Monday, January 17, 2022

Business Postcard Ideas & Examples

Business Postcard Ideas & Examples

Postcards are now one of the most effective ways that allow marketers in different verticals to reach out to their target audience. The diversity of postcard marketing is so incredible that it is a perfect fit for practically all industries.

business postcard example ideas

Sounds a little too good to be true?

Well, you don’t have to take our word for it. Below we have listed some excellent business postcard examples and ideas to convince you why postcard marketing is a perfect fit for your business. Also, We will also give you a quick tour of how to write a business postcard.

So, check out the postcard ideas below to get inspired to create your own business postcards!

#1 Postcards For Restaurants

One of the popular business postcard ideas is to use postcards for marketing restaurant businesses. Now, you might wonder how you can use postcards to market a restaurant business. Let’s take an example to understand some applicational use of restaurant postcards.

Suppose a restaurant chain opened its new branch at a new locality. Naturally, the restaurant wants to let people in and near their locality know about their new venture because they are its target audience.

Target Wider Audience

You can send postcards to the addresses in the same postcode as the restaurant. And depending on the marketing scope, you can expand your outreach by sending postcards to addresses in the neighbouring postcodes.

Showcase The Restaurant Menu

One of the best things about business postcards is their ability to include attractive pictures. In the case of restaurant postcards, the image used is usually of the popular dish from their menu. However, business owners can highlight other attractive aspects of their restaurant too. For example, a library-themed restaurant can showcase the racks of books inside to attract new customers.

direct mail operations

#2 Postcards For Real Estate Businesses

Postcards for real estate businesses work the same way as restaurant postcards. Both real estate and restaurant postcards let your brand gain recognition within the community it operates. The real estate industry has always remained loyal to postcard marketing because of its effectiveness.

There are numerous postcard ideas real estate agents can use to market their businesses. A couple of business postcard ideas that you can consider for your real estate business include the following:

Introduce Real Estate Agents/Businesses

One of the familiar postcard ideas you can see in the real estate industry is using postcards to introduce a real estate agent/business. 

You need to make sure that your portfolio stands out to the prospects. Featuring some of the best listings and sold properties can help create a positive impression on prospective customers.

Use Real Images Of Listed Properties

Seeing authentic images of listed properties can motivate prospective real estate buyers. Furthermore, anyone genuinely interested in the property is likely to hold on to the postcard.

When using authentic pictures of the property, try to use high-quality images. Consider hiring a professional photographer for taking the pictures you want to use in the postcards. 

Include Median Home Values

The median home value gives a broad idea of the cost of buying a real estate property in a specific locality. Including median home values in a particular area effectively boosts interaction with prospective real estate buyers.

#3 Postcards For Travel Agencies

Postcards and travel are like butter and bread. It just feels right when you put the two together. Hence, it is no surprise that postcards are one of the best ways for travel agencies to market their business. Some of the postcard ideas you can use to sell travel services are as follows:

Present a Variety Of Vacation Destinations

As you can guess, the most popular way travel agencies can use postcards for marketing their business is to present attractive vacation destinations. Using beautiful pictures of specific places is a must for this approach.

Present A List Of Must-See Spots/Must-Do Activities

Presenting a list of must-see spots in the travel agency postcard is perfect to appeal to the prospect. It informs or teaches what your customers can do at a particular destination.

You can provide a list of things the prospects can do or watch at a destination. The chances are that the postcard recipient finds at least one of the activities or places that genuinely interests them.

Provide Travel Tips

Providing travel tips to prospective customers is an effective way to showcase your expertise in a specific destination. If the customer finds your insights useful, they will likely think about your travel agency when the time comes.

#4 Postcards For Educational Institutions

Educational institutions such as schools and colleges use postcards to attract more students. Using postcards is a much more affordable option for educational institutions than any other mailers. Some of the popular postcard ideas used for educational institutions include the following.

Recruitment Postcards

Recruitment postcards are one of the most common postcards used by educational institutions. It lets you bring more visitors to the campus premises without spending too much money on expensive recruitment packets.

Campus Tour/Event Invitations

Postcards are also the perfect little mailer for sending invitations to parents and students. The invitation can be for campus tours or events such as open houses. It is relatively inexpensive and adds a personal touch to the invitation.

#5 Postcards For Non-Profit Organisations

Another vertical that often employs postcards as part of their communication channels is non-profits. Usually, non-profits use postcards to reach out to their donors. However, postcards are more than just a communication channel for non-profit organisations.

Tell Compelling Stories To Shed Light On Causes

One of the best ways to get an emotional response from the users for a good cause is to tell a compelling story. When describing the story, you must be careful to focus on individuals affected by a specific social issue.

Keeping the focus on individuals and telling their stories helps the reader connect with the specific individual and create an emotional response.

Explain How You Spend The Donor’s Money

When it comes to non-profit organisations, it is vital to maintain a long-term relationship with their donors. The best way for nonprofits to ensure a long-term relationship with their donors is to be transparent and earn their trust. Postcards are an affordable way of giving such information to the patrons of non-profit organisations.

#6 Postcards For Cafes And Bakeries

Cafe and bakery postcards are ideal for starting a conversation among the target audience. Much like restaurant postcards we discussed, cafe and bakery postcards are also perfect for letting customers know about your newly opened shop.

Free Coffee/Pastry Voucher

A popular postcard idea for cafe and bakery postcards is to include a free voucher for a cup of coffee or pastries. It is the perfect way to market a newly opened bakery. Additionally, it also lets your customers have a taste of your cafe/bakery products.

Event Invitations

Cafes and bakeries can attract more customers by conducting special events, such as a stand-up comedy show or karaoke night.

You can then use postcards to send invitations informing the locals about the event. Additionally, you can include all the necessary details of the event in the postcard, such as the time, address, etc.

#7 Postcards For Spas

Although not as popular as the other businesses we have discussed, spas also use postcards for marketing their services. One of the reasons why postcards are a good marketing channel for spas and beauty parlours is their affordability. Here are some business postcard ideas you can try for spa businesses.

Invite To Try Out New Services

Spas can send out postcards to their target audience, including past customers informing them about a new service. You can make the offer even more enticing by providing a discount or free service for first-timers.

Leave Postcards At The Front Desk

One of the business postcard ideas that work well for spa businesses is leaving the postcard at the front desk. As postcards are easy to carry, there is a good chance existing customers pick one up and pass it along to their family and friends.

#8 Postcards For Gyms or Fitness Centers

Much like spas, gyms can also use postcards to boost their business. Here also you have the option to use postcards like a brochure. You can leave the gym postcards at the front desk, let your clients pick them up, and pass them along as they feel.

Partner Up With Other Small Businesses

One of the postcard ideas you can use for gyms or fitness centres is to partner up with other local businesses. For example, you can place your postcards in the cafe or sports store nearby. You can even add discount offers to the same companies on your postcard and put them up at your front desk.

Present Diet Plans And Trainer Programs

One of the easiest ways to make an impression on the prospects for gyms and fitness centres is to pitch with a dietary plan. You can also include pictures and advice of your trainers to showcase their expertise and attract new customers.

#9 Postcards For Clothing Stores

As we all know, postcards are mainly a visual medium, which makes them a perfect fit for clothing stores. Despite having so many pictures in it, postcards are still one of the most affordable means for marketing clothing. Some of the business postcard ideas you can use for your clothing stores include:

Use Postcards As Product Catalogs For A New Clothing Line

You may have come across clothing store postcards that showcase a new clothing line or collection. Postcard lets you use the best or most popular clothing to market entries. You have to use attractive pictures of the clothes and deliver them to the target audience.

Advertise Sales & Promotional Materials 

Seasonal sales are enormous for clothing stores. However, they often fail to get the desired result during sales because more people don’t know about it. Sending postcards advertising your sales through an automated direct mail system like PostGrid can significantly boost your sales.

#10 Postcards For Art Galleries And Museums

The postcards used by art galleries and museums are somewhat similar to those used by non-profit organisations. Galleries and museums also have patrons or members contributing to their upkeep and running. The most popular postcard ideas employed by museums and galleries include the following:

Use Postcards For Event Invitations

Galleries and museums often conduct high-profile events for their contributors. The best way to reach out to them is to use an elegantly designed postcard to match the occasion. Postcards give a formal feel to the invitation you send out to the patrons or members.

Use Postcards As Promotional Material

Like a fashion store adds new clothing lines to their collections, galleries and museums also add new items. However, the items added to the galleries or museum collection are priceless artefacts and artworks. It is also customary to stage a big unveiling event for favourites like a Van Gogh painting.

#11 Postcards For Healthcare Service Providers

Healthcare is yet another field where postcards play a vital role in promoting its services. Additionally, you should always include the working hours in a healthcare service postcard. You should also provide the contact information and emergency line to the healthcare service.

Introduce New Staff

Healthcare service providers, like small clinics, can use postcards to introduce new doctors who are joining them. Giving a short profile and their expertise in the postcard is perfect for letting patients know that the doctor is available for their treatment.

Invitations To Healthcare Conference/Talks

Healthcare service providers can conduct health conferences or talks that the public finds useful. Even something as simple as a diabetes awareness camp can drag people across various demographics to your healthcare business.

How To Write a Business Postcard

Writing a business postcard can be divided into four distinct stages. If you have zero experience writing or sending a business postcard, the following explanation is for you.

Stage 1: Select The Postcard

The first thing you need to do is select a postcard best suited for your budget and specific postcard requirements. Although you can use a postcard without any pictures, it is not advisable. Additionally, you should also check whether you need a bigger size for the postcard and if it fits your budget.

Stage 2: Add The Address

The address stage is arguably the most crucial part of writing a postcard. You can use a postcard template for printing the content of your postcard. However, the address part of business postcards is often prone to error unless you use an automated direct mail solution like PostGrid.

Stage 3: Add The Message

You use the left-hand side of the postcard for writing the message. However, the straightforward approach is to use a postcard template and personalise it accordingly. Suppose you are using a manual process for personalising the postcard. In that case, you should be extra careful to avoid any unnecessary errors.

Stage 4: Apply The Necessary Postage

The last stage of writing a business postcard is to apply the necessary postage for the postcards. It is easy to find where to apply the postage on the postcard because it is marked. If your business sends postcards domestically and internationally, the postage can vary significantly. Hence, make sure that you have the correct postage for each postcard.

Skip All The Stages & Use PostGrid’s Direct Mail Automation 

A one-stop solution to all your business postcard needs lets you automate the entire process and skip the above stages altogether. PostGrid is a direct mail automation tool that can personalise, print, and deliver your business postcards via Royal Mail.

The best thing about using PosGrid’s direct mail solution is that it lets you send bulk postcards in an optimised manner. PostGrid also has access to Royal Mail’s official address database and uses its system to print standardised addresses with full postcodes.

As a result, the deliverability of your business postcards maximises and minimises the scope of error.

Conclusion

Business postcard examples can help businesses develop attractive postcard ideas to market their products and services. However, executing these postcard ideas is easier said than done. To optimise your postcard marketing campaign, you need a direct mail automation tool like PostGrid.

With the help of PostGrid, you can replace lengthy and error-prone direct mail processes with a single streamlined one. You can even use pre-built postcard templates to speed up the initial setup of your postcards.

PostGrid even standardises the addresses and apply the necessary postage for each postcard. It means all you have to do is lay back and relax while PostGrid does all the heavy lifting for you.

automate direct mail

The post Business Postcard Ideas & Examples appeared first on PostGrid UK.



Via https://www.postgrid.co.uk/business-postcard-ideas-examples/


source https://postgridunitedkingdom.weebly.com/blog/business-postcard-ideas-examples

Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Leaflet Marketing

Leafleting or Leaflet Marketing

It might be surprising that leaflet marketing or leafleting is still a popular choice for marketing businesses in the UK. Interestingly, more and more companies are now considering leaflets for marketing their products/services.

leafleting marketing

But why is it that leafleting is still popular even with digital platforms overshadowing the print media in every possible way? More importantly, can leaflets help businesses reach their profit goals, and if so, how?

As you read on, you will find the answers to such questions. You will even find some tips that help you create a leaflet marketing campaign for your business along with the different ways to implement leafleting.

What Is Leaflet Marketing Or Leafleting?

Leaflet marketing is one of the popular marketing strategies employed by small and medium businesses. It is a simple yet effective way for companies to market their products and services. Another reason why businesses love leafleting is that it is a much more affordable way to boost their sales and bring in new customers.

Still, thinking how?

Here are the basic 4 approaches to consider when implementing leaflet marketing in the UK. They are:

  • Door to Door leaflet marketing via Royal Mail.
  • Hand to hand leaflet marketing.
  • Business to business leaflet marketing.
  • Walking billboard leaflet marketing.

Usually, most companies prefer to use the door-drop or Door-to-Door marketing method. Royal Mail even offers an exclusive Door to Door service, which lets you run a cost-effective door drop marketing campaign.

We will discuss the four types of leaflet marketing in detail as we proceed further.

Are Leaflets And Flyers The Same?

Legally speaking, there is no distinctive difference between leaflets and flyers. Practically, however, there are some differences that you may have already noticed. Usually, leaflets are folded and more elaborate than flyers. However, there is no distinction between the two when it comes to leaflet marketing.

direct mail operations

Why Are Leaflets A Good Way To Advertise?

The advantages of leaflets in marketing are numerous. However, the most desirable benefit of using leaflet marketing is its cost-effectiveness. It is not so hard to implement leaflet marketing either. You can design a leaflet on a free tool, print it yourself and deliver/give them out as you please.

But, such an approach is only feasible if yours is a small business with a limited target audience. The best way to implement leafleting is to employ a fully automated solution like PostGrid. It lets you print and deliver your leaflets via Royal Mail without any unnecessary haggle.

Easily Adjust The Reach Of Your Campaign

With leafleting, you can quickly bring up or bring down the reach of your marketing campaign. For example, if you use Royal Mail’s Door to Door service, you can add more neighbourhoods to your target list. And, if you want to hand out the leaflets, you can easily find new people to do it.

Significantly Cheaper Than Digital Advertising

Running digital advertising campaigns such as Google Ads can cost you a fortune. Leaflet marketing is an effective alternative to such expensive advertisements. Furthermore, a single print of leaflets can last you for months or even years, unlike digital ads that require regular payments.

The Expenses Do Not Add Up Over Time

Other forms of advertising such as newspapers, magazines, TV, and even radio stations keep on adding to your expenses over time. On the other hand, Leaflets can be printed and stored as you please. You can even use an automated system like PostGrid to print your leaflets per demand.

There Is No Fixed Limit To The Information It Can Contain 

Regardless of what medium you use to advertise your product or service, you will always need to stay within the specified character limit. Even though leaflets also have dimensional limits, you can add or remove content depending on its size and number of folds.

Significantly Lower Cost For Bulk Printing

Leaflets are mostly bulk printed, and it significantly reduces the price for a single piece leaflet. An A6 leaflet/flyer can cost as little as a couple of pence. Even the most affordable or small leaflet can house all the necessary details of your business. It means every leaflet can contain details such as your business’s name and logo, contact details, working hours, and so on.

Establish Customer Relationships

An advertising leaflet is a great way to establish your business with your target audience. The leaflets provide a way for the audience to reach out to your business. It also provides a sneak peek into the products you have to offer and your quality of service. The customers can even save your contact details for later by keeping aside the leaflet.

Give Exclusive Offers Through The Leaflet

You can also use leaflets to hand out exclusive offers similar to those in postcard marketing campaigns. Only people who have received the leaflet can redeem such exclusive offers. It is an effective strategy to raise the leaflet’s value and ensure that the customers do not throw it away.

Ability To Assess The Audience And Target Them

Leaflet marketing is not about choosing a random neighbourhood to market a specific set of products and services. You can assess particular areas and identify high traffic spots where your intended demographic often pass through.

Ability To Choose The Method Of Delivery

Unlike other print ads like postcards which need to go through a postal service provider, you can choose how to deliver leaflets. Many companies prefer to hand out leaflets/flyers in person. They believe it can help them better connect with their target audience. However, using Royal Mail’s is the easier option. It also lets your brand gain popularity in a specific local area. 

Leaflets Come In All Shapes And Sizes

One of the best things about using an advertising leaflet is that it comes in different shapes and sizes. Hence, you have the freedom to pick a design that fits your unique needs and budget. It also gives you creative space that is often absent in digital advertising. 

The 4 Types Of Leaflet Marketing

Depending on the delivery method of leaflets to the target audience, you can classify leaflets into four different types. We have already stated these four different types of leaflet marketing at the beginning of the article. Now, we will discuss the salient features of these four types of leaflet marketing.

Door to Door Leaflet Marketing Via Royal Mail

Door to Door leaflet marketing is one of the most efficient and effective ways to implement your leafleting campaign. You don’t need Royal Mail to deliver your leaflets to a specific locality. However, it is often considered the best option for businesses.

The main reason for using Royal Mail for your Door to Door leaflet delivery is that it offers an exclusive service designed explicitly for leafleting. Royal Mail has access to almost 30 million relevant homes. Hence you can reach new customers locally or nationally depending on your unique goals set.

To top it all, you can use PostGrid’s automated direct mail system to personalise, print, and deliver your leaflets. PostGrid can use Royal Mail’s Door to Door service to deliver your flyers, and you can minimise any error or wastage. As a result, you save yourself a load of money.

Hand To Hand Leaflet Marketing

If providing a memorable experience is a priority, and you have the necessary resources, hand to hand leafleting is your best option. However, having the right distributor and an apt presentation is a must for this type of leaflet delivery.

It means that you should educate the people handing out the leaflet or flyer on the leaflet’s content. They should quickly articulate and answer any customer question regarding the leaflet/flyer and its content.

Additionally, you must ensure that the area you choose for distributing leaflets is somewhere your target audience is likely to frequent.

Business To Business Leaflet Marketing

As you know, business to business marketing or B2B direct marketing involves one business selling its products/service to another. B2B advertising can be simple, like paying a local company to rent a window or counter to advertise your business.

Sometimes B2B leaflet marketing can be more complicated than renting a counter. It can have two-way contracts that can benefit all parties involved. However, you should make sure that your sales pitch focuses on customer retention and profit generation in B2B leafleting marketing.

Walking Billboard Leaflet Marketing

Surprisingly enough, walking billboards are still an option for marketing your business. However, it can not be employed everywhere. Usually, walking billboard leaflet marketing is used in high traffic areas.

Like the hand to hand leafleting approach, you must train the employee on the product/service they pitch to the customers. Furthermore, you must ensure that the billboard’s design is appropriate to catch customer attention.

It must catch the user’s attention with eye-catching colours and reflect your brand’s image. Using more colours and pictures instead of words is a desirable approach to getting a conversation started with the customer.

4 Tips For Effective Leaflet Marketing

Leaflet marketing can be somewhat challenging, especially if you are new to it. Here are some tips that can help you create an effective leaflet/flyer marketing campaign for our business.

#1 Smaller The Better: But Not Too Small

When it comes to leaflets, especially in hand to hand leaflet marketing, you must make your flyers small in size. Can you imagine having to carry around a massive booklet in your hands walking through the street or an expo? So, make sure your leaflet is small enough to carry but not small enough to compromise its readability.

#2 Partner Up With Complementary Businesses

Another way to boost the effectiveness of your leaflet marketing is to collaborate with complementary businesses. You can place your business leaflets inside carrying bags in shops or left at the counter. Such an approach is ideal for promoting your brand in specific local areas.

#3 Use Leaflets As Inserts

Inserting your leaflets into popular publications is ideal for reaching your audience. However, it can only work if the said publication already has a distribution that coincides with your target area. You can use the local newspapers, magazines, and more for this method, but you will have to pay for the service.

#4 Use PostGrid To Automate Leafleting

PostGrid is an advanced automation tool that lets you run all types of direct mail campaigns. It can easily print bulk leaflets for your business and deliver them to a specific area you want to target. PostGrid even uses Royal Mail’s Door to Door service to minimise your expenses and get the best results for your leaflet marketing campaigns.

Conclusion

Leaflet marketing or leafleting can effectively boost your business engagements and contribute to its growth if you implement it right. There are several types or methods of leaflet marketing that you can choose from. 

However, Royal Mail’s Door to Door service is the most convenient and measurable way of sending a promotional leaflet. Furthermore, the Door to Door leaflet marketing via Royal Mail can be optimised using PostGrid.

PostGrid can personalise, print your leaflets and then deliver them through the Door to Door service from Royal Mail. Since PostGrid automates the entire process, there is zero error and wastage, which ultimately saves your business a lot of money.

automate direct mail

The post Leaflet Marketing appeared first on PostGrid UK.



Via https://www.postgrid.co.uk/leaflet-marketing/


source https://postgridunitedkingdom.weebly.com/blog/leaflet-marketing

Thursday, December 30, 2021

What is a Mailshot?

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.

mailshot marketing

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.

direct mail operations

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.

automate direct mail

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

Friday, December 24, 2021

What is Print Advertising?

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.

what is print advertising

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.

direct mail operations

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.

automate direct mail

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

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

How to Use QR Codes In Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns

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.

qr code direct mail marketing uk

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.

direct mail operations

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.

automate direct mail

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

Easy Ways to Reduce Printing Costs and Save Money

TABLE OF CONTENTS REQUEST A DEMO Easy Ways to Reduce Printing Costs and Save Money Companie...