For many years, marketers relied heavily on direct mail. It was proven to generate leads and acquire new customers. But as more and more companies began doing business online, direct mail fell by the wayside. Today, this low-tech yet effective customer acquisition tool is becoming popular all over again. Savvy professionals are combining direct mail with virtual campaign elements. And they’re reaching prospects of all ages, not just those 50 and up who check their mailboxes regularly.
Download 5 Key Direct Mail Tips
People Remember Direct Mail
In a Content Marketing Institute blog late last year, the author pointed out most people usually don’t recall the contents of the last email they opened. Nor do they recall the Facebook ads they’ve read. But they often remember a promotion or card they received by snail mail.
Here’s an example of how direct mail marketing can complement a digital campaign. Chewy, the online pet retail company, sends handwritten greeting cards to new customers. (They even deliver flowers to customers who lose a pet.) This tactic effectively bridges the gap between the virtual and physical worlds.
Creating the Perfect Mailer
As the premier client acquisition provider since 1995, LeadingResponse knows some of the key elements of a successful direct mail campaign are:
- The message
- The look and feel of the piece
- Audience hyper-targeting
In a recent article examining the power of direct mail, INC columnist David Finkel, also a 25-year marketing veteran, suggests that the list of recipients may be the most important aspect.
A Captive Audience
Once a key client acquisition strategy for a variety of industries, marketers abandoned direct mail in favor of digital prospecting. That’s because it was a lot less labor-intensive and also much cheaper. With many Americans currently homebound for a variety of reasons, direct mail marketing has an even greater potential to reach consumers. It has truly come full circle in the marketing world.
However, for Finkel and the team here at LeadingResponse – the company that pioneered client acquisition marketing long before the internet was a viable channel – direct mail hasn’t staged a comeback. It never went away in the first place.
