The forecast is in: 2021 is predicted to “rain” direct mail.
As we weather the storm brought on by the pandemic, more and more consumers are in search of content that makes them feel connected, and 65% of consumers say receiving mail lifts their spirits.1 With the only trip out of the house these days often being the walk to the mailbox, a highly-personalized piece of mail may just be one of the more impactful tools marketers have to engage with their target audience.
At Polaris Direct, we’re constantly monitoring industry trends to provide our customers with effective marketing strategies and top-quality service. Watch our video to learn more about us!
According to analysts at Winterberry Group, growth is expected for both online and offline media this year,2 so we’ll continue to provide our customers with 1:1 marketing campaigns that pair direct mail with digital channels. This blended approach creates seamless omni-channel experiences that boost engagement to capture the best ROI.
There are many methods that marketers may consider using to incorporate digital with direct mail, but here are a few strategies that we have found to be worth exploring:
- Using Direct Mail as the Driver
PostaLink, our integrated solution that harnesses the combined power of online/offline marketing, targets those on the mail list with social media ads before they even receive the mail piece. Recipients are then served additional retargeting ads on social media and the Google Display Network when they visit the landing page.
This tried-and-true method of omni-channel marketing has shown a 68% growth in website visits, a 63% increase in response rates and a 60% improvement in ROI.3
- Programmatic Direct Mail
Through the use of technology, marketers are able to identify web visitors and send them a direct mail piece that encourages conversion. This method has shown to increase website traffic by 65% and conversions by 47%.3
Learn more about the benefits of implementing a trigger campaign through programmatic direct mail by downloading our Trigger Campaign White Paper.
- Integrating Informed Delivery
This one’s a no brainer! Those on your mailing list who have signed up for USPS Informed Delivery will be emailed a grayscale preview of the mail piece before they physically receive it. Mailers have the opportunity to replace the preview with an eye-catching representative image and enhance it with a ride-along ad, with a clickable link to the campaign landing page, giving your target audience one more reason to respond.
With over 30 million registered users, Informed Delivery has shown to increase website traffic by 39% and improve ROI by 36%.3 At Polaris Direct, we’ve seen an average email open rate of 60%, which is over three times higher than the average open rate for ordinary marketing emails.4
Read more about the benefits in our Informed Delivery White Paper, including information on how to save 2% off postage through the USPS Informed Delivery Promotion.
With what seems to be fair skies ahead, we’re ready to help you achieve your marketing goals.
1 Safran, Nathan. “Industry Outlook: Mailing and Fulfillment.” PRINTING United Digital Experience, 5 Nov. 2020, digital.printingunited.com/sessions/industry-outlook-mailing-and-fulfillment/.
2 Biegel, Bruce. The Winterberry Group, 2021, The Outlook for Data Driven Advertising & Marketing 2021.
3 USPS. The Future of Direct Mail Is Here and It’s Dynamic, 2021.
4 “Email Marketing Benchmarks and Statistics for 2021.” Campaign Monitor, www.campaignmonitor.com/resources/guides/email-marketing-benchmarks/.
