How to use multi-channel targeting to improve the effectiveness of your direct mail campaigns

Do you ever wish that your direct mail campaigns generated a bigger impact? One powerful way to increase their effectiveness is to use targeted data to communicate with your ideal customers – online and offline. 

Using multiple channels to reach them, including print, email and digital ads, can help you significantly increase response rates, improve conversions as well as boost sales, donations and registrations.

Experts say it takes an average of three to eight touchpoints to close a sale. Why? Because everyone is over-messaged and is naturally suspicious of commercial appeals. It takes time to build memorability and trust with them. 

An integrated multi-channel campaign enables you to reach that threshold of touches faster – and increases the odds that you can persuade them to take action on your offers. 

Organizations today have access to a wealth of data sources and tools that enable them to identify and target prospects that look like their ideal audience:

• Mailing list providers enable you to purchase the names, emails and mailing addresses of people who match the profile of your best customers
• Leading social media platforms enable you to target and engage prospects with pinpoint accuracy
• A new generation of tools matches the IP addresses of website visitors with their physical locations and then auto-generates personalized direct mail pieces to them.
• Retargeting networks enable you to present your ads to prospects in multiple locations after they visit your website, helping to keep your brand and your offer top-of-mind.

Here are three examples that will help you understand how you can use targeted, multi-channel marketing to grow your results:

Example #1: Omnichannel campaign

Design an omnichannel campaign that sends a mix of emails and direct mail pieces to key prospects. The creative and messaging should have a common theme, so prospects will connect them in their minds. This is an excellent approach for nurturing campaigns – when you’re trying to gently nudge them closer to a sale, donate or register for your school.

To make this approach even more effective, use your house list to test several creative approaches, copy treatments and calls to action. Once you’ve refined your message to the point where it’s converting well, purchase one or more targeted lists to maintain a consistent flow of prospects into your business.

We’ve used this approach with multiple clients as well as Heritage Printing and Cultivate Communications. It works like a charm! 

Example #2: Lead with digital ads

Hit your target audience with digital ads for several weeks to generate awareness of your brand. Once you’ve got their attention, follow up with a direct mail piece that contains a special offer (for example, a percentage or dollar discount on your product or service).

Example #3: Retargeting

Although you may not have heard of retargeting, chances are you’ve experienced it: You visit a website to view a product but aren’t ready to buy it. Soon after, ads for it show up in your social media feeds and on the websites you visit.

Retargeting is very effective because it enables you to remain “top of mind” with your prospects. Many of the visitors to your website are still in the early stage of their buying process. They aren’t ready to make a decision – yet. By presenting your ad to them regularly during the next month or so, they’re more likely to remember you when they ARE ready to make a purchase.

Thanks to the IP address tool mentioned earlier, retargeting can even be extended to direct mail. Some retargeting services can match about 40% of your website visitors to a physical mailing address. They can then auto-generate a personalized direct mailer with their name and other relevant information and send it to them.

Conclusion

Using targeted data to communicate with your ideal customers online and offline can drive greater engagement with your brand and improved sales. Contact Heritage Printing today to discuss how we can help you design a targeted omnichannel campaign to grow your business.