Direct mail can be an effective part of integrated marketing campaigns when used appropriately. It allows for highly personalized messages through digital printing and variable data which increases response rates. Direct mail performs well for both acquisition and retention goals, especially when combined with email and digital campaigns. While direct mail requires some setup, services exist to handle the printing and mailing so it can be easily automated and integrated into regular marketing programs.
2. Four Direct Mail Myths
1. Direct mail is dead.
2. Direct mail is too expensive.
3. Online is the only place to do digital
marketing.
4. Direct mail is too hard.
4. It takes a lot of touches to make a
sale:
First Contact
2%
Second Contact
3%
Third Contact
5%
Fourth Contact
10%
Fifth toTwelth
Contact
80%
5. They won’t buy right away...
…so reach out frequently.
Nurture.
Be top-of-mind when they’re ready.
Ready for more information, or ready to buy.
But the problem is…
7. Every day:
294 billion e-mails are sent
2 million blog posts are written
4.7 billion minutes are spent on Facebook
864,000 hours of video is uploaded toYouTube
It is hard to stand out in the
digital world.
Credit: digitalbuzzblog.com: 24 hours on the internet infographic
8. With the adoption of online marketing,
annoying marketing has changed…
email overload
and spam
junk mail
from to
Direct mail has
become a novelty.
9. A printed message is the easiest
way to differentiate yourself in
today’s digital world.
10. Why direct mail?
QUALITY experience.
Works in MULTI-CHANNEL marketing campaigns
and programs.
HighlyTARGETED.
PERSONALIZABLE… tailored to be RELEVANT.
11. Why direct mail? More Facts.
Has a LONG SHELF LIFE.
65% of consumers have made a PURCHASE as a
result of direct mail.
PROVEN EFFECTIVE for LEAD GENERATION and
customer RETENTION.
- DMA, 2013
12. Integrated Campaigns with Direct Mail
Studies consistently show that direct mail is effective,
particularly when combined with other channels.
81% of direct mail
recipients read or scan
their mail daily. – USPS
Household Survey
22-24 year olds are most likely to
respond to a direct mail piece. - DMA
2013 Statistical Fact Book
Among mail piece types, postcards are
most likely to be read. 52.5% are read
by recipients. - DMA 2013 Statistical Fact Book
62% of digital campaigns are
seeing an increase in return on
investment when combined
with direct mail. – Omnicon Media Group
13. Direct Mail isTrusted… but not as much
as Family & Friends
52%
22%
18%
16%
14%
11%
8%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Friends and Family
Company Websites
Brochures/Flyers/Direct Mail
Television
Radio
Email
Facebook
Source: Epsilon Consumer Survey
14. Response Rate IncreaseWhen Print is
Combined with Other Channels
45%
37%
27%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Print & Landing Page & E-mail & Mobile
Print & Landing Page & E-mail
Print & Landing Page or E-Mail
Source: UnderstandingVertical Markets: Enterprise Communication Requirements - InfoTrends
17. It’s about ROI
Focus on the return on your marketing
investment. Don’t just look at costs.
The ROI on direct mail outperforms every
medium except emailing to an engaged
house list.
18. Direct Mail Performs
$0
$50
$100
$150
Direct Mail
(letter sized)
Catalog (print) Postcard Email Paid Search Internet
Display
Cost per Lead (or Order) by MediaType
House List Prospect List
*
Source: Direct Marketing Association Statistical Fact Book 2013
Results not provided, but emailing to an engaged
list likely has by far the lowest cost/ order.
19. ROI of B2C Channels
Source:Target Marketing 2013 Annual Media Usage Forecast
17%
31%
52%
Acquisition
Email
Direct Mail
All Others
29%
38%
33%
Retention
Which one media delivers the strongest ROI?
20. ROI of B2B Channels
40%
19%
12%
29%
Acquisition
Email
Direct Mail
Telemarketing
All Others
53%
14%
14%
19%
Retention
Source:Target Marketing 2013 Annual Media Usage Forecast
Which one media delivers the strongest ROI?
21. Direct Mail Performs
0% 20% 40% 60%
Postcard
Larger than Letter Envelope
Letter Sized Envelope
Flyers
Catalog (1)
Newspapers / Magazines
Read the Piece Perceived as Useful
Source: 2012 USPS Household Diary Study
(1) Catalog not enclosed in envelope
22. Integrating Direct Mail and Email
channels achieves positive results
for both Acquisition and Retention
marketing programs.
27. Print is digital.
Digital variable data printing enables
personalization that provides a
targeted, highly relevant message.
Personalization can be based on demographic
and behavioral data.
29. Personalization is about being RELEVANT.
Studies consistently show that personalized messages have a
tremendous impact on the bottom line.
“Personalizing an email
marketing campaign can
improve response rate by
45%.” - Gotomarketing
“Personalized direct mail pieces increase
response rates by more than 500% over
a basic, non-personalized piece.”
- The Digital Printing Council
“Marketers reported an average improvement of
close to 50% for personalized multichannel
campaigns over traditional campaigns.” - InfoTrends
“74% of online consumers become
frustrated when websites offer
promotional content and ads that
have no relevance to them.”
-Janrain’s 2013 Online Personal Experience Study
30. Personalization Gets Results
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%
Non-profit
Manufacturing / Technology
Financial / Insurance
Education
Printing / Publishing
Retail
Response Rates for Static and Personalized Campaigns
Personalized (PODi) Static (DMA)
Source: Caslon analysis of PODi and DMA data
2010 Caslon Response Rate Report
31. VetCentric Customer Retention
Caslon Response Rate Report, 2010
OWNER NAME BASED
ON DATA PET NAME BASED
ON DATA
TREATMENT BASED
ON DATA
OFFERS BASED
ON DATA
EXPIRATION BASED
ON FREQUENCY
CLINIC BASED
ON PREFERENCE
CONTENT BASED
ON DATA
ADDRESS BASED
ON DATA
IMAGE BASED
ON DATA
32. VetCentric Results
Automated processes
reduced marketing
labor from 8
hours/week to 15
minutes per week
14% response rate
Over $9,000 annual
postage savings
Caslon Response Rate Report, 2010
34. CONTENT BASED
ON BEHAVIOR
IMAGE BASED
ON CURRENT CAR
IMAGE BASED
ON PREFERENCE
IMAGE BASED
ON DATA
HEADER BASED
ON FREQUENCY
HEADER BASED
ON LOYALTY
OFFERS BASED
ON DATA
LOGO BASED
ON PARTICIPATION
PROGRAMS BASED
ON PARTICIPATION
ADDRESS BASED
ON DATA
CONTENT BASED
ON PREFERENCE
CONTENT BASED
ON PREFERENCE
QR BASED
ON PARTICIPATION
IMAGE BASED
ON GENDER
CONTENT BASED
ON DATA
35. 1.5% visit rate
34.2% conversion rate
You can even mail personalized map directions.
Source: PODi Partou Childcare Case Study, 2013
37. Don’t Be Creepy: B2C Personalization
Prospects Without an established relationship, minimize obvious
personalization. Name. Address.That’s it.
Use all data you do have to create a message that is
relevant.
Existing
Customers
Use data they’ve provided – via previous orders, via
forms – to show you’re paying attention. Also use
publicly available information on their company.
Provide relevant information based on individual
need and interests.
38. Don’t Be Creepy: B2B Personalization
Prospects The more you show you know about their
company, and can provide relevant information,
the better.
Show that you’ve done your homework and
aren’t going to waste the prospect’s time..
Existing
Customers
Use data they’ve provided – via previous orders,
via forms – to provide relevant information.
Show you’re paying attention.
40. A FewWords About Email Marketing
Provides INEXPENSIVE NURTURING communications.
HIGHLY EFFECTIVE with an engaged audience.
Emailing to a HOUSE LIST provides the LOWEST
COST PER LEAD, maximizing your marketing budget.
Capture email addresses!therefore
42. Prospecting
Purchase highly targeted and accurate consumer list.
Create a compelling offer and send out a relevant
direct mail piece.
Capture email addresses for prospects that respond
and drop them into your existing marketing
automation nurturing program.
43. Prospecting
Send offer via
direct mail
Purchase
targeted list
Landing page
/ Microsite
Confirmation
email
Direct mail #2
(if no response)
Marketing Automation
Nurturing
Complete
the Offer
44. Reviving Disengaged Prospects
Problem: Prospect that fits your ideal
customer profile has stopped
engaging.
Goal: Resurrect a dormant prospect with
a direct mail offer.
45. Reviving a Dormant Prospect
Landing page
Follow Up Email
(if no response)
Marketing Automation
Nurturing or Sales
Follow-Up
Send offer via
direct mail
Prospect has
Stopped Responding
Print and mail on a
regular schedule. It can
be weekly, monthly, or
even quarterly.
46. HighValue Lead Campaign
Useful for Customer Acquisition and Upsell
Use any mix of email and direct mail, and other mediums
such as phone calls and remarketing online advertising.
Mix low cost postcards with higher value dimensional
packages.
Exit lead from campaign once target score or other criteria
reached.
48. Event Marketing
Events lend themselves to marketing campaign templates
that are reused for each event.
Create multiple campaign templates.
Simple campaigns for lower value prospects or small events.
Elaborate campaigns for high value prospects and major events.
Refer a friend techniques are a particularly effective in event
marketing.
49. Event Marketing
Day of Event
Direct mail #1
Create
Targeted List
Landing Page /
Microsite
Confirmation
email
Direct mail #2
(if no response)
Event
Reminder email
#1
SMS text message
reminder
Follow up survey
microsite
Mail thank
you gift
Marketing Automation
Nurturing
Save the date
email
Refer a Friend
email
Follow up email
Reminder email
#2
50. Print can be an integral part of
your marketing automation
program.
52. Actually, Direct Mail is Easy.
Let your print / direct mail service
provider do the heavy lifting.
53. 1. Set up the program
The printer creates the direct mail template using
your creative assets and customer data fields.
Create a marketing automation or CRM report or
outbound object that contains the
personalization data for your segment.
Set up and automated process to move the
report to your direct mail service provider using
FTP, email, webhooks, or APIs.
54. 2. Run the report
Automatically run the report on the
predetermined schedule.
Marketing Program Suggested Mail Schedule
Prospecting Dependsing on marketing objectives, anywhere
from weekly to annually.
Reviving Dormant Leads Weekly, Monthly or Quarterly
HighValue Leads Daily or weekly if based on a user event, otherwise
quarterly or even annually might be fine.
Event Marketing Based on the event date
55. 3. Mail it
Your direct mail service provider will clean the data
for optimal mail delivery.
The direct mail is printed on a digital press. Each
piece has personalized copy, images, and offers
depending on the data you have for each person.
The mail is delivered to the post office on an agreed
upon schedule.
56. When planning an integrated marketing
program, use channels where they excel.
DIGITAL
Fail fast
Build Audience
Grow Reach
MOBILE
Extend the Brand
Engage Customers
Extend real-world
into the virtual world
PRINT
Longer form
Deeper content
Stand out
Credit: Andrew Davis, Author: Brandscaping
57. In Summary
1. Direct mail is alive and well.
2. Direct mail provides a compelling return on
your marketing investment.
3. Digital printing technology enables highly
personalized and relevant direct mail.
4. Direct mail can easily be integrated into your
marketing automation programs.