Did you know? 73% of Americans say they prefer to be contacted via direct mail & 41% of Americans look forward to getting their mail every day. Direct mail marketing is a proven tactic to reach an audience, convert them into customers, and retain them by building brand loyalty. Direct mail marketing has not only been around since the inception of business marketing, it has proven to be the go-to strategy for businesses looking for an efficient and economical way to advertise their products and services.
While digital marketing channels are relatively instantaneous, low-cost, and can generate a better ROI, the robustness and personalization that direct mail offers are simply unmatched. The success of any physical mail strategy for marketing can easily be tracked by calculating the direct mail response rates that it generates. By understanding how to improve direct mail response rates, businesses can ensure that their marketing campaign is effective and able to meet its purpose.
For direct mail campaigns to be successful, companies need to work on certain steps to improve their direct mail response rates. Several factors can play an important role in yielding higher direct mail marketing response rates, let us discuss them in detail.
A direct mail response rate is a measurement that indicates the percentage of people who responded to your direct mail campaign. While a good direct mail response rate can be determined objectively, its worth can be highly subjective. Your personalized direct mail marketing campaign may generate a good or high percentage of responses, but the value of the campaign will be determined by your marketing objectives rather than just responses.
So, why is direct mail still a tried-and-true marketing strategy for any company? Direct mail allows you to have one-on-one conversations with your customers. It immediately creates an intimate conversion that leaves a lasting impression.
Additionally, Direct mail average response rates can be used to test and explore different audience segments. It is also a significant driver of your digital channels, with personalized URLs, specialized landing pages, and actionable QR codes which can help in determining the response rates of your direct mail campaign.
Segment your audience based on demographics, psychographics, geographic location, and behavioral characteristics before sending your mail piece. This includes categorizing prospects based on their age, gender, customer purchasing behavior, event attendance, industry, and interest.
Upon doing so, you can have a targeted mailing list. A targeted mailing list allows for personalization and ensures that your offer reaches recipients who want it and will increase your targeted direct mail response rates.
The design you create influences consumer response decisions. You must include the brand’s colors and logos in your mail piece that resonate with and amplify your direct mail copy. One easy strategy for creating marketing pieces that stand out is to implement format optimization practices.
Direct mail can be made attractive by making use of the right colors at the right place. Colors invoke a wide range of emotions in your customers; therefore, it is best to understand the science of colors. For example, Red evokes feelings of excitement and passion, green is for growth or health, and purple is for luxury.
Successful direct mails are driven by personalization. For the recipient to be able to establish your brand in their mind is very important. Personalizing your mail to clearly establish your name, address and accurate contact details can help the customer trust you and your offer.
Make sure to mention your offer and solutions in a logical way that addresses the recipient and how you can help them. Having received a mail that is specifically designed for them, the prospects get a sense of importance and care. A personalized direct mail copy has a much better chance of response compared to a generic mail addressed to the masses.
According to research, companies that personalize their mail copies have higher direct mail response rates than those that do not. A lead is more likely to convert when a mail piece includes personalized content and the customer’s name. Personalized messages grab the recipient’s attention and strengthen the bond between your brand and the recipient.
Including a one-of-a-kind offer is a great way to boost your direct mail response rate. Determine the goal of your direct mail campaign first, and then create an offer to help you achieve it.
Your objective for sending our direct mail copies could be to increase brand awareness, acquire new customers, retain existing customers, or reactivate old customers.
Adding messages such as ‘offer valid for the limited customers only’, or including promotional codes that are exclusive to the recipient can be a tempting offer for them. Sending out thank you cards with specialized offers as a gesture of them shopping with you can help in customer retention and return sales.
It is important to increase your direct mail response rates to make sure that your message is clear about the value that you are offering to the prospect. It is human nature to act on things that carry more value.
Your focus should be on informing the audience about your products and offers in a way that appeals to their mindset, their lifestyle, or their pain points. Convince them that their problem can only be solved by using your product or services and none other.
When the prospect believes that only you can provide them with the best solution, they are bound to respond to your direct mail copy.
Targeting customers through social media, email marketing, billboard advertising, radio, TV, and other channels increases the likelihood that your message will be heard. For maximum impact, every marketing channel should complement the other and fit together within the same campaign design and objective.
Additionally, Direct mail can be used to increase online response. A well-executed direct mail campaign can raise awareness of your online channels and eventually result in a conversion.
Thus, making your direct mail piece a part of a bigger multichannel marketing campaign can improve overall results for each of the elements. Furthermore, integrating various marketing channels as part of a bigger, broader campaign can lead to increased response rates for direct mail.
It is not just about increasing sales or leads when it comes to determining the response rate of your direct mail campaign. You must also track the data associated with your campaign to determine where your successes lie.
Tracking and measuring the performance of your direct mail can help you determine the accurate number of direct mail response rates. Direct mail can be tracked digitally using reliable tracking methods and success metrics such as the ones listed below:
Make use of a trackable URL, Use a QR code that can be tracked, Make use of a trackable phone number or Use a coupon code that can be scanned.
As a rule, every contact method on your direct mail piece (phone number, landing page, trackable URL) should be distinct and trackable. To sum it up, you need to be able to accurately identify where the response is coming from and why. This will help you reinforce the weak elements of your marketing strategy and drive higher direct mail response rates
Including a deadline can create a sense of urgency in customers to act quickly or risk missing out on the special promotion. This can motivate hesitant customers to act, whether by calling, visiting the website, or visiting a retail store. Ultimately, this will result in increased response rates for your direct mail.
Limited-time offers such as, “Daily Deal” or “24-Hour Sale” will let the customers know they can cash in on the offer only if they act on it within the specified time. Additionally, Include a deadline or time-based offer that can only be availed before the time limit expires. The objective is to subconsciously convey to the prospect that they need to act on your CTA urgently, or it is their loss.
The success rate of direct mail marketing indicates how many people responded to your mailings. To calculate direct mail response rates, simply divide the number of responses by the number of delivered pieces. For instance, if you mailed 5000 pieces and 500 customers responded, your response rate is 10%.
Even though the calculation is simple, determining direct mail response rates presents a significant challenge. How can we tell if a particular recipient read the mailing? The mail you deliver must entice customers to act. It is not enough to just drop the mail into their mailboxes.
There are some common methods for collecting direct mail responses. They are inexpensive to implement and have proven to be effective for tracking your direct mail marketing efficiency. The majority of businesses that use mail marketing campaigns track responses using:
A trackable URL is a landing page or website specifically designed to track the results of a direct mail campaign. To direct traffic to the required page, include the custom URL on your mail pieces. Each visitor to that URL indicates that your marketing efforts have been successful.
Trackable phone numbers function in the same way that trackable URLs do. For each mail marketing campaign, you generate a unique call tracking number and track how many people dial it.
You can use a dedicated toll-free number that automatically forwards leads to your support team, or you can integrate call-tracking software that records received calls.
You can count each response when customers redeem coupon codes and offers that they receive in the mail. This approach is not only easy to track, but it is also very effective at motivating your target audience and driving sales.
Customers scan QR codes with their mobile phones to go to a website, check the location, buy a product, or perform any other action. Including a QR code in your mail design is a simple way to determine how much of your target audience interacts with your mailings.
Direct mail campaigns today are more sophisticated and dynamic than ever. It is also worth noting that 90% of direct mail is “opened,” which means it is touched by a consumer. Direct mail response rates are ten to thirty times higher than email marketing campaign response rates. Direct mail handling requires a certain degree of expertise to be executed successfully
American Litho serves a wide range of industries and verticals such as Healthcare, Finance, Insurance, and many more. We know that well-executed direct mail can benefit any business. We can not only print your direct marketing materials at American Litho, but we can also help you optimize your marketing campaign strategy to get the best possible direct mail marketing response rates.
So, what are you waiting for? Connect with us today!
Direct mail response rate refers to the number of responses received by customers to the total mail sent out.
An average direct mail marketing campaign has a return rate of 4%. Efficient direct mail can cross 50% response rates too.
We optimize your marketing campaign, tailored to your skills, services, and audience, ensuring an improved response rate to direct mails.
American Litho offers complete direct mail solutions so you can rest easy while knowing that your direct mail campaign is in good hands.
Thorough research on your audience and customizing direct mail according to their requirements can improve your direct mail response rates.
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