Mail Meets the Web: Keeping Direct Mail Relevant in an Online World

Keeping Direct Mail Relevant in an Online World

Dave Lewis, President

SnailWorks

Postal mail still has some important advantages

that no other channels share…

Market Penetration Exclusivity

Targetability

Perceived Value

The Mail Moment

Still, direct mail has its limitations…

Expensive

Lacks State-of-the-art buzz

Unpredictable delivery time

Requires effort to respond

Tying in other marketing channels can overcome direct mail’s limitations

Email Marketing

Web Marketing

Social Media

◦ Strengths: Cheap

Precisely timed

Allows for immediate response with a click

Very measurable

◦ Weaknesses: Cheap – low perceived value

Permission based

Low open rates

Difficult to get lists or target

◦ Strengths: Responsive – Prospects can buy there

Controllable – You control every element of the site

Your brand lives here

◦ Weaknesses: Getting eyeballs – a billboard in the basement

Not focused on a particular offer

◦ Strengths: It’s everywhere! Great reach

Very low media cost

High-tech, up-to-date

◦ Weaknesses: Passive - Inbound

High maintenance

Always changing

Direct mail drives a broad spectrum of prospects to the web

Coordinated email can help simplify and boost response

Coordinated email offers a simplified path for response – just click

Effective multi-channel marketing is all about

using the right tools and setting

business rules

Intelligent Mail is a Postal Service program that uses a special barcode (the Intelligent Mail barcode, or IMb)

The IMb consists of: ◦ A Barcode ID – identifies the type of barcode

◦ A service type ID – tells the barcode what to “do”

◦ A mailer ID – Identifies the mail owner or preparer

◦ A serial number – a “license plate” for the mail piece

◦ The ZIP+4 and delivery point – where it’s going!

Why Intelligent Mail? ◦ Needed to secure postal discounts

◦ Allows delivery tracking of mail

Coordinate other marketing

Just know it got there!

◦ Provides for other services:

ACS - Address Change Service

Returned/forwarded mail

Email marketing is groups of email sent to a list that has given permission to send email

Email is regulated by CAN/SPAM laws

Two primary styles: ◦ HTML: With images

◦ Text

Two distribution methods: ◦ Email blast

◦ Triggered email

Why Email as part of a Multi-Channel campaign? ◦ Reinforces direct mail message and branding

◦ Offers another channel to those who do not receive/read direct mail

◦ Provides an easy way to respond – just click!

◦ Inexpensive – easy to add additional efforts

A URL is a Uniform Resource Locator

Generally links to campaign landing page ◦ PURL: Personalized URL

DaveLewis.PromptEvents.net

◦ GURL: General or “Guest” URL

www.PromptEvents.net

◦ QRURL: QR code URL – Optimized for mobile

Why PURLs, GURLs, and QRURLs? ◦ Make it easy to find your landing page

◦ Make it easy to find your offer

◦ Make it easy to respond

Prepopulate forms – especially valuable on mobile

◦ Track, track, track!

Exactly who has visited!

A Landing Page is a web page created specifically for the campaign/offer – sometimes called a micro-site

Typically reflects the branding of the direct mail and email marketing efforts

Leads directly to the offer – may be prepopulated

May or may not reflect branding from company web site

Why a Landing Page? ◦ Specific to offer – prospect doesn’t need to look for

offer

◦ Easy to respond – can be prepopulated

◦ Measurable – you know how many came to the page, and who responded

◦ Specific to campaign – can be personalized, varied by segment, location

Social Media is generally the building of networks and communities on digital sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and others

Can be used to generate additional activity to landing page

Provides means of viral sharing of marketing efforts

Why Social Media? ◦ Low media cost

◦ Tremendous potential audience

◦ Particularly effective with young market

◦ Viral potential

Deploying your own Multi-Channel

Campaign!

Think like a flow chart

Start with a plan –

and a strong offer

Select a great GURL:

HailTheSnail.com

FNW2013.org

May14seminar.com

Coordinate Execute Measure Adjust

Direct Mail people, meet the Email and Web folks!

DIRECT MAIL RESPONSE Other 16.95% Web 6.42% Other Mail 13.45% Telemarketing 1.84% Renewal Mail 61.34%