How to overcome the perceived issues associated with Direct Mail
We will be the first to say that, direct mail, like any method of communication, has its flaws… even if it’s hard for us to admit.
That being said, we do of course believe that the positives outweigh the negatives.
But for the sake of journalistic integrity, we are going to put our own bias aside and address some of the perceived negatives of DM.
The hope, of course, is that it will help you understand whether or not direct mail is the right choice for your business.
Because although we consider ourselves to be direct mail advocates, as evidenced by our previous posts, our number one priority is ensuring clients satisfaction.
Of course, we couldn’t make this blog all doom and gloom, so we will provide some solutions so that you don’t end up writing DM off altogether.
Cost
It’s the elephant in the room. The one factor that we simply can’t ignore. Cost.
In the digital age, it has become cheaper than ever to communicate with your customers, whether it be through Facebook, Twitter or e-dm, to name a few.
With email, you can connect with millions of customers with the click of a button, something that DM simply can’t compete against.
DM incurs costs that sending messages through a screen can easily avoid, such as paper, production and postage.
Companies that opt for direct mail marketing must understand that this can be rather costly – especially if they’re catering to a large audience.
Smaller companies often steer clear as they simply can’t justify the costs.
However, we always encourage clients to avoid looking at cost or spend in isolation. And instead at what spend delivers in terms of campaign objectives.
When you look at the wider picture and put your cost into context you will often find that the ROI of DM can far outweigh that of its digital alternatives.
Although alternatives to traditional DM can at first seem like a more cost-effective method they face the ever-increasing battle of cutting through the clutter.
Unlike an inbox which filters your emails into that which you actually want to read and all the other stuff you’ll actually likely read something that lands in your letterbox.
So before writing DM off because of the cost, consider what it is you want to achieve, as well as what the business generated is worth to you.
Intrusive
There’s no denying that consumers can become irritated with the volumes of marketing material that they receive.
If consumers find your marketing tactics annoying it can create a negative brand association and make them less likely to buy.
Direct Mail when bundled up with other letters and unaddressed mail can be perceived as intrusive and is often ignored, getting tossed aside.
If consumers find your marketing tactics annoying it can create a negative brand association and make them less likely to buy.
So, it’s important to ensure that your direct mail campaigns stand out from the bills and flyers that land on your customer’s doormat.
In addition, a spray and pray approach is rarely successful when it comes to any type of marketing campaign.
So why would it be any different with DM?
Ensuring that you have a clean accurate database that can be easily segmented to ensure that only relevant consumers receive your communications can reduce the likelihood of your communications going unopened.
In addition, highly targeted campaigns will avoid unnecessary spending, reducing cost.
So, hopefully, we haven’t turned you off of Direct Mail altogether but instead addressed some of the perceived negative issues involved and left you with solutions to overcome them.
Should you be interested in finding out more then feel free to contact us on +353 1 8041298.
