The use of direct mail as a form of both political and business advertising is a very old form of advertising and it is still useful today. Despite how old it is, it has proven to still be a very effective and efficient form of targeted advertising. It is beneficial to both business owners and politicians alike.
In order to efficiently and effectively market your business and/or create a successful political campaign, the use of direct mail is a vital tool. To paint a better picture of what it looks like, imagine a type of direct marketing that is delivered to a prospective customer’s mail box. It can be in form of postcards, flyers, catalogs etc and this method is the digital equivalent.
As technology has become a great part of our daily lives, there is a constantly growing audience with affinity for online communications. Statistics has also shown that a majority of online based customers say that there is more intimacy using this method compared to regular online interactions. The question now is how effective direct mail campaign is for your business or political campaign?
Basic Introduction to Direct Mail Marketing
It can be quite easy to dismiss the effectiveness of direct mail given how long it has been in existence. It is also important to avoid the mistake of underestimating its effectiveness because you assume that since all your customers are online, a mass mailing through email marketing is sufficient due to its cost effectiveness when compared to direct mail.
Note that facts have shown that this campaign method is an essential part of a strategic multi-channel marketing campaign. This is because of how it interacts with prospects on a personal level therefore, making it a very crucial tool in boosting brand engagement.
Due to its flexibility, it can be used in various formats to both existing and new customers. To further maximize the benefit of this method, make sure to include a clear call to action to guide your prospect on the next step. Here are some formats to consider and how to use them:
Postcards
This is a fast, cheap, and visual way of explaining your brand. It is great for mailing promotional offers to rekindle an existing customer’s interest in your product. It also helps to ease the process of introducing a new product in order to create upsell opportunities.
Letters
This is best applied if you are sending confidential information. Examples of such information include a mortgage refinancing offer, a loan opportunity with better terms and conditions compared to the already existing one and much more. Using this method is most effective especially for highly personalized information that is custom written for your target audience.
It makes them feel more comfortable and familiar thereby building trust. You can check here https://business.lovetoknow.com/ for samples of how to write a campaign letter.
Do direct mail campaigns still work?
Neil Patel, an entrepreneur, bestselling author, and marketer wrote on the investigations carried out on the median return on investment (ROI) for each marketing medium. It was shown that direct mail campaigns generate higher ROI compared to both online display ads and paid search.
In fact, it was shown that social media which is the second highest ROI medium was just 1% point ahead of direct mail. Various recent results also show that customer’s response to it is 5.3% higher than the 0.6% rate of response for email. The question now is what makes it a relevant form of advertising?
It is interactive
Usually, customers physically handle their own mail. As a result they have to pay proper attention in order to decide if it is worth keeping or not. This shows that the customers are sure to interact with your direct mail.
Including a coupon or promotional offer or call to action that requires your customers to do something will spur an even better interaction influencing them to keep and act on it.
It is hard to forget
This is a very effective method of evoking an emotional response from your prospect. This is because it can create a nostalgic feeling about receiving letters from friends and family. One way to make this effective is through the addition of handwritten notes or signature. Little gestures like this add a personal touch making it more memorable.
It offers a large audience
This is especially true if your customers do not use social media. This is because it offers access to a set of customers you wouldn’t be able to reach through social media or electronic ads. This method gives you the chance to reach the potential customers you could have possibly missed while using electronic advertising. You can watch this video to learn more about why this is still a relevant form of marketing.
Conclusion
Contrary to what is believed to be true, direct mail is still a relevant and effective method of marketing. Although it is considered one of the oldest forms of marketing, it is effective in building an intimate/interactive relationship between your brand and customers.