Ready for some great news? Despite an overall decline in mail volume, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) reports that revenue from marketing mail has actually risen. It’s up 4.9% ($681 million) over the previous year. In other words, businesses are generating more profit while sending fewer direct mail pieces.
Let’s look at three trends that will help you get the best results this year.
- Personalization and customization: Highly effective direct mail campaigns are focusing on personalizing and customizing messages to each recipient, with the aim of increasing engagement and response rates. This success is based on data-driven insights, so make investing in cleaning, updating, and adding data to your mailing list a top priority. It will pay off.
- Integration with digital channels: Forget the competition between direct mail and digital channels. Use them together! Direct mail is increasingly being integrated with digital channels such as email and social media to reach customers wherever they are, on the platforms they prefer, whenever they want to engage. Use an integrated, multichannel approach to reach a wider audience and boost your results.
- Sustainability and environmentally friendly practices: As consumers become more conscious of their impact on the environment, businesses are increasingly looking for ways to make their direct mail campaigns more sustainable—and communicate this sustainability to their customers. Customers are embracing their printers’ use of eco-friendly materials and adoption of environmentally responsible printing practices.
Get the Message Out There
If you’re embracing sustainability, promote it. Highlight your efforts in your store signage and window clings. Discuss your commitment in your print and email newsletters and social media. Add environmental logos and “recycled” or “please recycle” to your envelopes. Customers want to see your commitment to sustainability in practice.
Benefits for This Year and Beyond
Direct mail remains a powerful and effective tool for engaging with your customers. For the best results, personalize and customize your messages, integrate with digital channels, and focus on sustainability. When you make the most of your direct mail investment, you maximize your results, too.