your company. For nonprofits, these lists could be segmented by “donors,” “volunteers,” “community partners,” and so on. The idea is that each email list should receive different messaging based on their needs, interests, and relationship to your business or organization.
This same strategy can be used for direct mailers and marketing postcards, by sending each audience segment personalized copy and images that uniquely speak to the individual to achieve higher engagement and response rates.
Continuously refined multichannel marketing.
Marketing through multiple channels will continue to be a necessity for businesses and organizations as we move forward. Don’t be afraid to utilize as many channels as possible in your marketing efforts -- including email, paid media, social media, display advertisements, and of course, direct mail.
Nurturing your audience throughout the sales funnel will help them make the decision to convert, and using a direct mail campaign in combination with digital strategies will help you stand out by reaching your audience at multiple touch points. If you’re looking for a postcard mailing service that will allow you to easily design, print and mail your next mailer, QuantumDigital offers printing options for direct mail postcards, flyers, brochures, custom invitations and more to fit any of your marketing goals.
We hope this blog was helpful as you consider your marketing strategy for the coming years and the trends and best practices surrounding direct mail. Incorporate these trends into your direct mail marketing practices for success year round!
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