[Updated for 2023]
Do you remember being a kid and getting excited when you got something in the mail? You’d tear open the envelope, eagerly waiting to discover what was inside.
For a lot of us, that feeling never went away.
Even as adults, people still LOVE getting mail. Whether they receive personal letters and cards or promotional and marketing material, the additional effort that goes into sending something through the mail rather than electronically makes people feel important.
This knowledge is essential for marketers, who are often conflicted when it comes to deciding what marketing strategy is best in the digital era. Direct mail in the 2020s is far from out of style or ineffective. In fact, it’s one of the best ways to stand out from your competitors by breaking through all the digital clutter that piles up in our email and social media feeds.
Here is some advice on how you can leverage people’s love of receiving mail to get the best responses and engagement for your promotional and marketing materials.
KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGNS
So, you’re excited at the prospect of adding direct mail to your marketing efforts, but the question is: how much is too much mail? You don’t want to bombard potential customers with mail, but you also don’t want them to forget about you.
Tracking the results of direct mail is easier than ever with QR codes and persistent URLS. In addition, using customer relationship management (CRM) allows you to track and utilize that data. Using personalized communications and following up with your customers based on their interactions with materials you’ve sent assures them that they are valued. When your customers feel valued, they are more likely to find value in the products and services that you offer.
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DIRECT MAIL FREQUENCY
A good rule of thumb, according to the American Marketing Association, is to deliver mail drops every 21 days. This pacing is enough to prevent mail overload while still keeping your prospective and existing customers aware of new promotions and offerings from your business.
The key to any successful direct mail campaign is consistency. It’s not enough to deliver just one message and hope for the best. In fact, you shouldn’t feel discouraged if people don’t engage after the first drop. Most marketing efforts start to pay off by the third drop. In some cases, customers need to see the same message 11 times before they decide to take action.
Send multiple messages to the same audience as part of the same direct mail campaign to reinforce your message and remind your leads of what you want them to do. This is also a great way to test new creative ideas to see which ones appeal the most to your audience.
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DIRECT MAIL TIMING
To fully engage with your customer base, you need to consider the timing of your direct mail marketing efforts. If you’re a lawn care service, for instance, then you might want to start sending out promotional materials for lawn cutting in late winter or early spring. In the fall, you’ll want to send out flyers and promotional materials for leaf collecting and snow removal services.
Typically, the middle of the week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) are considered the best days of the week for direct mail for many industries because everyone is in the middle of their weekly routine. Tuesday is at the top of the list because it is far enough away from the weekend, and, unlike Mondays, less mail is delivered, making it less likely for your mailer to be overlooked.
It’s impossible to know exactly when every one of your customers will need your product or service. Scheduling multiple drops makes it more likely that your message will land in front of your customers during a time when they are in need of your products or services.
DIRECT MAIL SEGMENTATION
Approach direct mail marketing the same way you would approach email marketing – by utilizing segmented lists. Instead of sending out a generic mailer to everyone, send out different materials to different audiences. A prospect might need to know more about who you are and why they should call you, as opposed to a repeat customer who just wants to know what your monthly deals are.
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BOTTOM LINE
In an age where our inboxes are flooded with junk mail, companies who use direct mail have an advantage over their competitors. Stand out from the crowd by scheduling direct mail drops that target specific audiences. Send at least three drops per campaign to ensure your materials are seen by your audience.
To make your marketing efforts even easier and more effective, let us help with your direct mail efforts. The print marketing and direct mail services at Ironmark are available to handle everything from designing your mailers to making sure they’re sent to the correct addresses. Contact us today to find out how we can help you make the most of direct mail to reach your customers when they need your services.
