With all of the online advertising opportunities and the social media networking going on, does anyone still send out direct mailers via snail mail? Well, I’m somewhat of a contrarian, so I think this type of advertising still works. Even though you’ll see some statistics that direct mail will fall by 38% in the next five years, I’ve found that some companies are really starting to embrace direct mail. And … they are using some of the social media as a complementary marketing tool.
- Rather than spend a lot of money for complicated direct mailers of the past, many companies are sending out postcards at a relatively inexpensive price. And they are getting some phenomenal results. For example, you could send out a coupon postcard to your targeted mailing list and then also place that coupon on Twitter. For local restaurants, shops, etc. it’s a great, cost-effective idea.
- For B-to-B direct mail is also a great way to stay in touch with your customers. You could send a postcard or mailer announcing an event, and then follow up with your customers with an e-mail, that is, if you have everyone’s e-mail address. Since so many people now have the anti-spam software on their e-mail systems, even legitimate e-mails are not filtering through. So, the only way for you to contact your customers may be through direct mail. Many people are wary of placing their personal information online, so providing a business reply card with your mailer is a great way to increase your response rate.
- No matter what type of mailer you send out, make sure you have a compelling offer such as buy one, get one free, for example. And definitely target your audience. Don’t just buy a list and mass mail. Make sure that your products meet the needs of the mailing list whether it is an in-house list or a purchased list.
So, if you are in the process of updating your marketing plan, make some room for direct mailers. You’ll be glad you did.
