It may seem like an odd coupling, but the combination of direct mail and mobile marketing is an ideal merger of high-value messaging.
How so? In order to understand why these two channels complement each other so well, let’s first explore the key unique benefits of each.
You might already know quite a bit about mobile advertising. The channel is an increasingly effective way for marketers to grow engagement.
In 2016, mobile ads took the highest share of digital advertising revenues (more than all other channels combined) for the first time.
But did you know direct mail consistently delivers the highest response rates among all direct response marketing channels?
In fact, direct mail beats digital channels combined by a factor of 10 to 30, according to the Data and Marketing Association.
And when you use direct mail as part of an integrated cross-channel approach rather than for isolated mailing campaigns, the results are even better.
Direct mail returned a 9% average response rate for house lists and 4.9% for prospect lists in 2018, the Data & Marketing Association found.
These numbers are remarkable, nearly doubling since the previous year, but the strongest returns were from campaigns that linked direct mail with digital marketing for a 1-2 punch.
The DMA reported that integrated cross-channel campaigns, which include direct mail, return response rates as much as 35% higher than isolated single-channel campaigns.
Infotrends found an even bigger boost, reporting a 45% lift in response rate when digital and physical marketing are combined.
So, when you learn about direct mail returns, it becomes clear—marketers looking for a cross-channel boost should add direct mail to integrated campaigns.
But, when marketers sync direct mail and digital campaigns, they often go no further than adding direct mail triggers to email sequences.
While that is one highly effective way to harness the power of digitally-driven postcard marketing, it is not your only option to merge online and offline marketing.
Direct Mail and Mobile Marketing Campaigns
When you strategize ways to create cohesive marketing campaigns across channels, do not forget about the newer pairing of mobile and direct mail.
Even though these channels may be completely different from one another, when used together they can increase the other’s strengths and mitigate weaknesses.
Direct mail and mobile allow you to tie a channel with massive reach (the vast majority of Americans scan their mail daily) to a widely-used device that allows instant coupon redemption and conversion.
You can combine the personal touch and positive emotional impact of direct mail with the real-time convenience and pervasiveness of smartphone technology.
To put it simply: With integrated direct mail and mobile marketing, you reach the consumer where they want to be reached.
You are not bombarding them with noise when they might be in a state of digital overwhelm, since most consumers happily read their mail at a time and place of their choosing.
But unlike with isolated direct mail campaigns, mobile elements engage consumers with the opportunity to respond to your direct mail offer immediately, and with great ease.
The question is not whether you should use direct mail and mobile marketing together, but how can you effectively sync messaging across these channels?
5 Effective Direct Mail and Mobile Strategies
Combining direct mail and mobile strategies is not all that difficult if you are using Iterable with Inkit’s direct mail integration.
With this integration, you can easily create direct mailers in Inkit’s postcard builder, and trigger mailings right from Iterable’s Workflow Studio.
Here are five ways to leverage mobile with direct mail to increase engagement and conversion.
1. Use QR Codes on Your Direct Mail
Using QR codes on direct mail pieces is one of the simplest and most effective ways to add a mobile element to postcards. QR codes also allow you to accurately track and measure direct mail performance.
Source: The DMA UK
2. Add Mobile Wallet Offers to Direct Mail
Mobile wallets enable instant online shopping and allow consumers to save coupons from mailers. Include mobile wallet-exclusive offers on your direct mail to increase loyalty and foster quick conversion on time-sensitive offers.
This strategy allows you to take advantage of the high viewership of direct mail and overcome the brief window of time consumers spend scanning mail (by getting them to use or store the offer in their mobile wallet).
Simply grab your reader’s attention in a few seconds with a compelling headline and a strong offer, and encourage them to text or scan a QR code into their mobile wallet.
3. Add Text-Friendly Features to Direct Mail
Apps and social are a great way to engage consumers on mobile. But don’t forget about text messaging.
Sending direct mail campaigns that urge consumers to text an opt-in number to receive special discounts or advance notice of events and sales is a highly effective tactic.
Pro tip: Use unique phone numbers for various SMS marketing pieces in order to track which offers return the best results.
4. Maximize Impressions for ‘Sticky’ Campaigns
Send direct mail shortly after consumers have received a mobile ad, reinforcing or adding to the original message in a tangible format.
This lets you meet customers wherever they are and can greatly increase the “stickiness” of your campaign, helping you remain top-of-mind with the consumer.
5. Always Consider Social
Include your social icons and handles on your direct mail for social boost. This contributes to increased mobile engagement through social relationship building and website traffic.
Integrate Direct Mail and Mobile Marketing
Sending direct mail in concert with mobile marketing opens up new possibilities to engage with your customers online and in the physical world, advancing the customer lifecycle at every stage.
You can add direct mail triggers in Iterable’s Workflow Studio today using our direct mail integration with Inkit. For more information or help with your direct mail efforts, request a free demo of Inkit’s direct mail software now.
