The Value of Direct Mail
With so many low-cost options for marketing your message, can you just skip over Direct Mail in your marketing campaigns and save that printing and mailing moolah for yourself? As with almost all things that truly matter, cost should not be your only consideration.
After all, the dollar menu at the fast food restaurant provides much cheaper food than the alternative, but it doesn’t taste as good and has some unhealthy side effects. And just like you don’t want prospects to choose the cheapest contractor in town only to suffer shoddy work that damages the industry’s reputation, marketing also has an element of “you get what you pay for.”
The good news is: You get to make the decisions on where and how you spend your marketing budget. The even better news is: There’s a great strategy already available. This strategy is built on integrating online and traditional media to build your image, generate leads and retain customers. And Direct Mail is a valuable part of that mix – particularly as social media noise and inbox clutter reach a level of overwhelm and overload.
These tactile pieces of print stand out in your prospects’ mailboxes, especially as less of the media is in use. Seriously, even Amazon uses Direct Mail for promotion, and that says plenty. But don’t be haphazard with this investment. Instead, proceed with a good plan.
For example, forget trying to reach “the world.” Select and target your list carefully, and zoom in on your market. And while targeting is essential, execution is equally as critical. When using Direct Mail, it’s important to be strategic – use a strong headline, well-crafted message, compelling offer and a call to action.
Also of note: Along with other purposes, Direct Mail may be the best tool around to reach out to former customers. According to USPS data from 2014, the standard mail response rate for advertising to previous customers was 18.4 percent.