DMA on integrating mail and digital

There was a brief period where mail was seen as being slow and difficult to track compared to the new and exciting email. However, modern advancements have married mail and tech together to offer slick marketing tools which overlap the personal and effective touch of mail, and digital tracking efficiencies. These tips on how to integrate your mail and digital marketing strategies were laid out by the DMA in the Using mail to get the best from digital webinar on 25 March 2020.  

Here’s the top line:

Mail is essential to creating a lifecycle journey

Today it is five times more expensive to win a new customer than to keep a current one (econsultancy.com). It’s vital to keep in touch with your existing customers and transform them into loyal advocates of your brand. Data advancements have paved the way for personalisation and the targeting of key engagement points. Testing is key, 54% of customers say brands need to transform how they communicate with them. By testing and learning, you can identify which channels are most effective for you in each stage of your customer’s journey. It’s not enough to send an email and say it’s a job well done.

Direct mail is the most effective communicator

While Mailchimp has an average open rate of anywhere between 1-5%, mail sees that 80% of all adults open all or most of their mail. A further 25% purchased or donated after receiving mail (in the last 12 months). Mail might be offline, but most mail has a digital response. Link: JICMAIL Boden mail journey case study

Streamline mail with automation

You can now send mail the same way as email/SMS with programmatic mail. For example, if you’re an e-commerce company that sends an email when someone abandons their basket at the checkout, you can now replace that email with mail. A case studies with OVO energy showed that non-converters who received a direct mail pack within 1-2 days had a conversion rate of 5.5% and a return on investment of £15 for every £1 spent.

The comeback of QR codes

QR codes first hit the streets with no clear explanation of how to use them, leaving customers confused and reluctant to download a separate app. The public has since familiarised with them as tech giants created their own QR codes for popular apps like Snapchat’s Snapcode. Now, phones are smarter, and cameras can scan QR codes through the built in app. QR codes are now a fantastic way to implement a variety of activations, and can be easily used very effectively in combination with print.

Mail that is measurable

It’s easier to track and analyse data when mail is used in conjunction with technology. You can easily measure the impact of a mail campaign that uses personalised URLs (PURLs), QR codes or personalised promotion codes. You’ll get a clear idea of your return on investment and which calls to action were most effective, allowing you to adapt and improve in the future.

Technology is continuing to transform the way we live, creating opportunities within the world of direct mail that you don’t want to miss out on. Get in touch to hear how we can transform your marketing strategy.