However, easy<\/em> communication does not always equate to impactful<\/em> communication. For this reason, many small and medium-sized businesses are re-discovering the power of reaching markets through direct mail marketing.<\/p>\n This blog post will offer you 5 tips on how best to execute a direct mail marketing campaign. In combination with digital assets, direct mail can be a highly effective tool in your brand\u2019s marketing toolbox for 2019 and moving forward.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In 1897 during a speaking tour in London, a rumor began circulating that the great American novelist Mark Twain had died after a bout of illness. Twain was asked about this by a reporter, and he famously remarked: \u201cThe reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.\u201d<\/p>\n Much like the doomsayers of Twain\u2019s age, many have heralded the \u201cdeath of physical mail\u201d for quite some time. But the fact of the matter is that direct mail is not only alive, it\u2019s thriving! In an age of overwhelming digital communication, a physical piece of mail stands out from the crowd.<\/p>\n Recall the figure I referenced earlier about the volume of email vs. letter mail. Despite receiving far more emails per year, a 2015 study<\/a> sponsored by Canada Post found that only 44% of people could recall a brand from a digital ad, while more than 75% could recall a brand from a direct mail ad<\/strong>. Because we receive less direct mail, the pieces we do interact with are more memorable and thus more impactful.<\/p>\n The impactfulness of direct mail is further demonstrated by the fact that roughly 79% of consumers act immediately on a piece of direct mail<\/strong> vs. only 45% who act immediately on an email, and by the fact that direct mail has an average response rate of 4.4%<\/strong> vs. email\u2019s 0.12% (according to this study<\/a> from the Direct Marketing Association).<\/p>\n The human brain is wired to respond more strongly to tangible advertisements, which is what makes direct mail marketing such a powerful tool.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now that I\u2019ve convinced you of the merits of physical mail, let\u2019s review some best practices for conducting a direct mail campaign in 2019. The following list is far from exhaustive, but if you stick to these tips you should be well on your way to launching a successful direct mail marketing campaign.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n While direct mail might be more impactful than digital communication, this doesn\u2019t mean you should abandon digital entirely. Instead, find ways to incorporate digital assets and direct mail pieces into one seamless buyer\u2019s journey. For example, your direct mail piece could include a QR code which, once scanned, directs recipients to a landing page or company website. Or better yet, incorporate augmented reality into a printed piece (see gif). This way you\u2019re able to catch the reader’s attention with a direct mail piece before moving them to a digital medium for more information, to become a member, place an order, etc.<\/p>\n The other thing to keep in mind is the concept of \u201cmulti-channel marketing.\u201d Customers are more likely to respond to a campaign if they see the same messaging through multiple channels. So, even if your direct mail piece doesn\u2019t immediately spur a recipient to action, just the fact that they have seen your direct mail piece will make them more likely to later click on a digital advertisement that has the same messaging.<\/p>\n This is perhaps the most essential tip in this list – do not rely only on digital, or only on direct. These two methods of communication are most effective when they are used together<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In an age of Variable Data Printing (VDP), there is really no excuse to not personalize direct mail pieces anymore. By adding a recipient\u2019s name to the opening lines of a piece, or references to their industry and\/or company, you make your piece far more memorable and likely to be read all the way through. This makes the piece far more impactful to the reader and makes them feel as though the piece of mail may have an offer directed specifically at them and their interests.<\/p>\n Another aspect to consider when writing copy is the use of magnet words<\/em>. Magnet words are those which have been shown to grab a reader\u2019s attention and draw their eye to a specific part of the page. A number of words have been shown to have this effect, including announcing, introducing, new, now, free, easy, quick, and improved. You can learn more about high-converting words and phrases here<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n We all love coming home to find a letter in our mailbox, but we love coming home to a package or parcel even more. More and more companies are experimenting with what\u2019s been called dimensional<\/em> or creative<\/em> mail. Dimensional mail simply refers to any piece or direct mail which has three dimensions, as opposed to your traditional flat letter.<\/p>\n\u201cDigital Killed the Lettermail-Star\u201d?<\/strong><\/h1>\n
![\"direct](\"https:\/\/blog.konicaminolta.ca\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Direct-Mail-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nDesigning a Direct Mail Campaign Like a Pro<\/strong><\/h1>\n
1. Integrate with Digital<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"augmented](\"https:\/\/media.giphy.com\/media\/bv9xQNtmOH3pu\/giphy.gif\")
<\/p>\n<\/div>\n2. Personalize and Use Magnet Words in the Copy<\/strong><\/h2>\n
3. Experiment with Creative and Dimensional Mail<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"direct](\"https:\/\/blog.konicaminolta.ca\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Direct-Mail-2.jpg\")
<\/p>\n