In a digital world, marketers might be surprised to learn about print and direct mail’s impact on omnichannel marketing campaigns. When used with digital marketing tools, direct mail significantly increases impressions, conversion rates, and ultimately, return on investment (ROI). It is a powerful tool that amplifies marketing effectiveness in omnichannel campaigns.
Direct Mail Help Generates More Impressions, Builds Brand Loyalty, and Increases ROI
Thanks to innovations such as digital printing and automation, direct mail nowadays can be sent within 12 to 24 hours after a customer’s initial interaction. Combine with online engagement data, businesses can send out personalized mail to hyper-target customers. A U.S. Postal Service (USPS) white paper reports 40 percent conversation rates when digital and direct mail are used together. It also reports that 60 percent of marketing respondents said combining digital and direct mail increased ROI.
While digital ads can effectively spread awareness to a large audience, direct mail fosters a deeper connection as direct mail customers make purchases more frequently across a broader range of product categories. Together, digital and print marketing efforts hit all touchpoints throughout the customer journey, creating a valuable omnichannel campaign. Some companies have reported experiencing an average 15 percent increase in sales when they incorporate direct mail with digital marketing strategies.
Direct Mail Offers a Unique Experience
Unlike other marketing mediums, direct mail offers a unique experience to customers. From the moment the customer has the mail in their hands to the moment when they open it, they spend more time interacting and engaging with the marketing content. Even when the mail is on the counter, it is still there for days, whereas the notification of an email can be swiped away in just a second.
The act of touching a physical object, like a piece of mail, activates parts of the brain that digital media cannot, which explains why direct mail tends to create a lingering impression and demands more attention than other mediums. Moreover, research has shown that physical ads have a stronger connection to emotion and memory than digital ads. Similarly, custom banners for sale are another effective print medium since it grabs customers’ attention in the moment and stops them in place for a closer look.
And of course, direct mail, like other marketing strategies, can be personalized in their content as well as their physical aspects. Since this medium has a tactile nature, marketers can choose specialty paper, embossed lettering, or an interactive design to engage with customers in a way that two-dimensional digital channels cannot. They can even add a scent to mail if it makes sense for their company or campaign.
Direct mail can be even more interactive with the possibility of augmented reality (AR). Marketers may include AR elements, such as QR codes or AR-enabled images, to physical mail that invite customers to engage with their brand in a new and exciting way.
Direct Mail Can Be Easily Measured for Its Success
Another misconception that marketers have about direct mail is that its performance is difficult to track and measure. With tools such as promo codes and personalized URLs, marketing teams can easily track response rates to see how effective their mail campaign is and how they can further refine their strategy in real time.
Print and Direct Mail Are Vital Parts of Omnichannel Campaigns
When integrated with digital channels, print and direct mail can amplify a campaign, build brand trust, and increase higher recall rates. Depending on the digital channels used, print channels can either start or follow up with a campaign. In both instances, marketers should coordinate messaging and timing across channels for a seamless experience that feels personalized and relevant to the customers.
Amplify Marketing Success with an Omnichannel Approach
With every marketing channel optimized, an omnichannel campaign will produce desirable results, such as increased customer engagement, improved sales, and stronger brand loyalty. Print and direct mail are essential parts of an omnichannel campaign since they tend to be more memorable, can be produced quickly, and help provide a unified experience.
The author, Denise Denton, is Vice President of Marketing, Franchise Services, LLC.