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The Power of Direct Mail in the Digital Age

direct mail

“Squeezably soft”
“Finger licking good”
“Just do it”
“Where’s the beef”
“Melts in your mouth, not in your hands”

Nearly everyone over 50 recognizes those phrases. They are some of the most memorable advertising phrases of all time. It’s interesting to note when you go online and look at the list of the best advertising slogans, most of them are quite old. Why? Years ago, we were exposed to relatively few ads which likely means consumers paid more attention to each one. Fast forward to the digital/online/social media/smartphone world of today and the average consumer will see more than three hundred various advertisements in the first hour after they wake up for the day.

The odds are against you

Is it any wonder consumers now have an almost automatic screening process to ignore advertisements? Research shows about 2%, 20 out of every 1,000, of ad exposures make any real impact on consumers. This is a really long way of explaining why Duffy Marketing is such a big believer in using direct mail advertising to cut through the digital clutter.

Cutting through the clutter

In this world of junked-up email inboxes, pausing video ads on websites, and hitting the “skip ad” button on YouTube, how should advertisers respond? Certainly, direct mail is part of the solution. When direct mail arrives in the home the recipient is almost forced to glance at it and read a portion of it. Research shows printed materials make more of an impression than digital. The mailing can be as simple as a postcard, informative like a seasonal newsletter, or as complex as a gift box to lure in new customers.

Integration is important

No one is recommending that you put all your marketing budget into just direct mail. One key to success utilizing this proven communication strategy is to have a supporting digital integration strategy. This refers to a mail campaign working with and complementing different digital marketing products. Duffy Marketing is excited to be offering a the newest technology with an automated program we call Duffy Mail Integration or DMI. With your direct mail campaign you can now receive Google ads targeted at your mailing list before during and after the mailing, Informed delivery email from the USPS (millions are signed up for this service increasing daily), social accounts identified and complimenting ads to your direct mail campaign are shown to your mailing list and their friends, a Google and Social retargeting ad campaign with an unlimited count for 60 days following your mailing, tracking of the entire mailing list down to the household level, and complete visibility to your results. There are many other ways to accomplish digital integration such as utilizing your website and email list. One example: You send out a direct mail offer for 25% off an HVAC tune-up. A week later you follow up with an email reinforcing that strong call to action and maybe sweetening the pot by adding an additional discount. The email creates a heightened sense of urgency and potential benefits for the customer. 

A single mailing is not marketing

Just like any form of marketing, direct mail and DMI require a commitment. Our experience at Duffy Marketing is that it will take seven to nine repetitions on average to get the attention of a prospect. Do NOT mail one campaign and then give up. Whatever the response on your first piece, it usually increases exponentially on each additional direct mail campaign.

Let’s get the party started

Are you ready to explore the possibilities of what DMI can do for your business? Call Duffy Marketing today and together we will design a plan to help your business thrive in these trying times. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.