DW's Blog
Is Direct Mail In Your First Quarter 2012 Marketing Plan?
by DW Green — December 8, 2011
I don’t know about you, but I like direct mail. We receive a fair amount of direct mail offers at our home during the year. My wife, son and myself take advantage of the offers regularly. I’m a bit embarrassed to report that just last week I received a direct mail offer from a men’s clothing store for $300 off a minimum $800 purchase. I redeemed the coupon and ended up spending more than $800! A professional shopper I’m not!
Direct Mail is a simple and powerful way to get your message directly to your target audience. A smart and effective direct mail piece can increase store sales by grabbing the attention of potential customers. The design of the piece and the offer are the two main ingredients for successful redemption.
One of our clients uses a 11.5”x6” post card promoting four “free” items. Each free item is valid for one week, covering a four-week period. The four-week time frame spreads the distribution cost over a four-week period. They have experienced 7 to 12% sales lift. January and February are excellent months for this type of promotion.
Here are some of the benefits of a direct mail campaign.
• According to the United States Postal Service, 98% of consumers bring in their mail the day it’s delivered, and 77% sort through it immediately. This means there are people who could be seeing your direct mail marketing campaign immediately who could potentially come looking for your business.
• Direct mail campaigns allow you to target on a specific group of individuals who are most likely to want or need the products and services your company provides. This means a higher ROI than if you were to do mass advertising, like a TV or print advertisement.
• You can customize your direct mail campaign by addressing your customers by name and addressing their needs specifically. When you speak directly to your audience, they are more likely to respond.
• There are multiple options for your direct mail campaign that can fit your direct mail campaign needs. Choose anything from a letter to a postcard to a brochure, whichever way your message will get across the best.
• Sending a direct mail campaign allows you to physically put your message in the hands of your target audience. You can make an even greater impression by including additional material like coupons.
• Direct Mail Campaigns are easily measurable and can allow you to see exactly how effective they are for your company. Simply track the inquiries received or count the number of coupons redeemed. This will help you with future direct mail marketing campaigns by allowing you to see exactly what works for your audience.
Using a direct mail marketing campaign can help boost awareness for your company while keeping costs down. The flexibility, affordability, and user-friendliness of direct mail make it an excellent option for any company that wishes to create a cohesive and effective marketing strategy.
Off to the supermarket to redeem a Buy 1 Get 1 Free New York steak!
Filed Under: DW's Blog
The only other time I’ve ever heard someone admit that they like direct mail advertisements was when I heard the Postmaster General on the Diane Rehm show. Good piece, DW.