Tag Archive for: commercial printing companies

What the Best B2B Direct Mail Campaigns All Have In Common

Direct mail can provide some incredible ROI—when it is used properly. Whereas the internet can group people demographically depending on their online habits and shopping history, direct mail can reach potential customers geographically. This allows the marketer incredible flexibility to offer products to consumers who will actually be interested in them, thus bringing them to your business’s doorstep. 

Here are some common aspects of successful direct mailing campaigns and how Presort can make them work for your business. 

Great Direct Mailing Pieces Have a Clear Call to Action

This goes for any piece of marketing, not just the ones that are packaged and sent directly to consumers. What do you want the consumer to do after they read your mailer? The rest of the mailer should take care of why they need to take action, but people need to know HOW to take advantage of your product or service. 

Customize the Message to the Audience

Marketing that speaks to a healthcare audience will be different from marketing to a financial or agricultural audience. It would be easy to create boilerplate content that would appeal to anyone, but with direct mail you have an opportunity to tailor that message to the reader and what is most important to them. Research how to market to certain groups and use that to your advantage when presenting your products and services. 

Personalize the Message to the Reader

Most mailing lists include a name and an address for a prospect, so customize your mailer to speak to them directly, not in general terms. Even if all you have is a name, this takes the message to a whole new level. Customers like to feel like individuals, not merely a name on a list. And your company may approach each customer as an individual—each sale as important and unique—so why not use the same approach with direct mail?

Make It Unique

Look at your mailer from the recipient’s perspective. How does it look and feel? What kind of impression does it make? Is it doomed for the trash or the chimney charcoal starter? Or have you created a piece that excites the prospect about your business and products and provides something tangible that people can use to share with others?

 

The difference between the former and the latter is quality and creativity. Make sure your mailer has both. And most of all, be fun! This is an opportunity to display your company culture, so make the most of it!

Combine It With a Follow-up Plan

Have a way to track the success of your mailer. Coupons are great ways to get people to buy what you are selling, but are they buying because of the coupon or because your business is the best option? Also, clue your sales team in on the mailer so that they can help move the conversation forward and connect with customers. The mailer may increase awareness about your business, but the customer may opt for another service or product you offer. 

Presort Inc. Has Helped Thousands of Businesses Like Yours

All these strategies are easily implemented when you have a steadfast direct mail marketing pro like Presort Inc. in your corner. We can evaluate your need for a direct mailing campaign, weigh your options, and provide a comprehensive marketing plan that will speak to the prospects you want and generate real, tangible results.

Direct Mail Marketing Statistics for 2019 and What They Mean For Your Business

It’s 2019 and direct mail marketing is as strong and effective as ever. 

You may be asking yourself, “Why is this?” With all the more immediate alternative forms of marketing available to small businesses today like Facebook, Instagram, and other social media, why would anyone need to invest resources in an outmoded, wasteful method that moves at a glacial pace? After all, the rise of the internet was predicated on its ability to sell and reach a huge audience. Hasn’t it already replaced direct mail?

Those who believe this are truly missing the forest for the trees. True, a Facebook post can reach thousands instantly, but there are other reasons why you would choose one medium over another. Different approaches will get you different results. Direct mail is far from the dinosaur it can be made out to be. When used effectively as part of a broader campaign or even as a stand-alone effort, direct mail can pinpoint a target market and put your message in front of potential customers who can appreciate it and who seriously care about the subject matter. This means direct mail can bring a greater return for each advertising dollar you spend. 

This blog will illustrate how direct mail is an effective marketing strategy that will get your products and services noticed by those willing to buy them. We’ll also explore how Presort Inc. will help you take full advantage of this powerful marketing tool.

As Mail Volume Declines, Direct Mail Response Rates Increase

The US Postal Service reports that total mail volume since 2006 has declined by about 30%. This is likely attributed to companies opting for paperless billing and allowing their customers to do more over the phone and online. This also includes direct mail as campaigns become more targeted and more sophisticated. But how do people respond to direct mail compared to other forms of direct marketing? Here are some response rates for comparison:

Digital Marketing

  • Email Lists – 1%
  • Paid Search Results – 1%
  • Social Media – 1%

Direct Mail

  • Prospect Lists – 5%
  • Household Lists – 9%

And just because it is paper doesn’t mean it can’t be tracked. Presort Inc. offers a LeadMatch service that takes the guesswork out of your direct mail campaign. Our technology can empower you with the knowledge to track and measure the effectiveness of your direct mail. You can track and record precisely who visited your website from your mailing and who did not. You also can see what actions those visitors took once they were on the site.

Where Social Media and the Internet Can Reach a Wider Audience, Direct Mail Can Pinpoint Your Target

Over 269 billion emails are sent each day. Over the course of a few hours, a consumer is exposed to between 50 and 75 display ads as they browse the internet. While this is some great volume, how effective is all of this electronic advertising? 

Direct mail allows you to cast a smaller, more targeted net. While internet display ads can be tailored to search queries and placed on specific websites, they are mostly seen by casual browsers and ignored. While commercial emails can target a specific consumer based on email address, the rise of ransomware and phishing attempts makes unsolicited emails seem risky, and they are most often ignored. 

Presort Inc. creates direct mail campaigns that are built from prospect lists so you can send individualized offers right to a potential customer’s doorstep. The information is printed on paper or cardstock and the offer itself can be tailored to the addressee, giving the mailing a personal, unique feel. 

How to Connect With Your Audience With Presort Inc.

Instead of replacing mail, social media and the internet work hand in hand with it to create a more complete marketing experience. Advertising has changed greatly over the past few decades. The goal is no longer to get the message in front of as many eyeballs as possible.  The goal, instead, is to connect with groups or individuals who are already inclined to have interest, to bring meaning to your products and services, and to show them how exactly what you are offering is missing in their lives. 

Presort Inc. will combine direct mail marketing with social media and the internet to create a campaign for your company that is:

Engaging – With a mailer that is perfectly designed, your company is put front and center. The right design can make an impression on a potential customer and create a memorable impulse to examine how exactly your product would benefit them. Direct mail also reaches customers when they are in a good mood. The USPS reports that 55% of people look forward to receiving mail. Think back to the last time you received a spam email or found a display ad blocking content on a website you wanted to read. Is that the impression you want to make with your advertising?

Convenient – Internet display ads and emails tend to make the consumer buy on impulse, and while this might be good if you are marketing gum or iced tea at a grocery checkout stand, it’s not the kind of response you are looking for if you are advertising IT or accounting services. Direct mail gives the consumer a tangible document that describes your product or service, explains the advantages it offers, and details how exactly the consumer can go about purchasing it. 

Personalized – With direct mail, you can target a specific household. Even better, you can target a specific person in that household. This is an extremely effective way to engage someone who is willing to accept your message. Customizing a message to a specific consumer seems like a lot of work, but when it translates into tangible responses the return on your investment is well worth it. 

The Most Telling Statistic? Direct Mail Continues to Be Effective

Presort Inc. has helped hundreds of businesses just like yours use direct mail to reach individuals who are most likely to buy your products or services. It offers response rates that are far superior to the most expensive online marketing, you can customize your message to specific consumers, and there is no need to compete for attention. We have worked with direct mail for long enough to say in complete confidence that when used correctly, direct mail can translate to immediate and direct sales. 

Call us today, share your marketing headaches and pain points, and let Presort Inc. show you how direct mail marketing is alive and well.

The Importance Of Variable Data Printing

Marketing is constantly evolving and direct mail tactics are transforming with the evolution of digital technology. Nowadays, companies use high-quality software to put a personal touch on all mailed pieces. Businesses rely on variable data printing (VDP) technology to help create more engagements and responses from clients and consumers. If you are a business owner, it would be in your best interest to adopt VDP to boost the results of your marketing mailing campaigns.

 

New printing technology can bring a fresh new aspect to your marketing strategy. Take advantage of the top perks and watch your business grow right in front of your eyes. These are some of the ways that VDP software can help your business generate a greater ROI:

Build Attention-Grabbing Mailing List Data Sets:

Increase the response rates from customers and prospects by filtering out any sets of irrelevant data. With VDP technology, you have the ability to build specific mailing lists that pertain to different audiences. This software generates analytics and insights about where people live, their marital status, occupation, and so much more. Variable data printing is one of the best tools for you to utilize when you’re building a strategy for mailing campaigns.

Create Automated Mailing Processes For Multiple Locations:

When you are sending mail to businesses, make sure you send it to the right branch. If you are targeting a company with multiple franchises, it’s important to send your piece to a decision maker at his main office. Variable data printing allows you to print pieces that are most convenient for that targeted recipient. This helps if there are multiple store locations available. With VDP, you have the ability to see which address makes the most sense. You’ll get access to the zip codes and distances

Generate Analytics To Target The Right Market:

With variable data printing support, you have the ability to discover demographic data and consumer interest information. VDP offers sophisticated targeting applications so you can determine which audience is best to send mail to. With VDP software, you’ll always have the metrics you need to get the right reach. Additionally, you can also integrate VDM software to monitor website traffic and digital strategy approaches. Using VDM gives you the ability to detect the interest of your website visitors. If you run a digital advertisement, you can track how many engagements that specific ad generates.

Save Time And Money:

A variable data printing system will help you eliminate the frustration that comes with mass printing. With VDP, you have the ability to print the exact amount of mail pieces that you need. This eliminates waste and duplicate prints. In addition, VDP reduces the amount of time  spent on labeling. VDP systems grant users the ability to print addresses directly onto the mail piece. Just type in the information and when the piece is printed out, you have the advertisement ready to mail.

Create Custom-tailored Mail Pieces

Create custom-tailored mail pieces with VDP software.  Variable data printing systems give you a gallery of fonts, colors, and other custom applications to create an authentic marketing piece. Thanks to these advances in technology, you have the ability to create a piece that makes a direct connection to each client or consumer..

 

Factors for Analyzing a Successful Direct Mail Campaign

Is your direct mail printing strategy effective enough?

Starting up a direct mail campaign without having specific metrics in place is a recipe for disaster. If you’re not diligent about adhering to a set of predetermined factors to measure yourself by, then you’re already putting yourself at a disadvantage; how can you ever hope to understand whether or not it’s successful if you don’t even have a method to measure that success?

An effective campaign relies on heavily backed data to emphasize what went well or highlight where it fell short. Without that in-depth analysis, it’s impossible to make the proper adjustments for your next direct mail advertising campaign. So, what factors do you need to be looking at? We’ve outlined a helpful guide below so that you know exactly what you need to do to make sure your mail ends up in the right hands.

  • Results: Sure, this one might seem like it should go without saying. But you’d be surprised at how frequently there’s a disconnect between what you’re offering and whether or not potential customers take the bait. If your mailing list isn’t generating results, then it’s time to think critically about why: Was there interest with no purchase? Where specifically did your numbers fall short? See what about your process turned customers off, and what about that specific part made them wary of moving forward.
  • The Offer: Is this the second, third, or maybe even fourth time that you’ve tested this offer? If so, think about what offer you’re putting out there, and how its message might be compromised by myriad factors. Make sure what you’re trying to say is coming across loud and clear; if clarity isn’t the issue, make sure that the message aligns more closely with what your audience is looking for.
  • Audience: Direct mail services live and die based on the people they reach. Make sure that the audience that you’ve identified is one that you’re trying to bring in, and that they’ve been identified because they’re the best candidates for what you have to offer.
  • Size: Direct mail postcards might vary in size, but that doesn’t mean you have to go gonzo and pick a size and look that’s obnoxiously large. You want your message to stand out, but you don’t want to be intrusive. If you’ve used a similarly-sized piece of mail before and it’s been successful, stick to playing the hits; if not, it’s time to make a change.
  • Design: Design is more than the simple placement of colors or images; you need to select specific color-schemes and on-brand images that get your message across effectively. Make sure that the layout is in keeping with what you’re trying to say to your audience.
  • Copy: Now that you’ve got their attention with an eye-catching design, make sure your copy backs up the message in a conducive way. Make sure that your font is eye-catching—highlight or bold the most important words and stay away from confusing language.
  • Timing: When it comes to engaging customers, timing is everything. Mailboxes are more cluttered than ever around election time, so try and avoid that season for revving up your direct mail campaign.

For small businesses and large corporations alike, high-quality marketing campaigns are a critical component. They require less resources than a costly digital campaign; delivered right to your door, direct mail business cards, free samples, and engaging written content are a great way to drum up interest in what you have to offer. As long as you’re committed to quality printing for your postcard design and strategically map out when you need to kick things into high gear, you should be in good shape.