When Should You Use Direct Mail Marketing?

Previously on the blog, we discussed 'How to Use Direct Mail Advertising to Consistently Close BIG Deals'.

Direct mail marketing can be one of the best advertising decisions you can make for your business.

Thanks to its high ROI and customization, it's a surefire way to connect with customers you might not ordinarily have gotten responses from.

 However, like any other type of marketing campaign, direct mail marketing can be an investment. Thus, it's important to know when and where you should deploy it in order to gain the maximum amount of benefits. So here are just a few situations where you might be able to explore direct mail marketing to maximum effect.

When You Have the Ability to Follow Up

Surprisingly, one of the most important things about your direct mail marketing campaign is what you do after the materials are received.

Yes, we know that customers are more likely to respond to direct mail, but where should they go? Making sure you have the ability to follow up on this response — whether it's welcoming them to a physical storefront or to a website — is crucial to the success of your campaign. 

In fact, the US Postal Service found that over 60% of catalog recipients were influenced to visit the website listed in the catalog. In order to translate these visits into sales, you need to make sure your website or storefront is inviting and convenient for customers. Remember, marketing is a process!

When Your Industry Benefits from Direct Mail

If you're a business with a tight budget, you may be wondering whether the benefits of direct mail can outweigh the cost.

While there are benefits in direct mail marketing for everyone, certain types of businesses stand to gain great returns from this marketing method.

 A feature by Triadex Services on direct mail marketing discusses these industries in depth, which include restaurants, 'big decision' industries like automobiles or real estate, and service industries.

 If your company falls into any of these sectors, it may be time to think about developing your direct mail campaign.

When It's Close to the Holidays

Timing your campaign right is essential, and some of the best periods to send out a direct mail marketing campaign are during the holiday season.

Why?

The holiday season results in more people willing to spend money, including those who don't ordinarily go out to purchase things.

For example in Nigeria, VOA News reports that Black Friday sales are 1,331% higher than average-day sales. Choosing the right time to launch your campaign means that you can tap into markets like these, and pull in a higher response through direct mail marketing than usual.

When You Have an Event Coming Up

Next, you should try to schedule direct mail marketing campaigns when you have a special event approaching.

Many businesses get excited by the prospect of starting a marketing campaign without considering how they can use that campaign to maximize attendance or to support existing events.

Take this Earth Hour campaign from the Philippines which posed a creative solution: mail candles to CEOs and business leaders with a special box designed to look like the façade of a building.

Removing the candle would lead to the illusion that the building's "lights" were being shut off.

This drove home the message of Earth Hour, and led to an increase in corporate support by 260% compared with the previous year.

When It's Your Customer's Birthday

Customers appreciate businesses that try to forge personal connections with them, and what better time to do that than on their birthdays?

According to a recent study, 40% of consumers are more likely to shop at brands or businesses that acknowledge their birthdays.

They are more likely to open mail, and more receptive to marketing offers. 

You can increase the likelihood of them purchasing your products or services by sending out a complimentary discount card or other offers.

 And whether they make use of your offer or not, they'll still have a positive image of your business in their minds, making it more likely that they'll respond to offers in the future.