Up to this day, many businesses still prefer the traditional way of reaching out to customers. They do direct mail marketing to promote their products and services. This is why companies providing direct mail printing services continue to thrive in the age of the internet.
Despite this strategy being old-fashioned, many businesses attest to its effectiveness in convincing customers to either purchase a product or take advantage of a promo. They say that after using direct mail marketing, some of their customers even compliment their efforts and report feeling valued again because of the personal touch that direct mails provide.
If you want your customers to feel that you value them, you might want to try out direct mail marketing, too. But before you start using this strategy, you must first deal with a hurdle that most newbie direct mail marketers encounter: making sure that your customers open your mail.
There are two ways to make sure that your customers will open and read your mail, namely the billboard and personal methods.
The Billboard Method
The billboard method is an effective way to catch customers’ attention because the envelope will already tell them that something valuable is inside. With this method, you have to be creative in convincing your customers. You may use witty taglines to coax your customers into opening up the envelope.
If, for instance, an envelope you receive in the mailbox says, “Open this envelope right now so you can get your 50% discount!” wouldn’t you be tempted to open it right away? Even if the envelope does not say what the discount is for, many will be convinced to rip it apart.
So with the billboard method, you should come up with innovative ways to catch your customers’ attention instantly. Just think of the words freebies, discounts and promos, and use them to complete a sentence or two. You might then be able to convince your customers to open up your mail.
The Personal Method
With the personal method, on the other hand, it is a lot different in that your message to your customers is a lot subtle. When you are using the professional method, your message to the customer that says, “open me up” is communicated through the appearance of the envelope.
When you send a mail to your customers encased in an envelope that is made from high-quality paper with no labels on the front except for the address, you are sending a message that you are serious about giving them this mail and that you made it personally for them.
People these days can spot ads that are just designed to make them buy something, and it makes them feel like they are being used or conned. This is why sending a mail that does not look like an invitation to use a promo code is still effective because it makes customers feel that you are sending them something personal and valuable, which they will appreciate more.
The personal touch is just as effective as any marketing strategy, so use it as much as you can because it can give you the edge that other companies may not have—a personal connection with your customers.