Leveraging technology to make direct mail campaigns more effective
Direct mail software, even in the face of technology that has helped streamlined communications between company and consumer, is still valuable. Yes, email and social media have made it easier and faster to engage in conversations between businesses and their customers, but despite opinions to the contrary, people still enjoy receiving promotional materials in the mail.
In fact, direct mail companies can actually leverage technology in order to make their efforts more effective. Business.com lists a number of helpful ways on how to be successful in this area, including making sure that your mailing list is healthy. Blindly mailing marketing and promotional materials to addresses isn't the best strategy when it comes to direct mail. Sometimes the information on these lists are inaccurate and the costs associated with producing marketing materials and sending them out to potential customers only to have them returned due to non-delivery is a waste of financial resources.
It is for this reason that Business.com suggests the use of address validation software to make sure that all of the information on a list is current and updated. The website also suggests the use of personalized messaging whenever possible. If a company has information on previous purchases that a consumer has made or has some insight into what interests them most, marketing materials can be custom created in order to gain their attention and encouraging them to act. Using direct mail software is a great way to accomplish this goal.
Don't forget about millennials
As it relates to technology, there isn't a savvier group than Generation Y. These individuals practically grew up with smartphones, tablets and other devices and they use them extensively in their everyday lives. Because of this, the perception exists that this demographic isn't worth investing the time and resources associated with direct mail. However, this couldn't be further from the truth, according to a recent article from Canada Post.
The website states that 90 percent of the millennial demographic have no issue receiving promotions and advertisements in the mail. The reason for this is because they spend so much time in an online environment where they are being marketed to constantly by different brands, reading mail offers a sort of respite from the many digital advertisements they may encounter on a daily basis.
Mail is still a great way to capture the attention of consumers, no matter how digitally savvy they may be. Direct mail marketers that appeal to the millennial group have an opportunity to tap into the tremendous buying power that Gen Y controls. In the U.S. alone, this group wields an annual buying power of $200 million, according to research conducted by Barkley, an advertising agency based in Kansas City, Missouri. Because of this, it makes sense for direct mail companies to target this group.
Technology has not rendered direct mail obsolete. For marketers who are creative and understand how to properly leverage it, it can greatly increase the effectiveness of any campaign.