How Should You Follow Up on Direct Mail Advertising?
The effectiveness of direct mail campaigns has improved recently. Due to technological advancement, direct mail advertising is no longer expensive, untraceable, or even unorganized. Thereby mail marketers can achieve direct mail advertising through automation and data segmentation. Scroll below and comprehend how you should follow up on direct mail advertising for overall success.
What is Direct Mail Advertising
This is a form of direct marketing whereby mails are delivered physically to prospects’ mailboxes. Brands may send postcards, flyers, or catalogs through the United States Postal service or other reliable delivery service providers. Digitally, prospects can also be reached via email advertising.
Direct mailers enable you to create more personalized and authentic outreach to your prospects. Perfecting the art of direct mail campaigns enhances engagement.
Following Up on Direct Mail Campaigns
As a mail marketer, you might sometimes fail in attaining the desired results. Reaching out to your prospects is very crucial in fulfilling successful campaigns. Failing to follow up with your recipients directly implicates poor campaigns.
Mail marketers fail to deploy proper follow-up mechanisms; thus, respondents and prospects that had shown interest move on as they forget the brand. Brands should push hard to get in touch with their prospects regularly. According to a sales study, 81% of company sales usually occur on the fifth contact.
Companies should also follow up with prospects who received mail pieces but didn’t respond. It’s on very rare occasions will you receive an order immediately after the mail gets to the candidate. Therefore, you need to conduct at least 2 to three direct mail campaigns to target prospects.
Following and persuading mail recipients to reply the more you create a robust communication channel which may, in turn, be a point of sale. A well-organized follow-up strategy leads to more responses. More responses promote increased sales plus better direct mail campaign ROI.
Follow-up at the right time gives you an upper hand to convince the recipient to try out your product. It is imperative to reach out to your target recipient in every way possible. Prioritize the prospects and maintain a balance across all the targets.
Effective Follow-Up Plans
Modernization of direct mail infrastructure and operations.
Move direct mail marketing system from the good (but old and ineffective) manual mode to digital platforms. Use automated tracking modes. Track the delivery status of your mail to know when the recipient receives your item easily.
Follow up through a wide array of marketing channels.
This has always been the trick to follow up. Use social media, text, or email to follow your target prospects. Ideally, some prospects may be inactive on social media but active via mail. Contrary, other prospects may be active on social media but don’t check on emails.
Call every recipient.
Some recipients may fail to respond upon receiving your mailer. At the same time, others take the bold step to call you up once they receive your mail piece. If your prospect gets in touch with you, you don’t have to call them as you can now engage the sales representative for further convincing. Contrary, if you are yet to hear from your recipients via any online channel, you can call them up. Always ensure to call the recipients after they receive your item at least three times in a span of two weeks.
Assign a sales representative to every recipient.
This creates a strong cohesion between a target and the company. When recipients call, they know whom to talk to. Long-term relationships are developed as trust between target prospects, and sales representatives interact politely. Let your sales representatives say phrases like “Hey, I would like to confirm if you received our mail piece.”
Create a timeline.
Timelines are crucial in optimizing resources used in direct mail advertising. Crafting a timeline enhances the likelihood of a greater return on investment (ROI). Set a reasonable time after your mailers are delivered. Follow up on your prospect and make it personable and personalized. Customizing content promotes high-quality customer retention and referrals. Personalize message based on contact data and account.
Send direct emails on specific dates.
Take advantage of particular time frames such as holidays and birthdays. Special events prompt shopping and celebration. Integrate offers on the direct emails. You can purchase address lists for demographic groups such as new homeowners to optimize campaigns during special days. Offer discounts as a way to show gratitude for the people who allow you to reach milestones.
Set up an email drip campaign.
Send a follow-up email as a way to connect with your mail recipients. Direct mail combined with an email promotes the overall campaign effectiveness. Drop an email when you can’t get in touch with the prospect. Consider reinstating your message and call to action within your emails.
Confirm receipt of your direct mail package.
Always counter-check whether the package has arrived before follow-up. Ensure the addresses are properly formatted and up-to-date so that your packages arrive at the target prospect.
Double down your remarketing campaign.
Use social channels after receiving your direct mailer. Marketing is more effective when carried out across multiple platforms. Utilize the online social channels to enhance the efforts of direct mailers. Upon sending your hardcopy to target recipients’, consider following up with a digital approach. Integrate digital coupons on social platforms to nudge your leads more closely. Regularly remind your audience of the message of the campaign.
Track the effectiveness of your mailer campaigns.
Analytics from responses received can be used to track your advertisement. You will be able to identify what’s working well regarding the advertising. Ideally, you can also create a special landing page for prospective customers who receive the mailers.
Benefits of Following Up after Direct Mail Advertising
- Improved credibility in the market
- A continuous flow of revenue
- A high number of target prospects increases leads in sales
- Increased brand awareness and visibility
Conclusion
Direct mail advertising doesn’t come to a halt once your mailers get delivered. Not following up with your prospects could be the main reason behind poor marketing results. Follow up with your recipients to optimize return on investment. The rule of repetition is the secret way to boost direct mail advertising.