A business needs to grow and expand to stay ahead of the competition when the economy changes and challenges everyone and all the notions of traditional money-making. Advertisement and marketing strategies are now well-established to engage consumers and make them interested in products and services. Decades of targeted marketing show what consumers like and appreciate and practices to which they’re less responsive.
Mail has always been among the top three, everyone loves to open a letter that has their name on it and a nice little stem in the right corner. Marketing agencies have since long found this appreciation for mail interesting and so direct mail was born not so long ago. Direct mail has a better responsive rate among consumers, some might say people simply love to hold a nice postcard in their hand and take a break from their hectic life to appreciate the small things that matter the most. It might seem ridiculous but it might be the key for a business to truly grow and expand. It’s something different from all the digital ads constantly being thrown at an average consumer while they scroll their phone, look through their inbox, or watch a random video with irritating pop-up ads.
One man is like many…
Demographics and personal interests are factors a good marketing strategy relies on. Consumer preferences and love for certain products and services solely depend on the customer itself and while some patterns are predictable, some are not. A classic pop-add on your screen is based on these general guidelines of preferences and behaviors. Its purpose is to target a broad audience; some might like it, some might not. Their long-term goal is to spread awareness about a business and its services, not to target a person specifically. That’s when direct mail comes into play. Where commercial ads stop, direct mail starts. Its goal is to reach individuals, to speak to them, and to create an invisible bond between consumer and seller. One that’s based on an appreciation for their loyalty and their continued interest in the business’s products and services.
Less money but better results…
The cost-effectiveness of direct mail is a long-term solution to the costs of commercial ads. Why does it cost money? A commercial ad is about a broad audience- the idea behind it is to reach as many customers as possible. So the ad itself needs to be targeted to general preferences but direct mail is more about individual preferences and so as a business owner, you can redirect your budget options towards certain leads that are far more promising and that might give you a far better response than a generic ad that’s meant for the masses. That way money is saved instead of thrown away uselessly in an attempt to spread awareness. It’s better to reach a few trusted consumers that are promising leads rather than a vast number of potential customers. And let’s not forget that direct mail can be personalized giving it that special touch of consumer appreciation we all want and feel is missing in ads these days.
It’s about building bridges!
Seller-buyer relationships are complicated. On one hand, every consumer wants value for money but above all as consumers they appreciate small gestures of gratitude shown by the seller. Sellers are looking to offer the best deal without losing money but they’re trying to compete with fierce competition. It comes down to a very basic need we all have; creating meaningful relationships. The relationship a business has with its consumers should be no different from any other. It’s not about just a product; it’s about selling emotions and showing your average customer that they’re valued no matter the amount they spend. Nothing says “ we care” like a nice and customized postcard, and as a business, you can look for bulk direct mail solutions available and take a dive into this interesting niche. Opening up to new strategies is something more than necessary. A small notice we have to make is that it’s not always about this, many consumers are not looking for “anything serious.” They just want to buy the product and move on. But that’s okay as the long-term goal is to create a loyal following and if out of five direct mail recipients, three come back, that’s more than enough to keep pursuing this strategy and upgrade it in due time.
You Can Keep Track
While sitting at your laptop, you receive another spam email notification. You delete it immediately or archive it. Whatever the case you either do or don’t read it. It’s even worse for generic ads on social media or pop-up ads. The beauty of direct mail is the ability to track responses and monitor consumer engagement. You’ll find it easier and can better shape your next strategy according to the results. Direct mail has better responsiveness and often this is the lead you need to make the next big breakthrough in terms of marketing. It’s almost impossible to find the right fit, the digital market is tough and the consumers are used to everything. It takes a lot to make something worth noticing. Direct mail is different, it’s sent to the consumer. The nice postcard with a beautiful stamp is hard to ignore. Well-written, with a nice picture, great colors, and a good texture of the paper itself is appreciated no matter what. All this monitoring helps you to better manage money for future campaigns.
You’re Ahead of the Game
Most businesses are slowly losing touch with the physical and redirecting most of their resources and focus on the digital. It has advantages, there’s no denying it, especially with the younger generations. But, what makes a good business a great one is diversity. Diversity allows you to experiment and to stay in touch with those early days while starting. Direct mail, some might find it ancient, is needed now more than ever for these reasons. If you embrace it you’ll be at least one step ahead of others.
Make it Personal
It’s interesting how an overlooked aspect of ads is the chance and ability to speak directly to the consumer. It’s impossible when the goal is wide masses but that’s not the case with direct mail. The ability to customize it and make it more appealing to individuals is what distinguishes it from generic ads. It tells a lot without saying too much.
The idea is simple yet revolutionary. Letters will stay around and the more you think about how effective of a strategy they are, the more you’ll embrace the change.
