Marketing strategies today focus on the easiest ways to connect with your audience. Social media and email marketing help address their needs without the high costs of print media or TV ads. Sending an email to people on your mailing list or responding to questions about your business on Facebook or Twitter can be done with just a few clicks from your own home.
However, does convenience bring in results?
A Consumer Survey Results conducted by Epsilon reveals that people prefer receiving direct mail over any type of marketing strategy when it comes to brand communications. Furthermore, 66% of the participants in the survey believe that they have been receiving too much e-mails from companies.
There is no question about the advantages brought by online marketing in communicating with possible clients. But it bears to mention that they also will never be able to replace traditional marketing, one that involves the touch and feel experience of print marketing, in particular direct mail.
There is still allure to old school marketing that still makes it popular even today. You’d expect a company like Google that lords over the search engine industry to stick to online techniques in their advertising efforts. However, Google also sends out direct mail campaigns that provides recipients with coupons and discounts printed on a thick cardstock with sleek design and appearance. Such is proof that direct mail is alive and well.
If that’s the case, then what are the qualities that allow direct mail to maintain its relevance as a marketing strategy?
Simple – direct mail marketing works because of the human touch.
A “sensible” way of marketing
One of the main reasons why e-mails have become a preferred marketing channel by businesses are its affordability and convenience. Figuring out your way using e-mail marketing tools like MailChimp or Aweber can help you produce attractive newsletters and autoresponders for your direct mail campaign at little or no extra costs. These also provide insight to your campaign performance, allowing you to determine what and what doesn’t work in your campaign.
However, the biggest and perhaps fatal flaw of e-mails is that it can only satisfy our sense of sight. Although an e-mail campaign should help you leverage the advantages that big whig companies have over small businesses like yours (you’ll only need design skills to pull off this job, and even then you can ask for design services at a nominal price), an e-mail is only good when your computer or smartphone is turned on.
With direct mail, you can tap into the recipient’s sense of sight, touch, and even smell! The design of your postcard, the fresh smell of the card stock in which the design is printed on, and the texture of the stock can all contribute to the heightened experience that direct mail can provide to potential clients. With the right copy and design, this can convert the recipients of your direct mail into leads or future sales.
The power of the personal approach
The costs involved in conducting a direct mail campaign also works to its advantage. It’s no secret that direct mail is a relatively costly endeavor. It takes a lot more time, money, and effort to produce and deliver mail to your target audience. However, the costs should be worth it considering that you make a tangible approach to your potential customers, something that is refreshing in today’s distant and digital world
More importantly, direct mail allows you to make a concerted effort to get your message across, which customers greatly consider from a brand. Due to its format, an e-mail is a very impersonal way of reaching out to your core audience. You need to present yourself in a warm and fuzzy manner to help them get better acquainted with your business and increase your chances of making a sale to them. This comes in the form of professional postcards of brochures appealing to their attention.
Direct mail marketing is still alive and breathing after all these years. It comes with much effort on your part, but if done correctly, the personal and tangible approach of a direct mail campaign will deliver results.
If you’re interested in running your own direct mail campaign, learn the basics by downloading the FREE e-book entitled “Direct Mail Marketing Basics.” Click here to get your copy.