Direct Mail is not dead
Incredibly, 205 billion email messages are sent per day – that’s almost 2.4 million emails sent every second! Email marketing, in particular, has experienced a renaissance of sorts with advent of smart phones and there’s no debating that it’s a very cheap way of reaching people quickly. But there’s also another way to boost your response rates: direct mail.
On the whole, and it may surprise you, people almost always glance at their snail mail and think about what to do with it (rather than just tossing it into the trash). In fact, according to the Data & Marketing Association (formerly the Direct Marketing Association), 70-80% of consumers say they open almost all of their mail – including “junk” mail — and 79% of consumers act immediately on direct mail (versus 45 % for emails.)
Direct Mail stands out
Because marketers have been increasingly relying on email – a mail piece landing on your prospect’s desk really STANDS OUT now. You can also do more with direct mail because it comes in all shapes and sizes: a 4-color postcard, a business letter on company letterhead, or a clever giveaway or direct mail piece delivered Priority Mail or via FedEx can be especially effective.
MAKE IT COUNT
To create a direct mail piece that will garner a response, you need to consider the following: your list, your message, defining a clear next step, your success metrics, and the possibility of the direct mail piece as one component of a larger campaign effort.
The target list
You must have the right target list. Period. 50% of the success is based on the quality of the list, 30% is the offer or promotion and only 20% is attributed to the creative. It’s the list that matters most.
The Message
You must have the right target list. Period. 50% of the success is based on the quality of the list, 30% is the offer or promotion and only 20% is attributed to the creative. It’s the list that matters most.
The call to action
Your call to action must be clear. What do you want the prospect to do next? Call today. Visit a website. Redeem a promotion. Make it as easy as possible for your prospect to take the next step. Make this call to action very explicit on the marketing piece.
The measurements
Get clear on your success metrics. Use unique URLs and phone numbers to capture the exact response rates for your direct mail efforts. Keep in mind, people hang on to their mail pieces for longer than email – it has a longer shelf life.
an integrated approach
According to NowSourcing for United Mail, customers spend 25% more when businesses use both direct mail and email marketing in combination. A follow-up email or print ad to your direct mail piece may be a trigger for the customer to act. It takes repetition for consumers to remember — and believe — your marketing messages.
g3 medical marketing can help
G3 Medical Marketing specializes in downstream marketing for med tech, healthcare IT, hospitals and provider networks. We provide strategy and execution services to drive growth and sales performance. Build and move your pipeline now. To learn more, visit www.G3medicalmarketing.com.
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