Direct mail remains one of the most effective ways to reach your target market - but only if you’re smart about it. If you take the shotgun approach and push generic mailers onto as many people as possible, you’re wasting money and will have a low rate of success.
Instead, try using these direct mail tactics to narrow in on a smaller - but more qualified - audience and receive the desired responses to your campaign.
How to Reach Your Target Market Using Direct Mail
Provide an Offer, Don’t Just Promote
Besides the initial “throwback” excitement of receiving physical mail, you have to provide your audience a reason to care about the content of your mailer… just sharing how awesome you are or introducing yourself isn’t going to cut it. In order to avoid your piece ending up in the trash, your direct mail should include a tangible offer:
- A free sample
- A coupon/sale code
- A special discount
- A referral code
What you can offer should be dependent on your campaign goals and your target market. Whether promoting a sale, new product, refreshed branding, or grand opening, you need to give your audience a reason to engage with the campaign and providing something of value that they can use right away, is a great way to elicit a response.
Utilize Personalization
If you’re going to reach out to your target customer, you should actually speak to them - rather than addressing them as “recipient.” Going the extra mile to personalize your direct mail makes it more likely that you make an impression on your audience - vs coming across as a “one-size fits all” piece that isn’t directly intended for them.
The simplest and easiest way to use personalization is including their actual name on the envelope and/or mail piece itself. You can go even further with data insights and variable printing to unlock more personalization options - use demographic and consumer behavior information to truly customize the content of your campaign.
Acknowledge Milestones
It’s not groundbreaking, but don’t neglect that opportunity that milestone mailers present. Acknowledging birthdays, weddings, births, etc. through direct mail creates a personal connection between your audience and your brand. Sweeten the pot with special offers tied to these events - like a personalized discount code for a birthday.
Likewise, you can acknowledge and reward your current customers through direct mail. Referrals remain a huge source of revenue for most businesses, and that comes from your satisfied customers recommending you to their network. Cultivate those positive impressions with special rewards through direct mail. An easy example is a loyalty campaign - send your customers a "thank you” card with a special discount, after they join your rewards program or make a significant purchase.
Inspire & Engage with Direct Mail
QRG offers print to mail services for your direct marketing pieces and more. Our state-of–the-art creative services, data management, printing, imaging, inserting, and mailing technologies combine into a seamless customized solution.
QRG offers a number of direct mail options, including:
- Complete Turnkey
- Data-Driven Solutions
- Data Processing/CASS/NCOA
- Intelligent Inserting/Perfect Matching
- Targeted Communications
- 1:1 Marketing
- Dimensional Mailings
- Mail Stream Visibility
- Self Mailers
- Postcards
- Unique Printed Pieces
- Multi-Channel Options
QRG is a customer-driven, single-source commercial printer, branded merchandise agency, and direct marketing firm tailored to meet your business goals. Our corporate identity solutions create deep connections with a lasting impact on your audience. Learn more about how it works and check out our website for more information.