Why Direct Mail Isn’t Dead

With all the digital noise in the marketplace, consider turning to direct mail to stand out from the crowd.

By Carolyn Duncan, Angie’s List

Flooded email inboxes. Digital ads popping up online. Sponsored content on Facebook. Consumers are surrounded by digital marketing efforts daily. Break through the digital clutter with a tried and true marketing method: direct mail.

Although mail pieces may be more expensive than email or social media marketing, incorporating it into these campaigns makes it well worth the investment. Browse these tips to ensure your direct mail marketing is successful and beneficial to your business.

TARGET YOUR AUDIENCE

Direct mail marketing should always start with a targeted list. Don’t waste money on printing and targeting people who most likely don’t need your services. For instance, if you have a landscaping business, request that apartments and condos be excluded from any purchased list.

FORMAT AND MESSAGING

The U.S. Postal Service indicates that 98 percent of people check their mail daily. So take the time to really make sure your message and design will resonate with your customers. The more personalized you can make the message, the better. Customers love feeling like you really understand them.

SWEETEN THE DEAL

Include an offer or incentive that helps customers pick up the phone and schedule an appointment with you. That could mean a coupon, a dollar amount or percentage off services, a guarantee of service or some other reward for taking action.

DON’T FORGET THE CTA

The call to action is the culmination of your direct mail marketing’s message. It tells your customer what to do next, whether it’s visit a webpage, call your office for more details or purchase a special offer you’re running. Adding a deadline or an expiration date creates more of a sense of urgency for the customer to act on. No one likes missing out on a good offer. Keep your CTA simple and highlight it in your piece so it can’t be missed.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

Not sure how to get started with a direct mail marketing campaign? Angie Mail offers an exclusive, co-branded direct mail program, limited to top-rated service providers and designed to help businesses reach more customers.

With Angie Mail, we handle everything:

• Targeted mailing list of our members in your service area.

• Customized, jumbo-sized postcard templates with option to include personal images, review link and Super Service Award logo (if applicable).

• Call tracking of leads, available upon request.

For more information, call your Client Success Representative or the Business Center at 1-866-843-LIST (5478).