What is a Mailshot?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REQUEST A DEMO

What is a Mailshot and How Does it Work?

If you have ever looked into mass marketing campaigns, then it is likely that you have come across the term mailshot. However, few people know what mailshot is or its potential in marketing different products and services.

Even fewer people know how to run a successful mailshot marketing campaign. So, if you are reading this article to find some answers about mailshot marketing, you have come to the right place. We will discuss every detail you need to know about mailshot and how you can implement one to get the optimal results.

What Are Mailshots?

A mailshot is a type of direct marketing where businesses reach out to a large group of prospective and existing customers via postal mail. The Royal Mail offers several services to send personalised messages to your customers/prospects.

Mailshot is one of the most effective ways to generate a response from your target audience because it is more personal. Unlike emails or text messages, the recipients of mailshots such as personalised postcards want to read them.

Companies usually use a mailshot to pitch a good or service that it wants to sell. Postcards and letters are two of the most common choices for sending mailshots to customers or prospects. However, companies can also send flyers, newsletters, brochures, and even booklets as mailshots.

What Are The Benefits Of Using A Mailshot For Your Business?

There are numerous benefits of using mailshot marketing for your business. However, if we were to give you one single reason why you should use mailshot marketing, it would be that they are incredibly effective.

While most advanced digital marketing campaigns struggle to generate a response from the target audience, mailshots can do it effortlessly. But, the real question is, what makes mailshot advertising/marketing so effective?

And the benefits listed below should answer that question for you.

Superior Targeting

Thanks to direct mail automation tools like PostGrid, you now have superior targeting capabilities for your mailshot campaigns. Such advanced tools enable you to target your audience who finds your offer relevant. In addition to this, mailshots have a higher chance of converting your target audience.

High Personalisation

Mailshots such as postcards can be highly personalised to connect better with the target audience. With tools like PostGrid, you can easily integrate it into your website and use its CRM for quick, easy personalisation.

Easy Monitoring And Tracking

Earlier, marketers had to rely on the mailshot recipient making a phone call to measure its response rate. Today, you can guide them to your website or landing page through a QR Code or PURL. You can then access advanced insights and track the progress of your campaign with advanced analytic tools.

Easy To Create And Execute

In the past, creating and executing direct mail campaigns was a time-consuming process. But now, with ready-to-go templates and easy automation from PostGrid, developing and executing mailshot marketing campaigns is easier than ever.

High Return On Investment (ROI)

Direct mail campaigns have one the best ROI you can get from a marketing campaign. The Return On Investment or ROI of direct mail is much higher than most digital marketing campaigns.

Complements Your Other Marketing Efforts

Sending mailshots can be effectively used to complement your other marketing efforts, including digital marketing campaigns. For example, you can use a QR code to guide the customers to an online sale happening on your website.

Cost-Effective

As far as marketing campaigns go, mailshot marketing is one of the most cost-effective marketing strategies you can find. Automating your mailshot marketing reduces wastage of materials and saves you a lot of working hours.

History of Success

Another thing that makes mailshot advertising or marketing so enticing to businesses is that it already has a history of success. Even without automation, there is no denying that direct mail campaigns are effective because of how emotionally appealing they are to the customers/prospects.

What Are The Things You Should Include In Your Mailshot?

Mailshots come in all sizes and shapes depending on the type of marketing campaign you wish to execute. It means you can select a mail format based on your unique needs and target audience. However, companies usually prefer to use minor and straightforward mailshot printing to minimise expenses.

Hence, the most common mailshot examples that you can see are:

• Postcards
• Flyers
• Leaflets
• Brochures

Headline

The headline is usually one of the first things the reader notices in direct mail, such as postcards, flyers, etc. Even if the reader were to casually glance through their mailers as they get it out of the mailbox, they would still look at the headline.

Hence, your headline should be able to grab the reader’s attention at first glance itself. For example, a headline that says “SAVE ££” immediately conveys what the customer or prospect can expect from the mailer. However, you need to get more creative with the headlines to get them noticed by the recipients.

Body Copy

As you can guess, a great headline needs an excellent body copy to complement it. Creating a compelling body copy that makes the reader want to take action is not easy. However, an approach that usually works is to try and tell a story to the reader.

A story-like narration is more effective in capturing and holding the reader’s attention. Using shorter sentences and paragraphs is better for the mailshot and its story. The last thing you want to do is go on and on about the product/service you are offering and bore the reader.

Instead, focus the copy on how your product/service can benefit the target audience. Additionally, it would be best to use the word “you” so that the reader connects themselves with the mailshot you send. You can also use typographical tricks like underlines, bold fonts, and typefaces to highlight parts of your mailer.

Personalised Content

The first thing you need to include in your mailshot is personalised content. As we have already mentioned, mailshot marketing performs so well because it feels personal. So if your mailer uses generic terms such as “dear customer”, it defeats the purpose of sending mailshots.

Value Offering

The next thing that your mailshot should include is a value offering that the customer or prospects find interesting. Whatever you are offering in the mailshot should be relevant to the person reading it. You could try to attract the customer/prospect with a discount offer, free coupons, gift cards, and so on.

Conditions For Offer Redemption

A good practice to follow when you create mailshot campaigns and their value offering is to include any conditions for offer redemption. There is nothing more frustrating to a customer than finding that they can’t redeem an offer because of a hidden clause.

Hence, always make it a point to include any condition for offer redemption in your mailshot. You should also mention the offer’s closing date in the mailer you send to the customers and prospects.

Call To Action (CTA)

Some might argue that the CTA or Call To Action is the most crucial part of your post office mailshot. Although such a claim is arguable, the CTA is unavoidable in a mailshot. The CTA is usually provided towards the end of the mailer.

Your CTA tells the reader what action they need to take after reading the mailer. Suppose you want to take the reader to your online store, you can provide a QR Code inside and give a CTA to “scan the code to get a special discount!”

Similarly, if you want them to fill out an online form, then you can use a CTA that says something like:

“Scan the code to register for a free service.”

The CTA of your mailshot should be attractive and connect with the value offering of your mailshot. Hence, it would be best to connect the CTA and the incentive you are offering the reader.

PS or Postscript

Although not necessary, you might want to try using a PS or Postscript in your mailshots. There are numerous advantages of using PS in mailshot marketing. For example, PS lets you wander off-topic and pitch something entirely different to the reader, like a parallel marketing campaign your company is running.

You can also use the PS to point out the benefits of your product or service. Use the PS to complement your mailshot’s CTA and reiterate your value offering. Furthermore, adding a PS to your mailer make it seem more personal and not just another machine-generated mail.

How To Create a Successful Mailshot Marketing Campaign For Your Business?

Creating a successful mailshot marketing campaign is not easy. And if you are new to mailshot printing, you will need all the help you can get. So, we explain below how you can create a direct mail campaign with a higher potential for success.

Step 1: Put Together A Quality Mailing List

The mailing list is the best place to start when you create mailshot campaigns. It is crucial to have a good quality mailing list before implementing a mailshot marketing campaign. The quality of your mailing list can make or break your mailshot campaign.

Where to Get It?

The most reliable source for your mailing list is your business’s customer database. However, it may not be good enough to target new audiences. In that case, you can consider buying the list from a broker.

Clean/Filter Your Mailing List

It would be best to run the mailing list through an address verification solution, such as PostGrid. That way, you can ensure the quality of your mailing list. PostGrid compares your mailing list with the Royal Mail’s official address database to identify valid addresses, which ultimately maximise your deliverability.

Step 2: Choose A Suitable Direct Mail Format

The next big decision you need to make when creating mailshot campaigns is to pick a suitable direct mail format. Each format has its unique characteristics, benefits, and drawbacks. You need to choose a postal mail format that best fits your needs for that special campaign.

Usually, businesses prefer using A5 flyers or postcards for their mailshot campaigns because they are economical and can house attractive images. However, your options are not limited to flyers or postcards. Here are some direct mail formats you can consider for your mailshot advertising.

• A5/A6 Leaflets & Postcards: Economical and can include images.
• Enveloped Letters: Provides more privacy.
• Self-mailers: Cost-effective and provide more space for communication.
• Custom Mailer: Use custom shapes that are more memorable to the readers.

Step 3: Create The Text For The Mailshot

After selecting the direct mail format for your mailshot campaign, you will get an idea of the content it needs. However, you will always have limited space for communicating your vision regardless of the mail format you choose. There are mainly two things you need to create: the headline and the body copy.

Headline

The headline of the mailer should be short and enticing to generate interest in the reader. It could very well be the only thing that the recipient reads. Therefore, you should ensure that the headline is not confusing and gives the reader an idea about what the mailer is about.

Body Copy

The body copy should also be concise, and you must make sure that the reader keeps on reading. Hence, it would be best to pitch the reader with a value proposition. However, you must be careful to explain your offer well to avoid miscommunication.

Step 4: Design The Mailer

The creative side of the mailer is just as important as the content side of the mailer. More often than not, the design side of the mailshot process is more time-consuming than any other aspect of the mailshot campaign.

A good design should accomplish the following goals for your mailshot campaign.

• Grab the reader’s attention.
• Convey a relevant message.
• Align with your branding.

Image/Picture

One of the ways you can grab the reader’s attention is by using images. It can be funny, surprising, or even shocking as long as it captures the reader’s attention. However, it does not mean that you can use any random image on your mailer because it has to be relevant to the content of the mail.

Step 5: Create An Irrefutable Offer

The one aspect that can single-handedly change the fate of your mailshot marketing campaign is the value offering. You can not hope your target audience takes the desired action without incentivising them.

The offer in your mailshot is what pushes the reader to take action, and hence it has to be genuinely valuable. One of the strategies you can use to drive more actions is setting a limit to the offer. For example, people tend to respond faster if an offer is limited.

Step 6: Create An Attractive Call To Action or CTA

Let’s assume that you have successfully created an awesome mailshot capable of grabbing the reader’s attention at first glance. The reader is thoroughly impressed with your mailer and the value you offer.

Now, imagine what would happen if the reader had no idea what to do next. Indeed, they could look up your business online and contact you, but the chances of that happening are slim to none. Including a CTA tells your customer or prospects what they need to do to access the mailshot offer.

In other words, the CTA must clearly state the action the reader must take, such as making a call or visiting your website. Combine your CTA with convenient options such as QR Codes or PURLs to boost your chance of getting a response.

Step 7: Print And Deliver Your Mailshots

The next step is pretty simple because this is where you print your mailshot and get it delivered to your target audience. You can either print and deliver the mail yourself or use a third-party service provider, preferably one with an automated system.

Send Mailshot Using PostGrid

The best option for printing and sending mailshots for your business is to use a direct mail automation tool like PostGrid. It is not good to use an in-house process for sending mailshots because it uses an error-prone manual process.

Furthermore, there are a lot of logistic challenges that your business may not be able to handle. On the other hand, PostGrid uses an entirely automated process free of manual errors. By the end of the day, you are likely to save a whole lot of money and time by using PostGrid for mailshot marketing.

Step 8: Time Your Offer Right

Like most good things in life, the mailshot can work wonders if you get the timing right. However, make a mistake in the timing, which could affect your entire campaign. There is usually a backlog mail from Sunday. Hence, you should ensure that the target audience doesn’t receive the mailer on a Monday.

Similarly, it would be best to avoid the B2B mailshots reaching their destination on Fridays. It would be best to avoid holidays or send the mailshot much earlier during the season. Royal Mail is usually busy during the holiday season, and there is a more extended delivery period.

Step 9: Track And Measure Your Results

The last thing you need to do to ensure that you run a successful mailshot campaign is to track and measure its results. Ideally, you should use the CTA to guide them to your website and use your advanced analytics tools for superior tracking and measuring capabilities.

Try using the following in your CTAs for better tracking your mailshot campaigns.

• QR Codes
• Trackable URLs
• PURLs

Conclusion

Mailshots are a great way for businesses to market their products and services. It has a high ROI, can appeal to the audience personally, and is ideal for generating the desired response rate. The tremendous success rate of mailshot is also because people are tired of getting bombarded with digital marketing campaigns.

In short, it is the perfect way for reaching out to your target audience. However, to get the full potential of mailshot marketing and still make it profitable, you need to optimise it with automation tools like PostGrid.

With PostGrid’s automation capabilities, you can personalise, print, and deliver mailshots with the click of a button. There is no need for you to worry about logistic challenges or manual errors because PostGrid takes care of it all.

The post What is a Mailshot? appeared first on PostGrid UK.

Via https://www.postgrid.co.uk/what-is-a-mailshot/

source https://postgridunitedkingdom.weebly.com/blog/what-is-a-mailshot

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REQUEST A DEMO

What is Print Advertising?

If you run multiple digital marketing campaigns, you will know how competitive it is to get your business noticed by the audience. The digital space is brimming with marketers from all industry verticals where everyone is fighting to grab the attention of the same audience.

No matter how hard you work you put in digital marketing campaigns, you may still not get the desired results. Therefore, it is high time that you switch up your marketing game and take a fresh look at things with the help of printed advertising.

Printed ads are now the perfect alternative to digital ads. It is easier to get your business or brand noticed via print media than the digital medium. Unfortunately, most marketers are not familiar with print advertising because they never had to dabble with it.

Hence, we have created a small guide that explains every essential detail you need to know about print advertising. Keep on reading to find out what is print advertising, the different types of print ads, their benefits and even take a look at some print advertisement examples.

The Different Types Of Print Marketing Materials

Print advertising is a marketing method that utilises physically printed media like direct mail, newspaper, magazines, etc., to reach the target audience. The printed ads offer a significantly higher response rate and ROI (Return On Investment) than other marketing methods.

But before you can tap into the full potential of print advertising, you need to understand the different types of advertising that use print media. There are mainly six different types of print advertising that are still quite popular today.

Every type of print advertising has its own advantages and disadvantages. The ideal one for your business depends on the kind of campaign you wish to run and the business model you follow. In addition to this, there are several other aspects that you need to factor in before selecting a type of print ad.

Listed below are the six major types of print advertising and their salient features. Analyse these features against your marketing requirements and end goals to find the ideal one suited for your unique business.

#1 Direct Mail

Direct mail is arguably the most effective and measurable form of print advertising. The most significant reason businesses prefer direct mail over other print ads is their ability to target the audience individually.

Direct mail is sent individually to the target audience. Hence, direct mail can be easily measured using an actionable CTA. The CTA can be a QR Code, a PURL, or even a dedicated phone line. In addition to this, direct mail also lets you personalise each mail piece specifically for its recipients.

The biggest challenge in executing a highly-personalised direct mail campaign is the time and effort it requires. However, you can easily overcome this challenge by using a print and mail automation tool like PostGrid.

#2 Newspaper Ads

Newspaper ads are still an effective way to market your products/services, especially if you want to communicate to a larger audience. However, the newspaper ads are not personalised like those you see in direct mail.

Furthermore, newspaper ads can only be effective for your specific product or service if your target audience reads the newspaper. Nonetheless, it offers a high conversion potential as the paper readers are often proactive customers who engage with the ads.

Apart from this, newspaper ads are affordable and trustworthy. A business featured in the newspaper, even a local one, creates the impression that it is a well-established brand. Hence, newspaper ads are also great as a prerequisite for retargeting campaigns.

#3 Magazines

Magazine ads are similar to newspaper ads in their method of operation. However, magazines and newspapers are two very different mediums in terms of their content and readers. Using magazine ads can be crucial in making your brand the centre of attraction for your target audience.

When you compare it to newspapers, magazines let you target a more specific audience. For example, suppose your product or service is related to lifestyle. In that case, you can put your ads in a leading lifestyle magazine. It is also worth noting that the UK, US, and even Asia still have an affinity for magazines.

And since there is a specialised magazine for pretty much everything you can think of, reaching your niche audience should be relatively easy. Magazines also let you use high-quality images that best portray your product and attract more customers.

#4 Brochures

Some of you might be surprised that brochures are still a popular marketing tool even in today’s technology-driven era. The truth is that there are very few marketing tools that can get you in touch with your target audience like a brochure can.

It can help you establish your brand and raise its credibility. Brochures may even do a better job at accomplishing this than newspaper ads. In addition to all this, brochures are perfect for holding a lot of information and conveying it efficiently to hundreds or thousands of people.

Brochures can be handy when launching a new business and introducing new products. Flyers usually only need a single piece of paper, and hence they are very cost-effective. Lastly, you can also combine brochures with your direct mail campaign for getting better results.

#5 Billboards

Billboards are easily one of the oldest methods in marketing. And to think that Billboards are still relevant today is surprising. One of the most significant advantages that billboards offer your business is that the customer quickly notices them.

However, it is one thing to get noticed by the customer and quite another to convert them into valuable leads/customers. Interestingly, billboards allow you to target your campaigns to a specific audience and not just a larger random audience.

And you can’t ignore a billboard no matter how much you want to because it is always there glaring right at your face. It is one of the reasons why billboards are still among the most viewed advertising types in the world.

#6 Directories

Directories are another one of the popular print advertisements. They are ideal for businesses that want to create wider brand exposure and build a client base for themselves. Additionally, the directories come in different forms, such as:

• Yellow pages
• Regional directories
• Industry directories

A business that can get itself a spot in the yellow pages is usually legit, and the customer can trust them. Legitimacy is the base you need to establish trust and credibility with your target audience. However, directories are rarely a priority for businesses today.

Why Is Print Advertising Still Popular?

There is no hiding that digital advertising has long surpassed print advertising in every measurable way imaginable. However, that does not mean that digital ads have rendered print ads useless. On the contrary, the over-dependency on digital media for marketing is now raising the demand for print ads.

Print advertisements such as direct mail still have higher conversion and response rates than digital alternatives. But, to understand why businesses still need to use print ads to stay relevant, you need to dive into more profound details than the numbers.

Print advertising is still popular among businesses because of the following reasons.

Print Advertisement Lets You Avoid The Same-Old Boring Way Of Approaching Customers

Yes, we know it may seem odd to call digital marketing approaches “same-old” when you compare it against print ads like direct mail. Calling digital marketing approaches such as email marketing “same-old” is mainly because of the prevailing market trend.

When was the last time you got excited to open a marketing email?

Customers have become too familiar with digital marketing efforts because of prevailing market trends. So, when you take the path less walked to send a printed ad, it quickly registers on the recipient’s mind.

When customers see the products on printed ads, they value the product/service higher. The unique nature of print ads like direct mail leads to:

• Higher review period.
• Higher information retention.
• Emotional reaction to the ad.
• A higher value for products/services.

Print Advertisement Provides Significantly Higher Conversion Rates

Many companies don’t use print advertisements because they require a considerable investment compared to digital advertising. However, print ads also offer a substantial ROI or Return On Investment.

A customer is more likely to respond to your marketing campaign on print media. It is valid for every type of print advertisement, including direct mail, newspaper ads, etc. Hence, you must provide an actionable CTA to ensure a high conversion rate.

For example, you can try including a QR Code in your direct mail and brochures that take the customer directly to the product page. Using QR Codes is the most convenient way to take the customer to your website or landing page.

As long as you have a good value offering, the customer is likely to convert at this stage.

Print Advertisement Is Perfect For Building Trust And Establishing Credibility

Have you ever noticed that most customers (including ourselves) are still sceptical about online brands? Unless you are already familiar with the brand through an offline medium, we have difficulty trusting the brand. But, we find it easier to accept and trust brands with an offline presence.

Our brain is wired to associate print media as a trusted source of information. Hence, it is not surprising that the customer automatically concludes that a brand is credible simply after seeing a print advertisement.

Consider an online eCommerce store with no physical stores or direct marketing campaigns. Now, compare it against a brand with a physical store or a noticeable presence in print media such as newspapers and magazines. Which is likely to seem more credible and trustworthy to you?

Print Advertisement Has Superior Demographic Targeting

Demographic targeting is yet another strong suit of print advertising. Although demographic targeting in print marketing is not as convenient as digital platforms, they still do a decent job. Many people think that demographic segmentation is not possible for print ads, but that’s a huge misconception.

With well-done research and a good marketing strategy, you can use your print ads to reach the desired demographic target. However, it becomes a lot easier if you are using direct mail marketing with the help of an automation tool like PostGrid.

PostGrid is a print and mail automation tool with access to the Postcode Address File (PAF) of Royal Mail. It means that PostGrid can access Royal Mail’s official address database. Furthermore, PostGrid even has a geocoding feature ideal for demographic targeting.

What Are The Advantages Of Print Advertising?

There are some definite advantages of employing a print advertisement for your business. However, it would be best to have automated tools to get the most out of your print marketing campaigns. For example, you can use a print and mail system like PostGrid for optimising your direct mail campaigns.

Using an automated system enables you to streamline the time-consuming printing process. A tool like PostGrid can help you automatically print your direct mail or brochures and even personalise them if you want. You can even schedule when to send such printed advertising.

Automating the maximum number of processes leads to fewer errors and wastage. There is no way some distracted employee will mess up your brochure or direct mail during printing in an automated system. Hence, you are essentially streamlining your print marketing processes which ultimately gets you the following advantages:

Cost-Effective:

Although print advertising is usually more expensive than digital advertising, it is still very cost-effective. Perhaps more than digital marketing campaigns if you consider the high response rate and ROI of print advertisements like direct mail.

Even using the local newspaper is a cost-effective way for marketing your products/services. However, you need to ensure that your target audience will view such advertisements based on the medium you use, such as newspapers, magazines, etc.

Boost Your Brand Value:

Generally, most people consider print media more trustworthy and credible than digital media. Hence, all print ads you implement go a long way in establishing your business as a customer’s reliable brand.

Particularly print advertisements in newspapers, magazines, and direct mail appeal more to the customers as reliable. In addition to this, print advertising is perfect as a precursor to retargeting your customers because now you have established a brand value for your business.

Better Quality Engagements:

Another advantage of print advertising is that it can drive quality engagements. Usually, when someone takes action and contacts a business via print advertising, they genuinely intend to buy a product/service.

People who read newspapers do it to gain some information from it even if they are going through the advertisement section. Additionally, the customers need to go through the trouble of calling you or scanning a QR code. It proves they have a genuine interest in the product/service you are selling.

Extended Viewership:

When you use a print advertisement in media channels like newspapers, magazines, and billboards, you reach out to more than one person. Usually, a single piece of newspaper or magazine is read by multiple readers.

What does it mean for your print marketing campaigns? It means that your print ads are likely to get vast viewership for every piece of newspaper and magazine brought in the market. Hence, print ads are ideal for getting wider exposure for your brand.

Superior Flexibility:

Print advertising is much more flexible than what they are credited for, even more so if you use automated systems like PostGrid. Even the ads in print media like newspapers and magazines can have area-specific marketing campaigns.

But, when we move on to print marketing campaigns aided by automation tools, you get a whole new level of flexibility. Take PostGrid, for example. It can automate your entire direct mail campaign, including personalising, printing, and delivering the marketing material.

4 Best Print Ad Campaigns Of All Time

Implementing a successful print marketing campaign is not always easy. Every successful print advertising campaign has one thing in common: creative thinking. Catching the audience’s attention requires a great idea that is attractive and capable of making the customer think.

If you get it right, the customer will think about your print ad long after viewing it. Below, we discuss some of the best print advertisement examples of all time to help you understand how to use print ads innovatively.

#1 The Time When KFC Pitched Used IKEA’s Brand Colors

When KFC opened a new outlet in Majorca, Spain, they didn’t think that the nearby IKEA was worth any notice. But later, KFC found that when people wanted directions to their store, the local’s always answered with “where Ikea is.”

However, the brand was quick to respond to this new information, but how they responded gained immense attention. The fast-food giant put the association to good use and mimicked IKEA’s brand colours and typography for their local store.

#2 The “Chunky” Mail From Kit-Kat

One of the best direct mail campaigns in recent times is Kit-Kat for their newly launched Chunky Kit-Kat. Their direct mail included mimicking a card that informed the customer about a missed delivery.

However, the more critical detail was “the reason” for the late delivery. Kit-Kat said in the mail that they could not make the delivery because the package was too “chunky.” The clever wordplay did the campaign a lot of good and made it a memorable experience for the audience.

Inside the mail, Kit-Kat also offered the audience a bar of free chocolate, but they would have to go to a local retail store to redeem it. The brand saw a tremendous response to this direct mail campaign and made a noticeable impact on its target audience.

#3 Ogilvy’s “You Eat What They Eat” Print Ads

Ogilvy made a bold statement in their print advertising campaign when they said, “You Eat What They Eat.” The message was strongly complemented by the image of a fish with its body shaped like a plastic bottle. It implied that the fish ate the plastic bottle that we threw in the ocean without a second thought.

Additionally, the organisation says that we have the responsibility of not littering our water bodies with their one-liner. Ogilvy’s print advertisement leaves the reader with an unsettled feeling which stays with them even after viewing the ad. And that is the mark of a properly executed print marketing campaign.

#4 IKEA’s “Peeing On This Ad” Campaign For Baby Cribs

IKEA took innovation in print advertising a step further with their “peeing on this ad” campaign for their baby cribs. Usually, people peeing on their printed ads is the last thing any business would want. So, what made IKEA take the opposite approach and encourage their customers to pee on their ads?

Well, the big secret behind the bold move from IKEA was that the baby crib ads also act as a pregnancy test. Suppose if a pregnant person pees on the print ad and gets a positive result, then IKEA would give a 50% discount for the soon-to-be mother.

Conclusion

In recent years, businesses have dialled down the use of print advertisements compared to the old days. However, that does not mean that print advertising is no longer effective or useless. Print ads like direct mail still have a higher response rate than most digital marketing campaigns.

Also, you now have the option to equip your print marketing campaigns with automated processes. Automation rectifies manual errors and helps you optimise the processes involved in print advertising. PostGrid for direct mail is an ideal example of how a computerised system can optimise your print ads.

Print and mail automation tools like PostGrid can automate the direct mail process. Everything from personalisation to printing to mail delivery is automated and requires no manual intervention once it is set up. Such automation saves you valuable resources, minimises wastage, and gets you maximum ROI.

The post What is Print Advertising? appeared first on PostGrid UK.

Via https://www.postgrid.co.uk/what-is-print-advertising/

source https://postgridunitedkingdom.weebly.com/blog/what-is-print-advertising

How to Use QR Codes In Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REQUEST A DEMO

Uses of QR Codes In Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns

QR Code in direct mail marketing is perhaps the most convenient way to market a product or service. However, not everyone is well-aware of the applicational use of QR Codes.

This article will help you understand how to use QR Codes in marketing and learn some of the vital QR Code marketing benefits. Going through the leading QR Code uses listed below will help you understand the salient features of QR codes. More importantly, you will understand how to put those features to good use.

7 Leading-Edge Uses of QR Code Marketing In Direct Mail

QR Code marketing has brought some incredible changes to our day-to-day lives. The reason that is crucial for the success of QR Codes is their ability to adapt to almost every practical application. Below are seven ways QR codes change how businesses use direct mail marketing forever.

#1 Create Multi/Omni-Channel Marketing Campaigns

The most significant advantage of using QR Codes in direct mail campaigns is that it can effectively connect the online and offline marketing channels. Furthermore, QR Codes can bridge the gap between online and offline campaigns more conveniently than any other method.

Implementing multi or Omni channel campaigns becomes increasingly easy using a QR Code and a direct mail software solution like PostGrid. A simple example is when you use a QR Code in the direct mail to lead the recipient to a sale page on your website.

Here, you can use direct mail to pitch your best offer to the target audience. It’d generate enough interest in the recipient. Then by providing the QR Code, you can make it convenient for the user to access your website.

You can even connect your digital marketing tools to PostGrid to run streamlined omnichannel marketing.

#2 Create AR/VR Supported Direct Mail Campaigns

AR and VR technologies open up a world of opportunities for marketers who want new and interactive ways to connect with their customers. You can use the QR Code in the direct mail to direct the audience to your AR-supported web page or app as Ikea did.

Ikea used the QR Code in their direct mail to direct the audience to their mobile app. They used Augmented Reality to show how their product looks in a real-life environment such as their home or office space.

Companies can even include a makeshift paper VR-Box in the mailer and include a QR Code link for relevant VR-supported content. Such an approach is bound to generate a response from the target audience.

However, you must ensure that you use quality content and attractive offers to ensure maximum conversions.

#3 Digital Coupons

One of the more common applications of QR codes in Direct Mail is sending digital coupons. Despite being an age-old strategy, coupons or vouchers always excite the audience. After all, who doesn’t like to get a discount coupon?

Try using QR coupons with a limited period validity or one-time redeemable vouchers for getting the best result for your campaigns. Remember, people tend to respond faster to offers with a time limit or expiration.

You can even have the coupon code pre-applied to the orders when the user scans the QR code. Such small details offer great convenience to the user and elevate their affinity towards your brand. Another thing you can do is to link the QR Code to an immediate or ongoing sale on your website.

#4 Engage Customers WIth Digital Media

There is no question that digital media such as videos are much more engaging than text content such as blogs. However, getting noticed in the digital space is hard. However, it is pretty easy to get your target audience to take notice of your direct mail.

QR Codes in the direct mail can direct your customers to the desired digital media such as a video. As long as you have an engaging video, the customer is likely to retain the message conveyed through it.

According to Forbes, users can retain 95% of the information conveyed through a video. Hence, if you aim to create a long-lasting impression on the audience, video content accessible via a QR Code is your best bet.

#5 Give Customers Access To Your Store’s Locations

QR Codes can come in handy for businesses with a physical store because they can use QR Codes to bring in new customers. The QR Code can be linked directly to your store’s Google location, and the recipient can scan the QR code to get directions to reach your store.

However, you need to provide some incentive like a discount coupon redeemable at the store to get them to make the trip to your store. Merely providing the location through the QR Code is not enough to ensure an actionable response from customers.

#6 Boost Your Social Media Engagements

Social Media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram are no longer about connecting people with their friends and family. It is now a powerful marketing channel. The stronger your presence in social media, the stronger your credibility as a brand.

There are a couple of ways to boost social media engagements using QR Codes in direct mail. For example, you can encourage your customers to follow your brand on social media platforms by offering them a deal on your products in return.

Additionally, ensure that your social media presence is well maintained so that the customer won’t feel like unfollowing your brand in the future.

#7 Connect To Your Business Directly

QR Codes are a great way to let your customers connect with your business directly. Use QR Codes in direct mail to let your customers connect with you via email, chats, phone calls, etc. Being proactive and reaching out to the customers even before they need you helps create a positive impression.

Furthermore, you can smartly use direct mail to create a loyal customer base by providing quality customer service. For example, consider sending thank you cards to your customers after purchasing a product/service.

Use the card to tell your customers that they can reach out to you anytime and reassure them that you are always ready to serve them. Quality customer service goes a long way, and nothing says you mean business more than an official letter.

#8 Download Your App

Mobile apps have become necessary for businesses, especially those working in eCommerce or on-demand service sectors. You can use direct mail to reach out to your existing customers and use targeted lists to promote your mobile app.

Furthermore, as QR Codes are customizable, you can convey your brand voice and familiarize your customers with your brand. The QR Code can lead the user directly to the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Here also, you can get the best result for the campaign by providing the customers with an incentive. You can use a discount coupon or a freebie to encourage the customers to scan the QR Code and download your mobile app.

Topmost Benefits Of QR Codes In Marketing

There are many benefits of QR Codes in marketing, and it is hard to list all of them here. However, a few of these benefits are particularly worth mentioning. Therefore, below we have created a list of all the major benefits of using QR Codes in direct mail marketing.

Easy Sharing And Networking Capability

For the customers, sharing a product or their experience with a brand has never been easier before. The easy and convenient nature of QR codes ensures that you can promote sharing and networking of your business like never before.

It is the Most Convenient “Call-To-Action”

You can link QR codes to practically anything you want. Audio commentary, social media posts, instructional videos, and the list keep going on and on. All the recipient has to do is scan the code, and they can easily take the desired action making it the most convenient way to implement a CTA.

Ideal For Social Media And Search Engine Optimisation

QR codes are an excellent way for optimizing your Social Media performance and Search Engine results. With careful planning and efficient implementation, you can increase traffic to products the customer is likely to search for.

Flexibility To Get Creative

Although most QR Codes we have seen are black and white, they don’t always have to be like that. QR Codes are highly customizable and you can personalize or style them the best way you deem fit.

Easily Measurable

QR codes offer one of the best ways to measure the effectiveness of a direct mail campaign. Unlike traditional methods like phone calls, QR code allows you to access deep insights and even allow you to use your website’s analytics tool.

Conclusion

The numerous QR Code marketing benefits and their uses in direct mail marketing clearly show why are QR Codes appeal to marketers. We know the main advantage of using QR codes in marketing is that it makes life convenient for everyone involved.

Both businesses and consumers equally benefit from using QR Codes in direct mail. However, to tap into the full potential of QR Codes in direct mail marketing, you need the help of a software solution like PostGrid.

PostGrid offers an automated direct mail solution that can help you optimize your QR Code marketing strategy. Apart from helping you print personalized QR Codes, PostGrid enables you to connect with other marketing software.

As a result, you can run advanced marketing campaigns, including omnichannel marketing. It also opens up opportunities to create new and innovative marketing ideas that you can explore.

The post How to Use QR Codes In Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns appeared first on PostGrid UK.

Via https://www.postgrid.co.uk/qr-code-marketing-in-direct-mail-advertising/

source https://postgridunitedkingdom.weebly.com/blog/how-to-use-qr-codes-in-direct-mail-marketing-campaigns

Postcard Marketing Guide

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REQUEST A DEMO

Postcard Marketing Works: Here's How to Do It

When was the last time you remember getting a postcard?

Well, to most people, the answer would be during the Christmas season. And some may not have received one at all for the past several years. If you think about it, receiving a postcard is somewhat exciting to us.

Hence, it is no wonder that businesses have developed postcard marketing strategies to connect better with their customers. In this article, we will help you learn everything you need to know about postcard marketing.

Not only are we going to explain how to do postcard marketing right, but we will also give you some quick tips to help you. Additionally, you will learn some of the most effective postcard marketing strategies to get the best possible results for your business.

What Is Postcard Marketing?

In simple language, postcard marketing is a marketing method that uses direct mail postcards as the channel of communication. We all know that a postcard is a form of direct mail. Similarly, postcard marketing is a type of direct mail marketing.

Direct mail marketing involves sending all types of mailers, including postcards, certified letters, brochures, and much more. On the other hand, postcard marketing exclusively uses postcards in its campaigns.

Using something as ancient as postal mail for marketing when literally everyone else uses email and social media may not sound like a smart move. However, on the contrary, it is precisely the reason why marketers should use postcard marketing.

Postcard marketing gives you a space that is least occupied by mainstream marketing methods. Additionally, you can also use promotional print pieces, including discount coupons and other offers in postcard marketing.

But, Isn’t Postcard Processing Time-Consuming?

Yes, postcard processing can be time-consuming, but only if you are using a manual in-house process. However, it is a different story if you use an automated direct mail tool like PostGrid. Advanced tools like PostGrid enables you to automate the entire marketing process, including:

• Personalisation
• Printing
• Mailing

Hence, there is no need for any manual process anymore unless you choose to have one. It means you can save time and avoid all unwanted errors and optimise your postcard marketing campaigns.

What Would Happen To My Digital Marketing Campaigns?

One of the best things about automated postcard mailing is that it can work flawlessly alongside your digital marketing campaigns. Better yet, it can even be an integral part of your digital marketing efforts.

How?

PostGrid and other advanced direct mail marketing tools support multi and omnichannel marketing campaigns. For example, you can use postcard marketing as the first touchpoint of a multi-channel marketing campaign.

Here, the significantly higher response rate of postcards can help you boost the campaign’s initial response. More importantly, you can use a QR code or PURL (Personalised URL) on your postcard to take them to your website or landing page.

Why Should You Use Postcard Marketing?

Most people take their time to look through their postal mail rather than ignore them altogether like marketing emails. Hence, if you are having trouble getting your target audience to open your marketing emails, you would have better luck using postcards.

Postcards/Direct Mail Are More Exciting

People who receive a postcard or direct mail look forward to opening their mailbox every day. Receiving and opening postcards/direct mail is exciting for most of us. In comparison, receiving a marketing email is rarely exciting to anyone.

They Are Rarely Ignored

The thing about digital marketing efforts such as email campaigns is that the customer can easily ignore them. Your audience can leave the message unread in their inbox for as long as they want. At the same time, postcard recipients are intrigued when they get a postcard in their mailbox. And they end up reading the mailer if for nothing but curiosity.

More Effective In Bringing In New Customers

According to a recent study, direct mail marketing brings in 10% more new customers when compared to email marketing. Therefore, no matter how good you are at email marketing, you will have better odds if you switch your communication channel.

They Are More Memorable

A whopping 75% of people that receive direct mail like postcards could recall the brand after seeing the mailer. On the other hand, only 44% of people could place the brand after viewing a similar email as per the study.

Drive Traffic Online

As we have mentioned above, you can use postcard marketing to complement your digital marketing efforts or drive traffic to your website. You can use a discount code that the recipient can redeem online. Additionally, printing a QR code or PURL in the postcard can conveniently allow customers to access your website/landing page.

They Are Sturdy And Resilient

Compared to other direct mail types such as letters, postcards use much stronger paper. Therefore, they are more sturdy and resilient to wear and tear during transit. As a result, they remain clean and undamaged most of the time until it reaches their destination.

10 Tips On How To Do Postcard Marketing

We have already explained, using postcards is the most effective way for acquiring customers and retaining them. However, it doesn’t hurt to learn a few tips that can help you get the desired results from your direct marketing campaigns. The tips provided below will help your postcards grab the recipient’s attention and compel them to take the desired action.

Tip 1: Use Clear-Cut Yet Bold Headlines

The last thing you want your marketing postcards to do is to confuse the recipient with its headlines. It usually happens when businesses try to get too abstract with the headlines, and the reader is left second-guessing themselves.

Instead, try to use clear-cut headlines that directly outline the product or service you are offering. You can also use the headline to show how your brand can solve a problem that the audience’s problem. Additionally, you can also try using actionable headlines to further reinforce the action you want the recipients to take.

Tip 2: Use a Call-to-Action That Boosts Conversion

Call-to-Action or CTA is an integral part of postcard marketing. Do not skip the CTA on your direct mail under any circumstance. A relevant  CTA specifies what action you want the reader to take after reading your direct mail or postcard.

The desired action can vary based on the unique campaign you are running. However, the most convenient step you can present to the recipient is to visit your website or landing page. Once the audience reaches the page, they can fill a form or redeem a discount code online.  

You may also use the CTA to ask the recipient to call your business or go into a nearby store to redeem a discount coupon. The only thing is that you must make sure that the CTA specifies the action the recipient needs to take. You can use the CTA multiple times for reinforcing the move but make sure you keep it short.

Tip 3: Use High-Quality And Relevant Images

One of the most significant advantages of using postcards as your marketing medium is that they include attractive images. The image printed on the front of the postcard is not just used to grab the user’s attention. It also allows you to communicate the purpose of the postcard to the reader.

There are a few things that you should note when choosing the imagery for your postcard, such as:

• Ensure that the headlines align with the imagery or vice versa.
• Use crisp and clear images.
• Use authentic photos instead of generic ones downloadable online.

Most of the popular real estate marketing postcard ideas use authentic images of the property. It allows the recipient to know what you can offer them. Furthermore, real estate buyers will always prefer raw pictures of the property over doctored images to get a realistic view. 

Tip 4: Pitch An Enticing Offer

The offer you pitch to your target audience can ultimately make or break your postcard marketing campaign. Try to come up with an offer that is relevant and attractive to the target audience. To do this, you must put yourself in your customer’s shoes.

Ask yourself what is an ideal offer for you? Would you give a pass to that offer? What would make you want to fill out a form or buy a product? The more questions you ask yourself, the more clarity you can get on what the customer wants.

Tip 5: Keep The Focus On The Benefits Instead Of The Features

A common mistake new marketers make when creating postcard campaigns is that they tend to focus on the features of the product/service. Although this might seem like a good idea at first glance, however, that is not the case. The customer couldn’t care less about the features if it does not directly benefit them.

Therefore, you should stop trying to list out all the ways your product or service is better than your competitor’s. Instead, try explaining how those features can benefit your customers. For example, instead of elaborating on the technical details of a new washing machine, explain how it can clean the clothes faster and better.

Tip 6: Stick To a Single Message

Don’t try stuffing too much information into your postcard. Remember that postcards are relatively small, and they can only contain so much information. Furthermore, the reader is unlikely to be interested in reading too much information. Hence, you should stick with one key message and one desired action from the reader.

Tip 7: Track Your Direct Mail Performance

Just like any other marketing strategy, you must measure and track the performance of your postcard marketing campaigns. There are different ways to measure or track the performance of your postcards. Some of the more popular methods for postcard performance tracking includes:

QR Codes

QR codes are now the most popular way for businesses to track the performance of their direct mail campaigns. It uses significantly less space, is convenient, and can even give you advanced insights based on the type of analytics tool you are using.

PURL Or Personalised URL

PURLs or Personalised URLs are precisely what their name implies. You can provide each of your audiences with a personalised URL. Seeing their name on the URL piques their customer’s curiosity, and they visit the page. You can then use your website’s analytics tool for tracking and insights.

Dedicated or Toll-Free Numbers

One of the oldest yet still effective ways to track the performance of a postcard campaign is to use a dedicated or toll-free number. The number of responses should give an idea of how well the campaign is doing. However, the tracking capability and insights you can get through this method are very limited.

Tip 8: Clean Your Address List

The address list plays a vital role in the success of your postcard marketing campaign. An address list of inferior quality will not just fail in yielding the desired results but incur losses on your company. Let’s say that your address list consists of a lot of bad data. 

What would happen if you used this address list for your direct mail campaign? You will end up spending a lot of money on printing, processing, and mailing postcards to invalid addresses. As a result, your business can incur significant losses. 

Tip 9: Superior Targeting

Targeting is a part of your marketing campaign where you shouldn’t slack off. Proper targeting can often have surprising results for your marketing campaigns. Even if your targeting list is small in numbers, it can still generate a better result if the quality of the list is good. 

You can target your campaigns better using tools like PostGrid. It allows you to validate your address database and neglect undeliverable addresses in it. As a result, the deliverability rate of your direct mail campaign increases, and the return rate of mail gets significantly reduced.

Tip 10: Personalisation Is The Key

Never underestimate the importance of personalisation in postcard marketing. Personalisation is the only way you can ensure that your postcard does not get thrown inside the wastebasket. The more personalised your postcard, the better it can connect with the target audience.

Think about it? Would you rather read a postcard that addresses you by your name or by something like “Dear customer”? Another thing worth noting is that you can use systems like PostGrid and connect it with your CRM for easy personalisation of your direct mail.

5 Postcard Marketing Secrets You Should Know

Eye-catching postcard ideas alone are not enough to guarantee the success of your postcard marketing campaigns. Compliment your eye-catching postcard ideas with attractive marketing strategies that can entice the customers.

Below, we will list five postcard marketing secrets that can help you create more effective postcard marketing campaigns. 

#1 Make Use of Vouchers

Who doesn’t enjoy getting free vouchers? As far as promotional materials in postcard marketing go, vouchers are the best way to your customer’s heart. The voucher can be a discount code or a special offer the customer can redeem at your store. Additionally, they are also ideal for direct mail tracking.

#2 Send Invites and Tickets To Customers

Unlike what you might think, sending invites (even Facebook invites) can get better results when using a postcard. Receiving an invite via postcard makes it look more exclusive, and the extra effort you take does not go unnoticed either. The same applies to the events your company conducts, as the recipients feel special when they get a personalised invitation.

#3 Present Customers With Gift Certificates

Much like vouchers, gift certificates are always welcomed by the customers. Additionally, the A6 size postcard is perfect for branded gift certificates. The customers can either get it from your website or your physical store. 

#4 Send Thank You Postcards

Suppose your goal is to enhance customer satisfaction and ensure customer loyalty. In that case, sending postcards is the best option for you. A personalised thank you letter shows how much you appreciate your customers and leaves a lasting impression on them.

#5 Get Valuable Feedback And Responses

Getting valuable customer feedback should ideally be a standard process for your business. Postcards are the perfect medium for getting this feedback. You can include the postcard along with your products or lead them to an online form using a QR code in the postcard.

Additional Postcard Marketing Strategies You Should Know About

There are several postcard marketing strategies out there, each one better than the other. We have listed some of the major ones above. However, some different postcard marketing strategies are also worth exploring, and they are listed below.

• Vertical Or Portrait Orientation Of Postcard
• Use Of Contrasting Colors To Grab Reader Attention to CTA.
• Add Social Proof To Your Postcards.
• Use Of Bold Imagery

How To Use PostGrid To Optimise Your Postcard Marketing Campaign?

The automated direct mail system of PostGrid enables you to automate every aspect of your postcard marketing process. It includes personalising, printing, and delivering your postcards. You can even connect PostGrid to your CRM software for easy and convenient personalisation of your postcards.

Additionally, PostGrid also offers an address validation service that enables you to ensure the deliverability of specific addresses. As a result, you can minimise the direct mail return rate and save you valuable resources and money.

Conclusion

Postcard marketing campaigns are no longer a simple operation. Most businesses now deal with a vast number of customers. And sending personalised postcards to each of them is not practical using a manual process.

Hence using automated systems like PostGrid is inevitable if you want to run successful postcard marketing campaigns. Even if you know all the postcard marketing secrets, it won’t help you if you cannot effectively implement them.

PostGrid enables you to implement eye-catching postcard ideas with ease. It also lets you personalise, print, and mail postcards according to your convenience. Hence, businesses should use automated direct mail systems like PostGrid to efficiently implement their postcard marketing strategy.

The post Postcard Marketing Guide appeared first on PostGrid UK.

Via https://www.postgrid.co.uk/postcard-marketing-guide/

source https://postgridunitedkingdom.weebly.com/blog/postcard-marketing-guide