What is direct mail?
Direct mail is a marketing channel that involves sending a piece of physical communication to a prospect and/or existing customer. This form of marketing makes use of the intimate and tactile nature of mail, and works in both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) campaigns.
Is direct mail effective?
Yes. Direct mail response rates are generally higher than all other marketing channels combined. Direct mail achieves from a 1.0% response rate with a prospect list to a 3.7% response rate with a house list. All of the other marketing channels – mobile, email, social media, paid search and display advertising – only add up to a 0.52% response rate. This makes direct mail by far the most effective marketing channel.
How much does a direct mail campaign cost?
Due to the versatility of direct mail, a campaign can cost anywhere from $0.30 to over $20 per recipient. The aspects that constitute this wide variety of options include design, a range of different media, postage options, and more. You can work with your print + mail partner to find the campaign that best suits your audience + offer.
Is it possible to know when my mailpiece reaches its destination?
Yes. Mail tracking makes it possible to accurately pinpoint the exact day and time that your mailpiece reaches your prospect or customer’s mailbox. This makes it easier for you to prepare for new customer calls and online leads. It also allows you to gauge the success-rate of a certain mailpiece.
Should I abandon my online ads in favor of direct mail?
No. Direct mail and online marketing work best when combined with one another. The idea is that repetition is the key to effective marketing. You want to lead with direct mail and then use Google and social media retargeting to keep your brand at the top of your prospect’s mind.
How can I get people to respond to my direct mail?
The best way is to offer a time-limited incentive or set a deadline for a sale. Use the idea of scarcity to give the prospect a reason to respond immediately. We go over this and many more strategies in our Workbook.
Are direct marketing and direct mail the same thing?
No. Direct marketers have long been using direct mail as their lead horse. However, direct marketing has become a multi-channel process that starts with direct mail and uses new digital media that allows you to track and analyze the effectiveness of your campaign.
What sort of research do I have to do in order to run a successful direct mail campaign?
Chances are, you’ve already done much of the research already. Running a successful direct mail campaign is all about knowing your customer (or potential customer). Any information you gather about your target audience will help you to run a successful direct mail campaign.
Is there anything else I should consider before running my campaign?
There are many things to consider before running your direct mail campaign. Some of these include: target audience, voice, core offer, and mail format. In our Epic Guide to Direct Mail workbook, we go over all of these components in order to help you run the most effective direct mail campaign.
