Many businesses have turned to online marketing to reach customers. As online marketing has become more prevalent, direct mail campaigns have become less popular.

Some business owners now simply overlook the amazing benefits that direct mail campaigns offer. Entrepreneurs who don’t make use of direct mail are especially missing out on great business opportunities. Let’s take a closer look at how direct email campaigns can help your startup.

High Conversions

A successful marketing campaign leads to high conversions. A direct mail campaign is no doubt one of the most powerful ways to achieve a successful result.

Direct mail allows you to reach more of your target market. Unlike email marketing, a direct mail campaign can be designed to target specific customers. This means that customers will receive mail that is most relevant to them, which could translate to sales.

Direct mail also offers the opportunity for personalisation. Each piece of mail can be personalized for specific individuals or groups. By including customer’s names and personal details in your mail, they will feel more inclined to read it.

It also helps that direct mail is familiar to the buying customer. Long before online marketing took over, direct mail was a key type of advertising — being able to hold physical mail in your hand gives it a credible reputation. In a world where we’re bombarded with emails, there is something special about receiving tangible mail. As electronic mail campaigns have become less common, direct mail is more likely to capture a customer’s attention.

Versatility

Direct mail campaigns are incredibly versatile and can be used in various formats, such as newsletters, letters, magazines, catalogues, postcards, brochures and more. With so many options available, direct mail can be applied for any purpose. For example, if you’re hosting a company event, you can use direct mail to invite your target audience. The mail can be customized by name or even reference their line of work, so that each individual feels special. As a result, they will feel more motivated to attend events such as company information meetings, showroom displays, or community markets.

Direct mail is commonly used to advertise promotions and discounts, which can invoke a response from customers that will drive them to your website or store. From here, customers will find out more about your company and gain an interest in your products. Company newsletters can be used to establish long-term relationships and improve customer loyalty.

Direct mail is also a great tool for collecting customer information. This can be done in the form of questionnaires or surveys, where the results can be easily measured.

Build Your Brand

The most effective marketing campaigns use multiple formats. By taking advantage of various channels to communicate with customers, you will help to build your brand. Ideally, you should use a mix of traditional and new forms of marketing.

A direct mail campaign is best used in combination with an online marketing campaign. Recall rates for your brand — customers remembering who you are — will be much higher if you follow up an email with a piece of direct mail. Your customer response rate will also soar.

Direct mail has a certain element of trust that you don’t get with emails. The internet has become so flooded with ads that it is difficult to know what to trust. By integrating emails with direct mail, you will help to build brand trust. This is especially important for startups, who don’t yet have an established reputation.

A Cost-Effective Format

If you are a start-up business, you’ll want to save as much money as possible. And even if you’re an established mailer, you still want to cut costs while reaching your audience. In this digital age, many people are surprised to learn that direct mail remains a cost-effective form of marketing. The actual process of creating a digital marketing campaign is easy and affordable. You don’t need to invest in a ton of digital infrastructure or technical knowledge to get it done — all you need is a good designer and a copywriter, and you’re good to go!

Cloe Matheson is a freelance writer from Dunedin, New Zealand who has written articles for various websites and blogs as well as local businesses such as Epic Adventures. Discover more of Cloe’s work here.