Why Are You Doing Direct Mail Marketing?

Direct mail isn't going anywhere. According the DMA 2012 fact book, direct mail volume has remained steady, despite many doom and gloom pundits stating digital/online marketing will be the death of direct mail. You're probably reading this article because you either are currently running a direct mail campaign or are considering starting one. In either case, the question is the same- Why are you doing direct mail marketing?

Before starting a mail campaign (or doing anything for that matter) you need to set a clear, achievable goal. You shouldn't chooose the tactic first, then work on your strategy. And you also shouldn't set a goal that is either too vague (i.e. "I want to get more customers") or unrealistic (i.e. "I want to triple business in 1 month").

With all that in mind, how do you know when direct mail is the best tactic for your goal. Here's 4 of the top reasons why marketers use direct mail:

1. Moving Customers Offline to Online: Sometimes direct mail is the first step in your campaign. Odds are your client list is probably much larger than your email list. And a well-executed direct mail marketing campaign can help you get reliable emails from clients and/or Facebook fans for your business page.
2.  Earning New Customers: Obviously all marketing is about getting new customers, but a mail campaign that does it right will take a direct approach, sharing a specific offer that is only available to those who received the direct mail piece. It makes measuring ROI easier, and you can see a direct correaltion between new customers and the effectiveness of the campaign.
3. Keeping in Touch: Whether it be a customer that recently placed an order with your company, or someone you haven't heard from in months, it's essential to keep in touch with customers. While emails can be good for this purpose, they're easily ignore. A direct mail campaign will be better received.
4. Upselling/cross selling: Your client base might not be aware of some of the other products you offer. A direct mail campaign telling those existing customers all about your additional products and offering them special discounts on their next purchase can help you find a totally new revenue stream.