• Use tools like EDDM to target specific zip codes or demographics. Or rent a list based on consumer buying patterns.
• Target new movers within 30-60 days of their relocation.
• Use co-op dollars to offset mailing costs. Ask your publishing rep if they offer this.
When you actively gather customer information and create multiple ways to engage, direct mail becomes a powerful tool within a coordinated marketing approach.
Direct Mail vs Digital When it comes to open rates, direct mail often outperforms digital channels. Studies show that up to 90 % of direct mail is opened or at least glanced at, while typical email open rates average around 20 – 30 %. Unlike digital messages that can be quickly deleted or ignored, physical mail is seen, touched and remembered. A catalog or mailer also tends to stay in the home much longer— often around 17 days— providing repeated exposure and multiple chances for the message to be noticed, compared to a digital ad that may disappear in seconds.
Direct mail complements rather than competes with digital marketing. Direct mail and digital work best together. A physical mail piece can serve as the anchor touchpoint that makes emails, social media posts and digital ads more effective. In fact, studies show that combining direct mail with digital advertising can increase response rates by up to 63 %, demonstrating that an integrated approach delivers the strongest results.
In a digital world, physical mail still opens doors. CRA
Data provided via USPS and Data and Marketing Association( DMA)
business 101
“ Direct mail for us has been a game-changer! I use direct mail for lots of different things. We collect names and addresses on little sheets of paper rather than through the computer because it saves time. Also the forms state that the customer is giving us permission to use their information for advertising purposes. We collect birthdays and send out postcards for 50 % off any one regular-priced item. This may seem like a lot, but it really gets people to sign up and to come in and spend more than what the coupon is for. We regularly mail our VIP customers with special offers and free gifts when they spend a minimum amount. And our direct mail catalogs from Munce really work well for getting customers in the door to purchase what’ s in them and to use those coupons.”
Heide Kuhlman, Blessings Big and Small, Watertown & Aberdeen, SD
www. christianretailassociation. org / CRA today 11