9 Ideas for Marketing “Inside the Box”
Canada Post is taking great steps to assists businesses that chose to utilize direct mail marketing techniques in the most effective, simple, and affordable ways. Businesses have a variety of options when it comes to using the power of direct mail; with new and innovative online services offered by Canada Post it is no mystery as to why business owners are looking to take advantage of building their business and reaching their audience through traditional means using very modern practices.
Deciding to implement a direct mail campaign into your marketing strategy is a simple way to reach more customers and polish your overall marketing strategy. Through data-driven target profiles you can literally place your products and services in the hands of customers most likely to buy. Take a look at a few of these ideas for improving your direct mail efforts with minimum cost and quick planning.
1. Track everything.
As you build direct mail printables and material consider how you will track the effectiveness of your campaign. The more creative you get the more likely your results will be positive. For example rather than a simple 800 number try something innovative. could use a fun and captivating tracking URL such as www.footloose.com.
2. Create innovative ways to connect with your customers.
The most effective parts of marketing is engaging your audience and discovering ways to improve your service or product to better address their needs. Utilize social media to help you reach your customers directly. Offer incentives for “liking your page” or “sharing” about their experience with your company and brand.
3. Detail and plan your sales funnel.
Avoid simply running a direct mail campaign that does not include a detailed and straightforward plan on where, when, and how your audience will interact with your company once they respond to your call to action. If the action is “liking” your brand on Facebook then monitor the new likes and welcome them personally. If the action is using a tracked URL create a landing page that captures their basic information; ensuring you can keep in touch with them to share about your new products, specials, or discounts.
4. Encourage unique behaviors and innovative ways to use your products or service.
The most relevant and share worthy content is unique and original. If you offer a tangible product consider asking your customers to share other random ways they use it and snap a picture of them using it. For example, an eCommerce shoe store would likely discover that their shoes are being used as improvised hammers and insect eliminators. Content that is creative and relatable with traces of subtle humor is the most shared content on the web nowadays; if you add an incentive to your campaign you will naturally gain a boost a bit faster.
5. Prepare for the crowd.
Being prepared is part of the marketing strategy that is often ignored or overlooked. As you seek to acquire new business implement ways and practices that will help support your new business volume. If your campaign is as successful as you hope you will need to have staff and operational procedures in place to support its success and to protect your brand thus ensuring positive customer experiences.
6. Observe changes in your niche and adjust as needed.
Some of the most innovative ideas come from your competition. Avoid directly snagging ideas but rather use their innovative approaches for reaching or acquiring customers as inspiration to develop and build your own. Maintain your brand’s reputation while introducing new ways to connect to your customers such as cutests baby competitions with your product or service as award or best Christmas tree contests and the winner receives a 50 percent off coupon.
7. Use color to draw attention to your direct mailers.
Often we find that certain psychological colors are missing from printed materials that evoke responses. Keep in mind that each color has a psychological influence on the human brain and thus it is imperative to include certain colors to create urgency or inspire. Shades of red evoke the need to take action and demand attention, yellow encourages energy and friendliness, blues are great when trying to convey stability and confidence. For example reds are typically used for promoting discounts and savings because you want your audience to act right away and partake in your sale, blues are ideal for professional letterheads used for pitch letters or invitations to particular events and yellow is ideal for building a sound community and connecting or engaging directly with customers.
8. Include pictures of some sort.
Icons are great but actual pictures and images of your products, services, or team members are improved ways to capture attention. People respond to other people. Select images that are tasteful yet risky, inspiring yet challenging, confident yet friendly. The saying is true “Pictures say a 1,000 words” and even more so when used appropriately in your direct mail campaign. Variable-data printing also enables you to send customized prints without having to rework or rebuild campaigns to make connections with your customers more personal.
9. Reward loyalty to inspire connecting with your brand.
Every direct mail campaign requires unique and simple ways that inspire a response. Offering rewards and tangible benefits to customers is a sure way to capture attention and get your customers engaging with your company. Whether you receive further questions about your rewards and incentives or simply increase your websites traffic during your direct mail campaign your rewards will grab attention and inspire your customers to connect with you.
As you consider the multiple ways your company can develop and incorporate direct mail campaigns into your existing marketing efforts remember that this very traditional technique for marketing products and services is effective and in many ways will deliver a more positive return on investment due to the incorporation of modern software and marketing approaches.
In the Epilson 2012 Channel Preference Study 65 percent of Canadians reported that they enjoyed receiving postal mail from brands about new products and 67 percent of Canadians preferred direct mail advertisements because they could review the information at their own convenience. Direct mail is effective and delivers a tangible return on investment that will give any marketing campaign a boost. Incorporate direct mail into your strategy and enjoy more tangible ways to measure your campaigns success.
