Many businesses utilize direct mail and print materials to market their products.
Indeed, since the emergence of the internet, there has been some oscillation between online and offline marketing strategies. But just because certain companies are no longer using specific channels doesn’t mean they aren’t useful anymore. There could even be some missed opportunities if you ignore offline channels.
Technology has made marketing more efficient and targeted than ever. And interestingly, old-school methods can be enhanced by new-school tech. Marketing automation and direct mail are perfect examples.
Tracking Your Direct Mail Efforts
One of the most important aspects of direct mail campaigns is tracking. Most businesses are running multiple marketing campaigns at the same time. This can make it difficult to know how prospects and customers are finding you.
One way companies used to make this work was by registering a new telephone number and having respondents call in using the unique number. Then you would know prospects learned about your services from your direct mail ad.
But today, you don’t have to pay for the additional costs of a secondary phone line and the staff required to answer it. All you need is a unique landing page, or URL people can visit to learn about your offer. Then you know the traffic coming to that page was a direct result of your ad campaign.
Building a Relationship With Your Leads and Closing the Sale
Just like with visitors coming to your website, not all people who see your ad are necessarily ready to buy. They are interested, but they might still be evaluating their options. Most businesses don’t jump right into the sale, especially online. They often give away a free PDF, eBook, whitepaper, or report first. You could also take this same approach with your campaign, prompting recipients of your ad to claim their free download. Also with direct mail.
This is where lead nurturing comes in. Lead nurturing is much easier to accomplish using marketing automation, which can put the process on autopilot. You don’t have to send out emails, notifications, invitations, reminders, or downloads manually. They can be sent out using a preset schedule or based on their interactions with your emails and website. You can automatically move your subscribers to different lists based on emails opened, downloads claimed, webinars watched, and so on. Then you would set up different sequences for each list.
This is a great way to take an offline relationship online and guide your prospects down your sales funnel. Warm, qualified leads are easier to convert than those who are still unsure about their problem and possible solutions.
Automating Your Print Campaigns
Another way to incorporate your direct mail campaigns with marketing automation is direct integration. So, you could continue to communicate with prospects who responded to your original ad using print. For better or for worse, there aren’t too many marketing automation tools that make this possible.
But it would work much the same way a sequence of emails would. Based on the initial response of the lead, you would then put them on a list to receive additional offers. Just like with your emails, you could invite them to get on a call, join a webinar, or go to your website to claim a download as they move down the funnel.
This option isn’t for everybody, but it’s good to know it’s a possibility. With so much moving online, it could help you cut through the noise. On the downside, it could also be more expensive.
Final Thoughts
Don’t miss out on opportunities to integrate your direct mail and online strategies. This can help you build more awareness for your business. It also gives you more channels to tap into.