Social Media Marketing and Direct Mail Go Hand in Hand

Are you diverting marketing resources from traditional programs like postcard direct mail to emerging technologies like social media and email marketing?

Not so fast, says the Wall Street Journal, which has released an article regarding decline of direct mail and the affect it is having on businesses. According to WSJ’s story, many small businesses have abandoned printed direct mail in favor of online advertising and social media in attempt to reduce advertising costs. The article profiles a company called Per Annum Inc. who dropped a letter direct mail campaign in favor of marketing through email channels. The company found that orders dropped 25% from the previous year.

“We realized we had made a huge mistake,” says Ms. Settle, president of the New York firm. Instead of dropping direct mail altogether, the Wall Street Journal notes that marketers are using social media and email marketing to compliment their traditional direct mail campaigns. By combining the two mediums, businesses are catching recipients’ attention and generate higher response rates.

Here are some ideas that will help you bridge the two mediums.

• Email your clients the same day that receive your print postcard in the mail. This “one-two” punch is something that we have seen dramatically increase response rates in our business.
• Follow up your quote requests by mailing a postcard. If you have a CRM system for your business you may be able to export the list of all customers that requested quotes. Once a week, mail out postcards to “touch” the prospect. Sure you could do it by e-mail, but it is much more personal and unexpected coming via “snail mail.”
• Mail postcards with a personalized URL (PURL) – A PURL is an automatically generated personalized website customized for your prospect. It’s an excellent way to perk the interest of the reader, and increases response rates dramatically.
• Add your Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Linked-in, or other new media account to your business card printing and your postcard marketing. In addition, give them as many means to contact you as possible including your AIM, ICQ, Skype, or other online communication account.

We’ve seen clients consistently bridge the gap between online and offline marketing with variable data, personalized URLS and digital printing. I believe that postcard printing & direct mail will continue to captivate “offline” prospects and compel them to find out more information to share with their friends and family via Twitter, Facebook, and other new media outlets.

Although postcard marketing has seen a decline in the last few years, many marketing experts continue to see massive value from the benefits of direct mail by integrating their offline and online programs together.