Marrying digital and physical mail marketing with mail preview campaigns
As marketers, we always look for new and innovative ways to reach our customers. And sometimes, that means marrying digital and physical mail marketing techniques. One great way to do this is through mail preview campaigns. By previewing your mailing before it’s sent out, you can create a more engaging experience for your customers – and increase the chances that they’ll act on your message.
With mail preview campaigns, you can send a digital version of your mailing to select customers before the physical mail piece is sent out. This gives customers a chance to preview the content and decide if they’re interested in taking action. And it allows you to gather feedback and make any necessary changes before the mailing goes out to everyone.
How does it look from the Consumer End?
Informed Delivery campaigns enable consumers signed up for the service to see what is coming in their mailbox that day. They will receive an email with images of the exterior, the address side of each letter-size mail piece arriving, and the recipient’s name and address information. If a commercial sender has included marketing content in the letter, that content will also be included in the image. The images appear in the Informed Delivery campaigns email as they would appear in the consumer’s mailbox. The email arrives around the same time that the mail will be delivered.
When customers receive a mail preview campaign, they’ll see an email with a link to preview the content. When they click on the link, they’ll be taken to a web page where they can view the content. Depending on how you set up the campaign, customers may also be able to provide feedback or take action, such as signing up for a mailing list or making a purchase.
What are the Requirements for Senders?
To participate in Informed Delivery, commercial senders must opt-in online and submit high-quality color images of the exterior and address side of their letter-size mail pieces. The photos must meet USPS image requirements, including resolution, contrast, and file size.
Informed Delivery is available to residential consumers in select areas and is expected to be rolled out nationwide in 2019.
Benefits of Mail Preview Campaigns
There are many benefits to using mail preview campaigns, both for you and your customers. Here are a few of the most notable benefits:
You can gather feedback before the mailing goes out to everyone. This can help you make changes to improve the effectiveness of the campaign.
You can create a more engaging experience for your customers. By previewing the content, you’re allowing them to interact with it and provide an opportunity for two-way communication.
You can increase the chances that customers will take action on your message. Customers who have previewed the content are more likely to be interested in it and are more likely to take the desired action.
Mail preview campaigns are a great way to create a more engaging and effective mailing campaign. If you’re not using them already, consider adding them to your next campaign. Your customers will thank you for it!
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6 Best Practices for More Effective Direct Mail Campaigns
- Keep it personal
Direct mail is an excellent opportunity to connect with your customers and create a feeling of one-to-one communication. So make sure you personalize your mailings as much as possible. Use the customer’s name in the headline, address them directly in the body copy, and include a personalized offer relevant to their needs.
- Make it visual
People are visual creatures, so make sure your direct mail piece is eye-catching and easy to understand at a glance. Use strong images and clear headlines to grab attention, and don’t be afraid to use color to add interest.
- Keep it short
With direct mail, you don’t have a lot of space to make your case. So keep your message short, sweet, and to the point. Focus on one main offer or idea, and make it easy for people to understand what you’re trying to say.
- Use a call to action
Your direct mail piece should have a clear call to action that tells people what you want them to do. Whether signing up for your mailing list, visiting your website, or making a purchase, make sure your call to action is straightforward and easy to follow.
- Test, test, test
Testing a direct mail campaign is the only way to know whether it is effective. Try different versions of your mailer, and track the results to see which performs best. Then you can fine-tune your campaign for even better results.
- Stay consistent
If you want people to remember your direct mail campaign, you need to stay top of mind. So, stay consistent with your branding, messaging, and offers. Keep your campaign focused on one main idea and the same look and feel across all your mailers. This will help people remember your campaign and take action on your offer.
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Summarising
The key points and some best practices for more effective direct mail campaigns include:
-Keep it personal
-Make it visual
-Keep it short
-Use a call to action
-Test, test, test
-Stay consistent
By following these best practices, you can create a more effective direct mail campaign that will better engage your customers and encourage them to take action.
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