Snail Mail Will Rescue Your Digital Campaigns From Tech Uncertainty

What are the benefits of direct mail?

Many marketers ignore direct mail, viewing it as expensive and imprecise. In reality, direct mail can serve as a cost-effective and highly targeted lead-generation source that you can easily integrate with broader digital marketing campaigns. 

Here are some of the key benefits of direct mail:

Direct mail reduces reliance on Facebook and Google. 

Printing can take a large portion of the sales-funnel load off platforms like Facebook and Google, reducing your dependence on their algorithms and ad pricing. This gives you more control over your marketing budget and audience reach.

Direct mail creates a tangible connection. 

Postal mail is a physical object, so it’s not as easy to dispose of as emails. People are more likely to spend time reading a letter than skimming an email. 

“Direct mail has a lasting impact that digital methods often can’t replicate,” said Alec Boye, owner of Mail Processing Associates. “Today’s consumers are overloaded with digital ads, which they can easily ignore or delete without a second thought. A physical piece of mail, on the other hand, requires attention, even if it’s just to open it. This gives you a chance to stand out and connect in a more personal, memorable way.” 

Direct mail offers a range of formats. 

You can use various mailing formats — like postcards, leaflets and magazines — to convey your message effectively. There are options at a range of price levels, helping you stay within your budget.

Direct mail builds trust. 

Many consumers perceive direct mail as more legitimate than email, which may be mistaken for spam. Direct mail can make customers feel valued and encourage them to take action.

Direct mail enables precise segmentation. 

Direct mail offers more targeting opportunities than you might realize. You can segment your audience based on factors such as geography, purchase behavior and demographics for greater precision. 

“With today’s sophisticated targeting capabilities, direct mail can be as precise as digital channels,” Boye said, “allowing you to reach the exact audience you want while building a level of trust that digital campaigns struggle to achieve.”

Where does print marketing fit into a digital sales funnel?

A traditional digital sales funnel uses targeted advertising, usually from Facebook or Google, to drive traffic to a campaign landing page. There, users can take action, and if they don’t, they are subject to a retargeting campaign.

Facebook and Google ads are effective because the two companies possess vast amounts of demographic data about their users. Many direct mail list providers have equally detailed demographic data, allowing marketers to send highly targeted messages to potential customers. In this hybrid funnel, marketers use targeted printed marketing materials alongside Facebook and Google ads as lead generators, which direct consumers to a campaign landing page. 

Marketers use personalized URLs (PURLs) to measure response to a direct mail campaign, much like how you use Urchin Tracking Module tags on your digital campaigns. PURLs allow marketers to measure response and conversion rates for a direct mail campaign and to create custom audiences for retargeting purposes. These new measurement techniques reveal how effective direct mail can be. 

Marketers who use printing as a component of their digital campaigns find their cost per acquisition is much lower than for channels such as Facebook and Google.  

“A well-coordinated hybrid campaign can ultimately lower your cost per acquisition and maximize reach across channels,” Boye said.

Ways of integrating direct mail with digital campaigns

Combining traditional and digital campaigns can be more effective than using a single channel. 

“Research shows that consumers are more likely to respond when they receive a physical piece of mail that reinforces their online experience, creating a cohesive brand message that resonates on multiple levels,” Kristin LaSalle, co-founder of marketing firm Vengo AI, told business.com.

A hybrid approach also helps to build your brand, said Hagop Imasdounian, managing director of marketing agency H & Co.

“Integrating print and digital marketing can significantly enhance frequency and brand recall as customers encounter the brand through multiple channels and mediums,” he said. “By adding digital elements to traditional direct mail campaigns, businesses can more effectively quantify the value of their print efforts.” 

Adding elements such as QR codes or digital coupons can bridge the gap between offline and online engagement and help customers move seamlessly from one platform to another, Boye added. 

Here are some ways to integrate the two types of ads:

• Email follow-ups: Follow up with an email to your direct mail recipients. Send it a week or two after your mail campaign. [See our picks for the best email marketing services.]
• QR codes: Add a QR code to your direct mail ad. When the recipient scans the code with a smartphone, have it take them to a dedicated video about your product or service.
• Digital coupons: Include a digital coupon on your direct mailer, and give direct mail recipients a unique promo code to redeem an online offer. 
• Social media: Include social media handles or specific campaign hashtags in your direct mail. This gives people another chance to interact with your brand. 

>> Learn more: Using Coupons to Drive Engagement and Retention

If you already have a digital campaign in place, direct mail can enhance it.

“When planning a hybrid campaign, we like to start by looking at each step of the customer journey to see where direct mail can reinforce digital touchpoints,” Boye said. “For example, using personalized URLs on mail pieces allows us to track responses and build targeted retargeting audiences for online ads.” 

Direct mail best practices

To get the most out of the printed components of your digital marketing campaign, it’s important to follow these best practices.

Choose the right list broker.

Effective marketing is about delivering the right message to the right person at the right time. To do this, marketers need the best information possible. Once you’ve identified your target audience, choose the mailing list provider that can deliver your message to the people you want to reach.

2. Personalize your marketing.

Whether you’re using mailing lists from brokers or customer data from your customer relationship management system, make sure you take every opportunity to personalize each mailer. If you’re getting in touch with existing clients, try adding their account manager details and signature to the mailer for even greater personalization.

3. Segment your audience.

Break down your audience into specific segments, such as their location or products they’ve purchased. Segmenting your audience allows you to send tailored messages to each group to meet their needs and interests. An example of this is customizing messages for regular customers or first-time buyers.

4. Commit to more than one mailing. 

A one-and-done approach doesn’t work well for direct mail. Data shows that response rates and your marketing return on investment go up with the second or third mailer. This doesn’t mean you have to spend more money; it just means you’ll likely get a better response by mailing 500 people three times than you would by mailing 1,500 people once.

5. Try A/B testing.

Imasdounian suggested using A/B testing to see which version of your message resonates the best.

“For example, running A/B tests by comparing the results of a digital-only campaign with a combined print and digital campaign across similar target areas can reveal the added impact of print,” he said. “This allows businesses to measure the benefits of each approach.”

6. Use multiple contact options.

Not everyone prefers the same contact method, so it’s important to offer options. Provide more than one way for customers to respond, such as phone numbers, email addresses, social media pages and websites. 

7. Research mailing costs. 

With mail, small differences in size and construction can have huge impacts on postage costs. For example, an eighth of an inch could be the difference between the bulk standard letter rate and bulk flat-rate postage, which would increase your postage costs by as much as 40 cents per piece. Good printing companies have resources to walk you through your options and explain how they affect your mailing costs.

8. Add gamification. 

Imasdounian has found a lot of success by combining tracked links and QR codes with gamification. “With QR codes becoming more widely accepted, it’s easy to use them on direct mail pieces to drive recipients to unique URLs,” he said. Such links can offer incentives such as discounts, exclusive offers or games.

“I’ve run campaigns where going to a unique link or scanning the QR code took recipients to a page where they could ‘spin a wheel’ to see if they won a prize,” Imasdounian said. “The prizes ranged from discounts to free services, adding fun and excitement to the whole process. This approach made the QR codes/unique links more engaging and significantly increased participation rates.”

9. Include a special offer and a call to action (CTA). 

Your campaign offers and CTAs should be compelling for your potential customers and remain consistent across your marketing channels.

10. Use PURLs.

Personalized URLs are the key to measuring and retargeting your direct mail recipients. Invest in PURL tracking software, and use the results to inform future marketing campaigns.

Once you’ve set up your direct mail campaign using these best practices, you’ll be ready to unleash the power of printing as a vital component of your digital sales funnel.

Common pitfalls to avoid with hybrid campaigns

Using direct mail in combination with digital marketing methods can present unique challenges. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid with hybrid campaigns and how to prevent them.

Not getting the timing right

To coordinate your direct mail marketing with your digital messaging, you must account for their different lead times.

“The one thing you need to do is reconcile the time between direct mail and digital marketing,” said Andy Hong, brand founder at China Shoe Factory. “If direct mail arrives too late or too early than digital advertising, the message may lose its impact.” 

So when his company launched a campaign for its new footwear collection, it used follow-up digital reminders within 48 hours of the direct mail delivery. “This helps reinforce the message and motivate potential customers to take action,” Hong said, adding that this strategy increased response rates by 19.2 percent compared with using only digital channels. 

Failing to integrate all marketing channels

When you’re running a hybrid campaign, it’s important to provide a consistent experience and messaging across print and digital marketing channels.

“Treating direct mail and digital as separate campaigns rather than an integrated experience is a major error,” Ali Husnain, a senior SEO executive at software company Tkxel. “To avoid this, you should ensure clear, consistent messaging and offers across both channels and properly align timing for cohesive customer journeys.”

Ignoring helpful tech tools

When you’re pairing direct mail with a digital strategy, technology can save you time and provide valuable insight. 

“Automation can help sync these channels for better alignment and results,” said Eva Miller, vice president of marketing at online clothing retailer Pretty Moment.