May 2024: Embracing the Summer Slowdown

Chances are, you’re currently trying to reach your audience in a variety of ways. Maybe digital ads, search, social media, catalog, direct mail and your retail environment. What if you could tie all those efforts together with a single creative concept—a “Big Idea” that unifies all of those touchpoints? And what if that consistent message was delivered in such a unique and bold way that you now stood out from the competition? People now notice you. They remember you. And now they will consider you. THAT’S the power of a campaign. Learn more at: https://www.jschmid.com/blog/the-impact-of-omnichannel-integration/

Direct mail can be a very powerful marketing tool for your customers. How do you communicate that to them? Obviously, direct mail is not the be all and end all for marketing. However, it is an important channel to utilize in conjunction with other marketing channels. Direct mail can even give a lift in online engagement. Let’s look at how they should use direct mail to shine. 10 Best ways to use direct mail: 1. Counter a competitive offer: 2. Generate Traffic: 3. Customer acquisition or referrals: 4. Generate sales leads: 5. Building brand awareness: 6. Customer loyalty: 7. Announcements: 8. Cross sell or upsell: 9. Combining mailings with other companies: 10. Augmenting other media efforts. 85% of marketers say direct mail delivers the best conversion and response rate of all their marketing channels.

With mail volume down overall, marketers are reporting less competition and higher response rates with their direct mail and catalog campaigns. As more people stay (and shop) at home, each direct mail piece is being seen by more people in the household, and consumer catalog businesses are welcoming a significant increase in response, with many struggling to meet demand, writes Stephen Lett in Total Retail. Lett believes this favored status for catalogs and direct mail is likely to continue long after our current pandemic lifestyle is lifted. “Consumers are likely not to rush back to bars, restaurants, retail stores, etc., even when there’s a medically accepted vaccine. Many will remain cautious, adopting a wait-and-see attitude,” he writes. “Others will be set in new ways of functioning. They have adapted to a new and safer or more cautious way of living their everyday lives. The transition back to pre-COVID ways of doing things won’t be like flipping a light switch.”