Direct mail is a great way to reach out and re-engage with your audience.
“By building upon the loyalty and trust you’ve already established, your brand stands to be better prepared to face whatever the future holds and better equipped to adapt to an ever-shifting market,” note this article from the USPS.
The article offers five ways to help us regain our footing and boost your marketing strategy through direct mail.
1. Use DM to stay top of mind
The worst thing any brand can do right now is sit this one out. While brands might be struggling with finding the right message, fear of being tone-deaf isn’t a good enough reason to limit your marketing. We know that brands who continue to advertise during the tough times are better positioned to succeed when the pendulum swings back. Right now, in particular, direct mail is a highly visible way to do that.
According to a McKinsey report on consumer spending from May, consumer spending is beginning to rebound. As it does, your brand can be in front of them, especially important for the upcoming holiday season, right in their mailboxes where your message will be seen and appreciated.
2. Get personal
One fascinating phenomenon we’ve witnessed this year is consumers switching to new brands due to availability, delivery, even social messaging. And three of out four of those consumers say they plan to stick with the brands they’ve chosen. For your new customers, retention is key, and getting personal is a sure way to help.
“Giving customers a peek into your own life, for example, or a look behind the scenes at how your business is dealing with the situation—and helping people through it—can also be very effective,” notes the USPS.
So let them see you and your team as you really are; this kind of connection can be priceless.
3. Sync up
Really, there’s no excuse not to coordinate your direct mail with your digital channels anymore. But what about the USPS’s Informed Delivery service? If you aren’t utilizing that already, add that to your marketing basket.
4. Customize your message to your customers
While discretionary spending may be rebounding, we are still being more careful about how and where we spend those funds. We want to feel that our chosen brands know us and what our needs are… and customizing your marketing is a perfect way to do this.
“Figure out how you can address these segments’ varying needs, wants and concerns and customize your messaging accordingly. Your customers located in areas heavily affected by the coronavirus may be living very different realities than customers in less affected rural areas,” the article notes.
5. Follow up and follow-through
A sincere follow-up goes a long way. By retargeting your direct mail after your initial campaign, you get one more chance to engage in a more personal and direct way.
“For example, if customers have browsed your offerings online or placed items in their carts but didn’t end up making a purchase, you could set a trigger for a mailpiece to be sent out within a few days, reminding them of the items and perhaps offering a promo code,” the article recommends.
“Or, for customers who have already made a purchase, a personalized thank-you note can help build loyalty, making them feel special and appreciated.”
None of this is really breakthrough marketing, but it serves as a great reminder in the year where so much has changed that the basics of good marketing remain solid.
See you out there in the mail!