Integrating Email with Direct Mail Efforts to Boost Results
I’ve been hearing the question asked a lot lately, ‘With internet marketing becoming more commonplace, is direct mail still an effective marketing method?” The answer is YES. Direct mail is still an extremely viable way to reach your target audience. Especially when used in combination with emerging web-based marketing methods, the effectiveness of direct mail is dramatically increased. So, the question to ask is not the one stated above, but should be – “How can I use direct mail and eMarketing together to maximize the success of my marketing campaigns?”
According to a recent Target Marketing magazine survey, direct mail and email are, by far, the top methods marketers site as delivering the strongest ROI for customer acquisition and retention. Put these two powerful marketing methods together and you have a dynamic and proven way to capture the attention of your target audience.
Since we’ve introduced eMarketing to our service offerings, we’ve been hearing compelling reports of success with this integrated marketing tactic. For example, Weichert Realtors, a client of ours for over 20 years, recently described their experience with leveraging email to support their direct mail campaigns. They suggest using email as a primer before delivering printed direct mail material in some cases. Using email as a timed, planned and integrated part of your direct mail campaign can increase the recipient’s awareness of your business and, ultimately, drive them to respond to the marketing message.
Here are a few ways to start integrating email into your direct mail campaigns:
Email can be a quick and cost effective way to test marketing messages and offers before deploying full-scale campaigns. Select a sampling from your target audience, segment them into groups and test their responses to different versions of marketing messages and offers. The marketing message or offer that receives highest response rates can be expanded into a full-scale, integrated campaign including direct mail and email.
Send an email message before delivering direct mail to boost awareness. Multiple touch-points in your campaign may increase the target audience’s awareness of your business. Also, by timing an email to hit your target audiences’ mailbox right before they receive a direct mail piece may heighten their receptiveness to receiving and reading that marketing communication from you.
Follow up on direct mail deliveries with email. Send your target audience a little reminder after they receive your direct mail piece. A genuine and sincerely attempt to communicate with them on a personal level and in a consistent timeline may sway them to act upon your marketing message or offer. And again, it’s another touch-point that will help remind them of your business.
As always, test and measure your responses to this integrated marketing tactic. You may find that perfect combination of message, offer, media and timing that works for your business.
You can learn more about Weichert Realtors experience by reading, “Inside Weichert Realtors: Email and Direct Mail Integration for Synergistic Results,” posted in the News & Events section of our site.
Have a great weekend!
Steve