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Posts Tagged ‘direct mail’

Direct Mail Still Effective, and Can Be Valuable Complement to Other Platforms

Editor’s Note: Today’s post was written by Mark Hasland and originally appeared on the Overnight Prints blog. It is reprinted here with permission.

Despite all the hype about social media, marketers seem not to be convinced of its effectiveness, and many are still relying on traditional marketing platforms such as direct mail, said a recent study.

According to a report from Massachusetts-based BluePoint Venture Marketing, just 19 percent of marketers surveyed said that establishing a social media presence was an important company marketing goal in 2009.

Meanwhile, more than half of respondents – 52 percent – said that direct mail was an effective branding and awareness vehicle.

Yet even the growing popularity of social media shouldn’t be a threat to the existence – or the effectiveness – of direct mail; experts say that integrated marketing campaigns – those that promote a consistent brand and message across a variety of platforms – are typically the most effective.

Scott Buresh, founder and CEO of organic search engine optimization company Medium Blue, agrees. In an article for Promotion World, Buresh said that using a combination of online and offline marketing can provide the best results.

“Nobody can deny that the advent of various internet marketing methods has been a game-changer,” he wrote. “Some forms of traditional advertising may even be on their last legs. Trade show attendance is down. Magazines and newspapers are in decline. I can’t remember the last time a door-to-door salesperson came up to my house.”

However, he added that some channels “still can provide exceptional returns.” Even Medium Blue, which is based entirely on online marketing, uses direct mail – Buresh admits that “direct mail, done properly, still works for us.”

Integrated marketing can be so effective because each platform essentially cross-promotes itself. For example, companies can add Facebook and LinkedIn links to their email campaigns, and can promote a Facebook campaign in their postcard mailings.

At its most basic, all companies should make sure to have a link to their website on all business cards, brochures and other printed materials.

Experts add that integrated marketing campaigns are only as successful as they are consistent – campaigns that promote different messages and feature different brand voices work separately at best (thereby negating the effects of cross-promotion) and against each other at worst.

At the very least, Buresh noted, using a variety of different marketing channels ensures that companies do not “put all of their eggs in the online basket.”

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Direct Mail Has Several Advantages Over Newer Forms of Marketing

Editor’s Note: Today’s post was written by Mark Hasland and originally appeared on the Overnight Prints blog. It is reprinted here with permission.

With the internet easily accessible to more than 200 million Americans, marketing trends are increasingly shifting to digital. However, even in today’s web-dependent world, direct mail still plays an integral role in reaching new audiences.

This contrast can most clearly be seen in the political realm. While President Barack Obama used social media platforms, like YouTube and Facebook, to connect with many Americans, countless other politicians utilize direct mail to appeal to potential voters.

This is the case with many of this year’s gubernatorial campaigns for candidates in Minnesota. Members of both Democratic Farmers Labor and Independence parties are launching direct mail campaigns leading up to the August 10th primaries, reports Politics in Minnesota.

“If you’re looking at the different mediums to talk to voters, by far the most effective is direct voter contact, door to door and on the phones. Direct mail fits into that as well, because it’s a very targeted message to specific voters,” Jaime Tincher, campaign manager for DFL’s Margaret Kelliher.

Targeting largely factors into why direct mail is so popular among many candidates. Direct mail allows campaigners to target certain demographics with relevant messages, maximizing the impact a message can have among distinct groups.

In addition to that, direct mail can also target specific voters, creating personal connections that broadcast marketing often can’t generate. With direct mail, campaigners can reduce the amount of marketing dollars spent on people that are likely not to vote and more efficiently target those who will.

Because it’s such a direct platform, many candidates also use mail for fundraising initiatives. With the exception of holding an event with the candidate in attendance, direct mail is the best way of finding people that agree with a position that would make a contribution, says Tincher.

Expense is another large part of why direct mail is so popular among politicians. Direct mail is a fraction of the price of television campaigns. While a TV message could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, direct mail initiatives are often no more than a few thousand dollars.

So what can a savvy small business owner take away from these politicians? There are certain advantages that physical envelopes and brochures have over intangible digital messages. Direct mail can often be used to create personal relationships and cement a brand’s reputation among consumers. Additionally, targeting different segments of potential customers with specific messages is also an advantage that direct mail has over other channels, like TV.

At Dukky, we recognize that both direct mail and digitial marketing have unique advantages. In our view, an integrated approach is the way to go because it provides marketers with the best of both worlds.

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PURL Case Study Roundup

Personalized URLs (pURLs) are an effective way to increase response rates on direct mail and email campaigns. By including the names of your customers, pURLs make your marketing feel more, well, personal-and that makes your customers more likely to respond.

At Dukky, we know that pURLs are a powerful marketing tool, and we increase their value even more by adding social sharing capabilities and powerful analytics.

This a roundup of case studies of direct marketing campaigns that have successfully used pURLs to increase response. Some of these case studies are ours, but not all of them-my aim with this post is to create a resource for marketers who are interested in learning more about pURLs. If you know of any applicable case studies not mentioned here, feel free to post them in the comments.

Clearview Mall- In this campaign, Dukky helped Clearview Mall get over an 8% response rate. Previously, Clearview Mall considered a 1% response rate to be something to celebrate.

Cafe Express- a 17% response rate using Dukky.

Bra Genie/Canada Flowers- Two email campaigns, one with a 19% response rate and one with a 26% response rate.

Variable Thinking’s PURL Case Study Collection- A collection of 11 case studies from variable printing.

University of Alabama- A good, in-depth case study of how the University of Alabama used pURLs to increase football season ticket renewals.

Gore-Tex- A look at how Gore-Tex used pURLs to generate a 16% increase in sales.

VMI Foundation- This case study describes how the VMI Foundation used pURLs along with email and direct mail to create a more effective fundraising campaign.

CEA Marketing Case Study- Describes how a Gulf Coast waterfront resort created a successful direct mail/email campaign using pURLs.

Rosemont College: A look at how Rosemont College used a pURL-based campaign to reconnect with alumni.

And a couple of slide shows:

Cross-Media Marketing Case Study #1

View more presentations from Fuse CrossMedia.

White Cloud Marketing | Lakota Social Media Case Study | Oakville Social Media | Dukky

View more presentations from White Cloud Marketing.

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Using Direct Mail Marketing Techniques on Facebook

Editor’s Note: Today’s post was written by Mark Hasland and originally appeared on the Overnight Prints blog. It is reprinted here with permission.

Though direct mail marketing is still one of the best ways to ensure a marketing message gets the attention it deserves, Facebook is quickly becoming a popular ad platform amongst businesses of all sizes. With more than 400 million users registered for the service, it’s easy to see why. Small businesses have especially taken to the idea of Facebook, with a recent survey conducted by Employers indicating that 53 percent of small business owners think that Facebook is an important marketing tool.

Utilizing Facebook successfully, though, is another matter entirely. Most businesses struggle with the implementation of Facebook into their marketing campaign. A recent article on MarketingProfs.com suggests that small businesses use the same techniques used in their direct mail marketing campaigns to help maximize the effectiveness of their Facebook page.

One key to success in direct mail marketing campaigns is utilizing a call to action. According to MarketingProfs.com, a Facebook fan page can be set up to greet fans and non-fans differently. Non-fans could be redirected to a page that includes a call to action to become a fan of the company.

In most direct mail marketing campaigns, a company will send some sort of limited-time offer or promotion to encourage a potential buyer to take action. Similarly, these promotions could be offered to fans of a Facebook page as well, suggests MarketingProfs.com. Businesses are allowed to add special areas to their Facebook page for promotions and shopping, which makes it extremely easy for a customer to act on buying impulses.

Direct marketing is a great way to send highly targeted messages, and Facebook can be used to send similar direct messages. A business owner could browse other groups and send messages to users, encouraging them to check out their own fan page.

A Facebook marketing campaign may be used to enhance a direct mail marketing campaign as well. A small business owner could make their Facebook page a jumping point for potential customers, allowing them to sign up for the company’s mailing list or request product information directly. Likewise, a direct mailing campaign should be used to bolster a social media campaign. By printing the Facebook page’s address on brochures and business cards, a business owner can encourage customers to engage them on the social media front as well. A savvy business owner will use both platforms to compliment each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

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Dukky in the news….

Dukky was recently featured by Target Marketing Tipline in an article, “Direct Mail Tune Up Gives Saturn of Greenville Better Lead Mileage” on their website. After a press release noting Dukky’s success in the automotive industry, Tipline wanted to feature the success on their site detailing the campaign further.

It’s always exciting to share our client’s success stories and hear first hand how impacting their campaigns are to their business. Our goal is always 2 things: Conversion and Redemption, and we refuse to stray from making sure our clients get both!

To view the article follow the link:

http://www.targetmarketingmag.com/article/direct-mail-tuneup-gives-saturn-greenville-better-lead-mileage/1

Thanks again to Target Marketing Magazine for featuring this campaign’s success on their site.

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Twitter, Facebook May Enhance Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns

Editor’s Note: Today’s post was written by Mark Hasland and originally appeared on the Overnight Prints blog. It is reprinted here with permission.

Despite the growing divide between social media and other forms of marketing, several of the top marketing firms are still finding uses for direct marketing campaigns. With the economic downturn hitting small businesses the hardest, it’s important for small business owners to integrate their different marketing platforms, and also make sure that their campaigns are engaging their consumers.

Business consultants maintain that distributing your marketing budget equally over all of your platforms is the best way to approach a campaign. As the popularity of social media marketing skyrockets, many firms get caught up favoring one form of marketing over the other. That could be a potential downfall, Gyro HSR Chief Operating Officer Richard Perry told Marketing Magazine. With the introduction of social media marketing, many businesses are forgetting to integrate both of their marketing arms into one campaign.

“A lot don’t integrate their marketing. The marketing departments are still organized how they were five years ago,” Perry says. “It is time for brands to reorganize internally.”

The key is to make sure that a small business owner’s marketing campaign is not only relevant to their intended audience, but that it actively engages them, says Mike Welsh, chief executive of Publicis Dialog. Social media relies heavily on the “participation nation,” as Welsh calls social media-ites, but tuned-out tweeters could be completely missing the message.

“Engage has become a buzzword, with direct and sales promotion agency bosses using it liberally,” Welsh told Marketing Magazine. “This could be dismissed as new business-seeking jargon, but, in fairness, it usefully describes the requirement for marketing messages to be a relevant and useful part of consumers’ lives.”

The takeaway here for a savvy small business owner is that a direct mail marketing campaign should be used to enhance a social media campaign, and vice versa. Small business owners can do this by reaching out to potential clients through direct mail marketing, but also including calls to action that reinforce their social media campaign.

For example, a promotional brochure could encourage prospects to follow them on Twitter, or become a fan of their product on Facebook. Likewise, social media should be leveraged in a way that would spur potential clients to request additional product information.

At Dukky, we’ve also seen that adding social sharing options to direct mail campaigns consistently results in dramatically improved response rates.

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Neuromarketing Study Supports the Effectiveness of Direct Mail

Editor’s note: Today’s post was written by Sharon Markovsky and was originally posted on her blog, Practical Discussions of Marketing. It is reprinted here with permission.

I was reading an article summarizing the findings of a new neuromarketing study conducted by Royal Mail through Millward Brown, employing the University of Bangor’s psychology department and fMRI (functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging), which sheds some light on how the marketing medium used can be just as important as the message when it comes to building an emotional connection with consumers.

And, I have to say I am pretty excited with the findings. They support the case I made in a prior blog, Direct Mail Is a Viable Option for Small Business, that direct mail can be an effective part of a company’s marketing mix—thus, direct mail is not dead!

While the research conducted was qualitative in nature, only 20 subjects studied, the results are nonetheless very important. Without getting into my “research geek” mode, which I am apt to do, here’s the crux of what they found:

Physical media—direct mail based material—generated more activity in the parietal cortex, an area closely associated with the integration of visual and spatial information; suggesting that print-based material is more ‘concrete’ for the brain, and can act as a cue for memory. The print marketing methods were “seen” as more “real” by the brain because of the multisensory nature of the materials.
Direct mail-based material was also associated with responses which suggest greater ‘internal’ thinking – suggesting that this material is processed more in relation to subjects’ own feelings and memories.
Online materials on the other hand elicited responses associated with greater difficulty in maintaining attention on the task. Researchers noted that online materials proved harder to focus on; and engaged areas of the brain associated with greater filtering of irrelevant information in order to attend to the task, such as the temporo-parietal junction.

So what?

As a marketer, you need to choose wisely when it comes to the media you use for customer and, more importantly, prospect communications.

Print media may be more effective for complicated or detailed messages; online seems better suited for short, easy to read and less comprehensive messages.
Print media may be more effective for the first or introductory communication from a brand campaign, an online message appears better suited as brand awareness/consideration reinforcement tool.

Thanks to Royal Mail, Millward Brown and the University of Bangor’s psychology department for putting together such a great and useful neuromarketing study!

Editor’s note: With Dukky’s integrated platform and shareable PURLS, you get the best of both worlds- the deeper engagement of direct mail and the viral reach of digital.

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5 Reasons Your Marketing Strategy Needs Social Media

In the past couple of months, the need for marketers to integrate social media with email and other direct response marketing campaigns has become increasingly apparent. Has your marketing strategy changed yet? Here are 5 reasons why it needs to:

Social Media is Becoming a National Obsession

A study commissioned by Retrevo shows just how much of a priority social media is becoming. 48% of respondents report checking social networking sites after they go to bed at night or first thing when they wake up in the morning. 56% check Facebook at least once a day; 12% check Facebook every couple of hours.

Facebook is More Popular than Google

Not too long ago, claiming that a social media site could ever unseat Google would likely have been greeted with an reaction similar to the one that greeted John Lennon when he claimed that the Beatles were “bigger than Jesus.”

But now, Hitwise is reporting that for the week ending March 13, 2010, Facebook was the most-visited website in the country. Facebook. Not Google.

Facebook and Twitter Drive Purchasing Decisions

Facebook and Twitter aren’t just places where people hang out and socialize in a virtual world. They also drive purchasing behavior, as shown in this study by Chadwick Martin Bailey.

In the study, 60% of Facebook fans and 79% of Twitter followers said that they were more likely to recommend brands that they follow on Facebook or Twitter. 51% of Facebook fans and 67% of Twitter followers were more likely to buy products from brands they follow on social networking sites.

Email Drives Social Media Sharing

However, other studies show that it would be utter folly to disregard traditional direct response marketing via channels like email. For example, this study, by Merkle, found that people still spend a lot of time in their inboxes. 71% of respondents spend 20 minutes or more each week on personal email use-a figure that’s unchanged from last year.

People that use social networks extensively are also more likely to use email frequently, and they are twice as likely as non-social networking users to access email through their mobile phones.

Even more important for marketers, 20% of social networking users have shared items from their email inbox on social networking sites. For your customers, email use now goes hand-in-hand with social networking, and your marketing efforts need to reflect that.

Everybody’s Doing it

That last statistic indicates how important it is to design integrated email campaigns. Your customer’s email inbox is, in many cases, the key to reaching their social networking accounts. With integrated campaigns and compelling, shareable offers (basically, what we specialize in here at Dukky), you’re not just emailing your customers, you’re emailing all of their Facebook friends, and their friends, and the people that follow them on Twitter…

According to e-Marketer, more and more marketers are attempting to tap into the potential of social sharing with their email marketing campaigns. The “Email Marketing Industry Census 2010” from Econsultancy and Adestra, found that 37% of respondents are already using social sharing as part of their email campaigns and 31% plan to start doing so in the next year. Don’t get left behind!

Dukky makes it easy to integrate social sharing into email or direct mail marketing campaigns. With our PURLS, your customers can share offers via email or on Facebook and Twitter-wherever they feel comfortable sharing.

Dukky makes it easy to raise awareness of your company on Facebook and Twitter by turning your customers into advocates. Plus, you get real-time analytics that let you measure response rates in real time!

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5 Ways to Use Data to Create Compelling Direct Mail

Editor’s Note: Today’s post was written by Jean M. Gianfagna, the President of Gianfagna Strategic Marketing, and originally appeared on her blog, Smart Marketing Strategy. It is reprinted here with permission.

Savvy direct marketers are using data and digital printing technology to develop engaging creative approaches and compelling direct mail campaigns that are almost fully customized to the individual recipient. The result is more relevant direct mail and stronger customer relationships.

Chances are, you’re already capturing transaction data and contact information every time your customer makes a purchase. You may even have demographic and lifestyle data on your files.

Using that customer data can help you create high-impact mailings that generate better results.

When it’s time to produce your next direct mail campaign, ask yourself this key question: “What do I know about the people I’m mailing to and how can I use that knowledge to develop a more effective creative approach?”

Here are five ways to use data to develop great direct mail creative:

Idea #1: Use Data to Allocate Creative Resources

Conduct pre-campaign data analysis to determine each customer’s value or potential. This measurement should drive format selection for your direct mail pieces and the allocation of creative resources. Higher value customers – and high-potential prospects — should get a more elaborate and personalized mailing; less valuable customers and prospects should get a simpler, less expensive piece.

Idea #2: Use Data for Better Targeting & Personalization

Append demographic or lifestyle data to your customer files, then use this data to segment customers into smaller, more targeted groups of individuals with similar characteristics. Develop creative approaches and marketing messages that more accurately target the specific interests of these smaller groups.

Idea #3: Use Data to Get Attention and Engage

Grab attention on the direct mail carrier envelope and engage readers throughout the mailing with data-driven messages. Even simple geographic and demographic references in copy can have a big impact. Printing technology now enables you to customize almost every element of your mailing.

Idea #4: Use Data to Strengthen Relationships

Customers know their value to your organization and they expect YOU to know it. Use data from your customer database or CRM system (such as the length of time they’ve done business with you, the types of products they purchase, or information on their last transaction) to speak to customers more personally in your mailing about their relationship with you and its value.

Idea #5: Use Data to Facilitate a Response

To make it easier for prospects to say yes, pre-populate customer data on response forms and create personalized URLs (PURLS) with the customer’s name that link to pre-populated forms on your website.

Dukky makes it easy for you to use these strategies to create compelling, personalized direct mail campaigns, as well making it easy to track and collect additional data to make future campaigns even more compelling.

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Direct Mail Case Study Shows Unbelievable Response Rates

From Static to Viral- Direct Mail Marketing will never be the same.

The rising popularity of Social Networks has opened to marketers an entirely new arena to pursue. In a recent study by Nielson Group they found, Two-thirds of the world’s internet population visits a social network or blogging site and the sector now accounts for almost 10% of all internet usage time.1 As new dynamics in this industry are emerging, the basic questions as to how to effectively merge traditional marketing mediums with social networks has not been answered……until now that is.

Let’s look at the numbers:

You are sending a traditional direct mail advertisement to a database (10,000 records). This means the absolute maximum reach potential of your campaign will be those 10,000 customers who may or may not be interested in your campaign.
Maximum Reach: 10,000

Normal Response rates for Direct Mail Marketing are between 1-3%

Consider this… with the integration of social sharing into your direct mail marketing campaign you are not just gaining access to your current customer database, but you are now gaining access through your existing marketing strategy to an entire new segment of the market- your Customer’s Friend List. Whether their friends on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social networking site, integrating this simple step into your marketing mediums will expand your reach exponentially.

With the simple theory of multiplication, your reach has the potential to double, triple, and beyond by accessing your customer’s friends, who are engaged to respond.

New Maximum Reach: Exponential
Cost increase: $0

Social Networks add powerful benefits to traditional direct mail campaigns
1. Company Awareness Increases
2. Customer base is identified & expanded
3. Friend-to-Friend Sharing on social networks is more powerful than Company to Customer sharing.

With the release of Dukky’s Software, Direct Mail Marketing has been revolutionized and taken to the next level.

CAFE’ EXPRESS

Café Express is a Texas owned local restaurant chain with 17 locations spreading from Houston to Dallas. With a Direct Mail Marketing strategy, they were focused on growing awareness in the Dallas area, and promoting their breakfast menu. Having already gained success during lunchtime, they were looking to expand their breakfast customers. After some research, they discovered most people were not aware they served breakfast, which led them to their need for a successful direct mail campaign.

Campaign Goal: Grow Awareness & Promote Breakfast Traffic

With standard response rates of 1-2% being insufficient to the response they wanted, Café’ Express brought in Dukky to manage their entire campaign with desired results of 10-15%. Dukky developed all creative, target list, web infrastructure and managed printing and mail fulfillment.

Process: A special offer was mailed on a postcard size piece of direct mail with a detachable card displaying the Cafe Express offer. Each card was labeled with the homeowner’s name and with a PURL (Personalized URL) was mailed to 20,000 recipients in the surrounding area offering a free Breakfast upon activation of the card online through the owner’s PURL.

PURL Example: www.freeAMexpress.com/johnsmith

Poll: Customer’s were brought through a fast survey process in order to activate their offer, gathering Café Express’ highly valuable information for future marketing. Recipients were asked:

• How often do you eat out for breakfast?
• What items do you prefer to eat for breakfast?
• What do you look for when you eat out for breakfast?
• How often do you eat Café Express?

Overall Campaign Results: The campaign reached a total response rate of 23.64%, with almost 40% generated through Social Sharing. Most customers shared their offer on Facebook and Twitter, with the greatest amount of incoming customers coming from Shares on Twitter.

Results

Total Response: 4,728 23.64%

From Mail: 2,941 62.20%

From Social: 1,787 37.80%

Activations: 3,677 18.39%

From Mail: 2,282 62.06%

From Social: 1,395 37.94%

Networks Shared On: 650 %

Facebook: 510 78.46%

Twitter: 126 19.38%

Other: 14 2.96%

Redemptions: 1,500 7.50%

It’s all about Conversion

Dukky’s cutting edge software is leading the way in the industry to establish a new normal for conversion. The goal of every marketing campaign is ultimately to turn your advertising dollars into revenue. Until now, no other marketing mediums provided the means to track and engage customers in order to maximize a retailers customer base through sharing on social networks.

By simply adding Dukky’s PURLS to a traditional direct mail advertisements retailers can 1) Engage customers, 2) Encourage social interaction, 3) Promote Business Offers and Specials, 4) Gather highly valuable information, and 5) Track each step of the process.

How does it work?

A compelling offer equipped with a PURL will be sent to your customer driving them to a custom microsite for card activation. Through a quick, survey process, they will be guided to activate their card and receive the offer. They are then given the opportunity through Dukky’s “one click” broadcast to share the offer with friends on up to 233 social networks! Dukky’s platform captures valuable information during the process: a growing customized database of interested customers with accurate demographic information and intelligent feedback from your customers.

Reach maximization leads to increased conversion, which ultimately generates higher profits. Dukky’s software was designed with two things in mind: Conversion and Results.

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