For all the talk of Direct Mail being dead (killed by a mob of its digital counterparts), the platform is making a show of remaining a relevant and surprisingly effective marketing tool.
The Direct Mail Marketing Association states that 56% of people still feel getting mail is a “real pleasure” and 67% of people find Direct Mail more personal than any internet platforms. The medium, for better or worse, is associated with nostalgia and an old fashioned way of doing things. Using that emotional engagement to effectively interact with the public is the cornerstone to any good Direct Mail strategy.
[row] [two_thirds_column]Mailbox Surprise – Receiving Positive Direct Mail
When we retrieve mail at work or at home we anticipate only a couple types of items: good news or bad news. Marketing flyers and adverts fall into these sames categories. Either the recipient will be engaged with the mail they have in front of them, or they’ll toss it in recycling. Presenting audiences with print that catches their attention in the time it takes to flip through a pile of envelopes can be accomplished through a number of tactics:
Unlike other digital forms of advertising where potential customers are searching for your services, direct mail takes the initiative onto itself. Often receiving pleasant, but unanticipated contact from a company is enough to illicit intrigue from the recipient.
And unlike its email counterpart, direct mail has the advantage of space. Email boxes fill up daily with a number of items the recipient is getting in the habit of ignoring, due to high volume and repetition. On an email, there is only the company name and subject line from which to draw people in. Direct mail can be as versatile in appearance, shape, and presentation as the marketing strategy envisions (as long as it’s still of deliverable size).
Waiting Game – Building Anticipation for Direct Mail
Waiting factors heavily into Direct Mail marketing. Businesses must wait for their ads to be delivered. People receive mail once a day and have to wait on it being delivered to their address. Recipients must wait until they can open the envelope or unfold the flyer to see what goods lay on the inside. There is a lingering sense of surprise when we take a bundle of paper out of our mailbox, during which time people tend to be especially attentive. The feeling of anticipation benefits Direct Mail marketing in a way that other instantly accessible platforms can’t match. People have to go through the act of unwrapping their “gifts”, drawing out that subconscious excitement we associate with receiving something special.
To Have And To Hold – Tactile Function
Part of the lure of “unwrapping” mail comes from the pleasure we take in being able to manipulate objects for consideration. Touching things (in the real world) helps us process and retain information. It creates a multi-dimensional memory by enlisting more than one of our senses. Opening mail incorporates sights, sounds, and often smells – providing ample sensory opportunities to reach your customers and pique their interest.
Comfort In What Is Familiar – Established and Trustworthy
Since snail mail is one of the older marketing avenues, and possibly because it originated in a simpler era of communications, there is a great deal of trust afforded to Direct Mail that is not shown to other platforms. With online privacy issues, there is a growing distrust of email methods due to the ease and anonymity it affords the sender and because of the very complex consequences for the recipient of ill-intended digital interactions. Direct mail is vetted first by a marketing company, then a printing press, and also by your local mail carrier. People trust in checks and balances, especially when spending money, and direct mail offers more checks than most.
Direct Mail may seem like a relic, but its relevancy resides in its ability to connect with the public on an emotional level. There are gimmicks and strategies that play to these emotions – unique visuals, lumpy bits, exclusive deals – all novelties that catch the attention of each recipient and draw them in for further consideration. Knowing which strategies will work for your industry and your business is knowledge in-hand for marketing agencies. CM2 Media is experienced at matching your marketing budget to an effective strategy that will fits your goals. We have an established partnership with Canada Post, with prefered rates for our clients’ campaigns. And we know how to make your dollar travel furthest in any Direct Mail marketing scenario.