Receiving direct mail is fun. It’s real, it’s tangible, and there’s something special about being able to hold it and open it to see what’s inside. It also usually receives a much higher response rate than email — customers’ inboxes are flooded with sometimes hundreds of emails each day, and it’s all too easy to simply hit the delete button without even opening a message.
BONUS: But that doesn’t mean that one is better than the other, or that you should market using only one method. The truth is, the most successful campaigns will integrate some aspect of both online and print strategies.
Double Up
The easiest way to combine your direct mail and email campaigns is to use essentially the same content for each. Start with a mailer, and follow up a few days later with a corresponding email. This will prompt customers to take action if they haven’t yet, and the repetition reinforces the message you’re trying to convey.
Tease New Content
You can also use emails to create hype for an upcoming piece of direct mail, like a catalogue, lookbook, or savings pass. Getting your customers excited for something to arrive beforehand makes them more likely to respond to your direct mail’s call to action.
Promote Each Other
You can also use direct mail to grow your email audience. A flashy postcard advertising your monthly insider email newsletter or exclusive email coupons can be a great incentive to sign up. Be sure to include a link to your online sign-up form, whether by including a URL at the bottom of the page or by incorporating a QR code.
Use one when the other fails
Though we don’t like to think about it, inevitably there will be customers who don’t respond to your marketing efforts. When this happens, use a different method to follow up. For example, if you don’t see the right results from your promotional emails, try following up with direct mail. If your direct mail isn’t generating enough response, send customers an email with the subject line, “Did you get our postcard?” As with the first tip above, one reinforces the other and encourages customers to respond if they haven’t done so.
For more tips and ideas on combining your direct mail and email campaigns for the best results, give Printing Solutions a call at 480-596-6300.