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Direct mail marketing is a great way to market your company, product or service in an effective and cost-efficient manner. It’s one of the most powerful marketing tools you can have when used correctly. Here are 20 ideas for direct mail campaigns that will help boost sales this year and beyond.
Direct marketing is an effective way to boost your business. In this blog post, we will discuss 20 ideas for successful direct marketing campaigns in 2022.
Despite the fact that digital marketing channels have mostly eclipsed direct mail marketing, it remains an efficient and low-cost method of reaching clients. Some direct mail concepts, in fact, are arguably more successful at engaging with both new and current audiences. A smart direct mail campaign may also aid with client retention and acquisition, in addition to recruiting new consumers. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of the top 20 direct mail marketing ideas for your next campaign:
Send a simple postcard first.
Sending a basic postcard with vivid colors, a clean design, and a clear call to action is one of the simplest direct mail marketing ideas. Make sure to include your contact details. If you have a physical location, provide your address (and maybe a tiny map) as well as your phone number. Include a short URL created particularly for the campaign if you’re online, so you can measure the response rate.
Despite the fact that your clients’ email inboxes are significantly more cluttered than their physical mailboxes, we all get a significant amount of mail on a daily basis. Use bigger mailers to help your marketing materials stand out from the crowd. A typical postcard is generally 4″ x 6″ in size, whereas larger postcards are usually 6″ x 11″ in size—the difference in size may be noticeable.
Use Canva to create your own postcard without any graphic design experience. It’s a free, drag-and-drop graphic design tool with hundreds of postcard designs to let you create your own postcard quickly and effortlessly. Use the samples on this page to help you personalize your campaign.
Canva is a great place to start.
(Image courtesy of Canva)
2. Consider Sending Mail in Unusual Sizes
A piece of mail that someone doesn’t normally get might pique someone’s curiosity in the same way that an enlarged postcard can. Instead of sending out postcards, consider establishing a brochure direct mail campaign. A brochure allows you to provide extra information. You still want to keep it clean and concise to avoid inundating the receiver with too much information. Restaurants sending their menus combined with a voucher for first-time clients is one of the greatest brochure examples.
(Photo courtesy of Freepik)
3. On every direct mail, use short URLs or promo codes.
You must offer a URL for visitors to input if you want to generate traffic to your site. If you use a lengthy address, individuals are more likely to input it incorrectly and give up, or never bother. Provide a landing page or pop-up with a box for the promo code to help you monitor the performance of your campaign. It’s simple for both your new lead and you.
Wix, a website builder, has a free QR code generator that allows you to create your own QR code pictures. Simply follow the instructions to add the page to which the QR code should refer, and then save the picture to use on printed documents.
4. Pique Curiosity by Placing Objects Inside Envelopes
When sifting through mail, a person employs many senses to select what to retain and examine further, and what to discard right away. A little item inserted within an otherwise flat piece of mail might cause a person to stop. A penny, gift card, phony credit card, USB drive, and other direct mail inserts, to mention a few, have all been effective direct mail marketing initiatives.
(Photo courtesy of Red Paper Plane)
5. Distribute on-brand items
There are several direct mail ideas and examples for branded things that might be beneficial to your small company. The finest advice is to provide memorable goods to consumers and prospective prospects. Anything you can put your brand on that makes sense for your company will work. A toy business may send branded paper aircraft, an office supply store could send a branded red stapler (extra points for millennials who get the “Office Space” joke), or anything else that matches your brand.
6. Send Existing Customers Birthday & Anniversary Savings
In every advertising effort, timing is crucial, and direct mail marketing initiatives are no exception. People often search for additional discounts around birthdays and anniversaries. Send consumers unique discount coupons or promo codes to commemorate their special day to keep your company front of mind.
Why not launch an email campaign instead? Send birthday savings coupons by email and direct mail, then compare the results. A greater response from an email campaign is possible, yet promotional emails sometimes get buried in the inbox bustle. Direct mail has a greater response rate than email.
7. Provide new customers with something they’ll want to keep.
Magnets have long been popular among small businesses. They’re light, so shipping isn’t too expensive. You can personalize them by adding your contact information, and they’re really helpful. Consider gifting something that simply reminds them of your business, such as a stress ball (Design Pickle sent new customers stress pickles, which is unique).
(I am the source.)
8. Focus on what customers get rather than what you have.
One of the finest marketing strategies is to figure out what your consumers want and how they’ll profit from doing business with you. Rather of focusing on what your company has, consider what clients would get from working with you. An air conditioner repair firm can fix your air conditioner, but a postcard campaign emphasizing availability 24/7 (“Get your A/C working—yes, even at 3 a.m.”) is an excellent direct mail concept.
9. Send personalized cookies to your most loyal customers
Although postcards are often associated with direct mail, you have a number of creative choices. Out-of-the-box alternatives, such as personalized sugar cookies with your brand, are available from several direct mailing businesses. Because this is a more expensive choice, you should keep it for a smaller client retention or returning-customer campaign.
(Photo courtesy of OvernightPrints)
10. Use die-cut brochures to provide variety to your direct mail campaign.
Brochures are an excellent direct mail option. Because they’re light and don’t need envelopes, they’re less expensive to ship than other marketing materials. With die-cutting, you can make your brochure stand out even more. Some printers use this option to give your brochure a distinct appearance and feel, which may entice someone to examine your campaign more closely.
PsPrint provides bespoke die-cutting, allowing you to collaborate with your direct mail provider and printer to get the precise form you need for your marketing campaign. The organization charges a flat price of $45 for design assistance, and you’ll need to acquire a unique quotation for your job.
(Image courtesy of Avenue Print Management)
11. Send Coupons (& Coupon Codes) Attached to Postcards
Attach coupons to your postcard direct mail campaign to make the most of it. A real coupon might help you attract customers to your shop and encourage them to make a purchase. A coupon, according to almost 90% of millennials polled, might persuade them to try a new brand (86 percent of Gen X, 78 percent of Gen Z, and 76 percent of baby boomers agreed). Digital coupons are very popular, having recently overtaken paper coupons in popularity.
12. Consider launching an EDDM campaign.
Finding a new audience for your company might be difficult, but launching an Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) campaign is simple—and inexpensive. Postcards or jumbo mailers may be used to target a city or ZIP code, allowing you to cast a broad net. There’s no need to buy a mailing list, and it’s approximately half the price of regular mail. Because you’re targeting a particular ZIP code, you may target a location-based audience with an EDDM campaign.
After making a large purchase or relocating to a new location, you may get EDDM in your mailbox. If your address changes, you purchase a home, or you buy a vehicle, marketers may have access to that information. If you purchased a home, you may get mailers from home goods shops, and if you purchased a vehicle, you may receive postcards from insurance providers.
13. Add Interactivity to Your Email
Sorting through mail at the end of the day is sometimes seen as a tedious task. You may break up the monotony by making your marketing materials interactive and entertaining. Consider your company and how you can make an engaging mailer that is still relevant to your sector. Scratch-off parts that disclose a savings might be appealing. Even a folded card with a 3D pop-up inside might draw attention.
(Image courtesy of Streamworks)
14. Make Your Direct Mail Campaign More Personal
Although it may seem self-evident, one of the finest direct mail ideas is to address your recipients by name. You utilize first names in your email marketing efforts, and you should do the same with a direct mail marketing campaign. Even with only a first name, personalizing (rather than remarketing) may have a significant influence on consumers.
Personalization may also contain information about a customer’s purchasing preferences. A high-end jeweler or a local museum membership can be a nice fit for someone who just acquired a luxury automobile. And you earn a greater return on investment (ROI) when you go personal—up to 200 percent.
15. Make a couple of coupons—one for now and another for later.
Offering various coupons on a single piece of direct mail is a terrific method to see which discount is most popular with your audience. It’s akin to cheap A/B testing. A $10 off promo code would be appropriate for new consumers, while a 20% off offer might be ideal for someone looking to stock up on something. They should, in theory, apply one discount now and the other subsequently.
16. Make a statement with bold designs.
From bold headlines to die-cut items, there are numerous ways to make your mailer stand out. Because the style of your direct mail is just as essential as the content, if you don’t have an in-house designer, you may want to consider hiring a freelancer from Fiverr to develop a professional-looking postcard, brochure, or catalog.
Also, although it may be tempting to mention all of the reasons why your company is the finest, you want your consumers to know that you can accomplish anything in your sector from A to Z. It’s preferable to keep the content and design as basic as possible. Give your direct mail recipients just one path to the call to action. More information is available in your shop or on your website.
(Image courtesy of Zazzle)
17. Make your mail seem like it came from a friend.
All you have to do is glance in your own mailbox to see that the vast majority of mail received in the United States looks the same. A bill, an advertisement, and a personal letter are all immediately distinguishable. Making your marketing pieces seem like ordinary mail is one direct mail strategy. Send a bright greeting card with the words “current residence” omitted from the front of the envelope. You reinforce your branding with each consumer, be sure to utilize business letterhead.
For a high response rate, provide clear calls to action.
Your direct mail, like any marketing email or landing page, should feature a clear call to action (CTA). There are many techniques to guarantee that the reader does what you want them to do. Bold typefaces, vibrant colors, and a CTA box at the top of your postcard or mailer are all good ideas. It’s also crucial to make things simple—give your consumers a single location to learn more about your company or receive a discount.
19. Create a Handwritten Postcard Stamp
One of the most intimate methods to communicate with someone via direct mail is with a handwritten letter. If you have a huge email list, it is also quite time demanding. Getting a bespoke stamp on the back of a postcard with your ad material in a custom, handwritten typeface (maybe the CEO’s handwriting) is one approach to save time. Yes, you could simply print the postcards with a typical handwritten font, but ink adds that additional personal touch.
(Image courtesy of Zazzle)
Sending out catalogs or free samples is number 20.
There are a variety of direct mail ideas that might work for your business, such as catalogs if you sell tangible goods (it could even work for digital products, if you offer multiple options). A catalog has a longer shelf life and is effective—according to a USPS research, catalogs may persuade 60 percent to 67 percent of customers to visit a company’s website. A free sample shows your brand and goods to potential customers, perhaps leading to additional purchases.
How to Launch a Direct Mail Marketing Campaign
A direct mail marketing campaign, like any other marketing effort, begins with a purpose. Determine what you want to achieve with your direct mail campaign, whether it’s to increase site or foot traffic, increase subscriptions, sales, or sign-ups. Then you’ll need a mailing list, a printer to print your postcards or other mailers, and any extras like inserts, QR codes, or other means to measure your campaign’s progress.
The following are the stages to launching a direct mail campaign:
- Establish a campaign objective.
- Create a mailing list with different segments.
- Select the sort of direct mail you want to send.
- Use a graphic design tool like Canva to create your design, or hire a professional.
- Locate a direct mail provider, such as Vistaprint, that meets your requirements.
- Utilize promo codes, QR codes, and landing pages to monitor the success of your campaign, or use real coupons to track the success of your campaign.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Most Commonly Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which direct mail services are the most effective?
The most effective direct mail services begin with design and conclude with printing or sending. If you just have a small mailing list, you may choose to invest your marketing money on the finest design and materials possible and handle the mailing yourself. Otherwise, you may discover a business that will take care of everything for you—all you have to do is give a mailing list (or purchase one from the service). Find the most appropriate direct mail service for your needs.
How can you make direct mail marketing more effective?
Begin by identifying your target demographic, as you would with any marketing effort. Segment your audience and send the relevant message, discount, or offer to the right people. Make your direct mail stand out among the various letters that individuals get. Also, make sure you keep track of your campaign’s success. You may boost your results by combining email marketing with direct mail.
How much of your direct mail is really opened?
Up to 90% of direct mail gets opened, according to the Direct Mail Association (formerly ANA). Use innovative and strong marketing materials to boost the effectiveness of your direct mail campaign.
Conclusion
The most effective direct mail ideas are those that are relevant to your company and marketing budget. To keep on track, start with a goal for what you want to accomplish with your direct mail campaign. Using the direct mail ideas above as a starting point might help you come up with fresh and innovative ways to reach out to your consumers, clients, and new prospects. If you want further assistance, you can hire a graph designer for as low as $5 on Fiverr.
Visit Fiverr.com for more information.
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Direct mail marketing is a great way to market your business. It’s inexpensive, and it can also be done in person or online. Here are 20 ideas for direct mail marketing that you should use in 2022. Reference: direct mail marketing for small business.
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