by Jennifer Hernandez
Marketers are talking about direct mail and some say it’s dead. It’s boring, predictable, and increasingly costly with growing postal rates. Or is it? Many believe that direct mail is outdated and digital is the only way to go now. Contrary to popular belief however, direct mail is not a dying tool in the direct marketing industry.
Smart marketers refuse to believe this. Instead of choosing sides they are integrating the best of both worlds. Who says you can’t combine digital tools and platforms with direct mail pieces? Instead of taking the approach that digital tools decrease the success of our direct mail strategies, marketers should view these tools as ways to expand the success of direct mail pieces by driving consumer interaction. A seamless integration of digital platforms like email and social media will greatly increase brand recognition.
Today’s consumers want relationships with their favorite businesses. They want to be involved, but they need you to initiate the relationship. Social Media is the easiest way to do this. Your consumers are actively using digital platforms. They constantly like and unfollow pages. If a page doesn’t offer an opportunity for interaction the page becomes boring for consumers. If the emails you send are repetitive and offer no incentive to act, people get bored and un-subscribe from your mailing lists.
Digital tools can be used in direct mail pieces to create interaction on social media, websites, and more. You can take advantage of digital tools like QR codes to keep your consumer interested in what you have to say. On each direct mail piece that you send out, a new QR code can be included to take the consumer to a new social media page, an updated website, a useful video, an instant coupon that’s been personalized with their name, etc.
Social media trends such as hashtags can be used on direct mail pieces to drive our target consumers to action. The tools we use are continually changing, making it important to stay updated with emerging digital trends . Now we even have mobile image recognition technology- an API that recognizes objects in images and allows consumers to purchase directly from their device. The digital age we’re living brings endless opportunities to the direct marketing world. As soon as marketers understand this, the more successful they’ll be. Direct mail will survive in the marketing world as long as marketers get creative when combining traditional mail with the digital tools available to us.
Most importantly, smart marketers must always listen to what their consumers are saying on digital platforms. It’s not just about feeding them information, it’s about listening to their new ideas sometimes disguised as problems or frustrations. Listen to what they want, be aware of their needs before they even ask. Deliver, and follow through. Always let the consumer know you care and appreciate their interaction.
Urbanski, Al. “Finally, a Direct Mail Feelgood Story.” Direct Marketing News. Haymarket Media, Inc., 8 Apr. 2014.
Glenn, David. “Integrating Social Media, Direct, and Email Marketing.” RSS. Social Media Today, 12 Feb. 2014.
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Jennifer Hernandez is a Senior from Salisbury University soon to graduate May, 2014 with a B.S. in Marketing. She currently writes blogs for The Carousel Group in Ocean City, MD.
As a student ambassador, she was introduced to the non-profit industry and was fascinated by the techonologies and trends today’s non-profit marketers are using to implement their marketing and communications strategies.
Jennifer curently seeks a position that challenges her to grow as a marketing professional. She thrives in fast paced environments and would love to join an energetic and creative team, who are passionate about their work.