You’ve got mail! In your actual letterbox, that is. While it’s been widely acknowledged that the pandemic has amplified many existing consumer behaviours, this is certainly true for the way people have responded to direct mail. With hybrid working arrangements already in place, more people are home to check their letterbox.
There are 293 billion emails, 65 billion WhatsApp messages and 23 billion texts sent every day – so, don’t you want to make a difference and stand out to your audience? Especially in today’s digital-filled world, this is where direct mail (DM) is making a comeback. Why not send something personal and special to your customer’s doorstep for them to physically interact with?
Having an up-to-date CRM platform will give you loads of information to start creating different types of direct mail ideas. With segmented audiences and specific data on a customer’s history with your brand, you have the ability to connect with the user at every stage of their journey.
Give them something to remember
Something personal can mean a lot to people. That’s why sending out a physical piece of communication, like a birthday card, VIP treats, and other member-only offers will make your customers feel valued and loved, and will help build your overall brand reputation. Ask yourself, do you remember a generic email, or a personal piece of mail sent to your house? Well, 49% more consumers recall receiving a piece of mail than they do an email.
Does your brain ever feel exhausted at the end of the day from digital overload? Even though digital channels can reach consumers throughout the day, advertisers can’t be sure that their message will be absorbed, regardless of the extent of targeting. With DM, you’re always delivering something personal that lands in the customer’s hands, cutting through all of the digital noise. This attention, captured by the physical nature of mail, drives brand awareness and leaves the customer feeling valued.
The VIP section
We’re a big believer in maximising your current customers – after all, they’ve already shopped from you, so you’ve got your foot in the door when it comes to connecting with them. Utilise your CRM to identify your most loyal customers – if you don’t have these already segmented into their own special list, that’s something you should do ASAP! Then, set up a VIP membership or loyalty programme. Memberships increase revenue by 5-10%, and members can spend up to 20% more than an average buyer.
Focusing on what to send your VIP customers is crucial. You want to keep them around, right? When it comes to thinking of ideas for DM campaigns for your loyal shoppers, the options are endless – and personalisation is everything. Direct mail is read at least 4.5 times when it’s customised, and 33% of direct mail leads to a commercial action. From exclusive lookbooks, birthday surprises, early bird offers, personalised brochures of items that they like, or a matching freebie to something they’ve already ordered – get creative when it comes to sending your VIP customers something special!
The phygital era
The pandemic has accelerated the transition to digital for both businesses and consumers – and for mail as well. When carefully executed, direct mail and digital can work hand in hand as they share a key similarity: both channels work best when they are fuelled by carefully segmented data. Brands are becoming more keen at bridging the gap between mail and digital with personalised URLs, QR codes, AR and voice-activation techniques to encourage consumers to interact with the brand. In a study from experts at WARC, 88% of Gen Z consumers actually prefer a blend of physical and digital marketing – they’ve coined the phrase “phygital”. Direct mail’s presence adds horsepower alongside these integrated campaigns.
Conquering cookies
Direct mail has the ability to step in where third-party tracking cookies will leave off. These tracking codes are already being dropped by some web browsers, with Google extending a “promise” to phase them out to by the end of 2023. This is giving brands even more encouragement to use personalised URLs and QR codes on their DM campaigns, so they can legitimately identify a site visitor and track back their interest to the direct mail campaign. Many are combining voucher codes into unique URLs, so the web address is linked to a single user, as is any offer they receive.
Direct mail has undergone a significant digital transformation of its own over the past decade, and it remains the third largest media channel in the UK. Not only can it integrate powerfully with other channels to support full funnel strategies, it’s a proven driver of business growth and ROI and is highly trusted. With so many creative and immersive elements you can use with direct mail, the options are endless. So, what are you waiting for?
Need some help producing some direct mail campaigns for your brand? Here’s some examples below that we’ve done previously for clients. Contact us to get you started on your first direct mail campaign!
