Direct Mail still plays an important role for businesses and in the customer journey alongside methods such as social media marketing and email. Why does this happen, and how does this enhance the journey with an organisation for the customer? Here, we look at the reasons why direct mail still has an important role to play in the customer journey.

It's Tangible

Even with the plethora of digital platforms available to view content – such as smartphones, tablets, or laptops – there really is something personal about receiving a piece of physical mail. Notwithstanding that even in the modern world, not everyone always has access to digital media, which means that mail delivered directly to customers will be inclusive of all, regardless of the target audience.

It Is Relevant and Targeted

Direct Mail can be targeted specifically to meet certain interests or stages in the customer journey. A targeted, direct piece of mail can feel very personable to a customer or prospective customer – for example, sending a direct message to someone at the time of their birthday can add perceived value to a product or service. At certain times of the year, direct mail can be used to promote a specific sales drive – whether that means using dated coupons or unique, time-sensitive discount codes, these seasonal incentives can drive consumers to websites and stores, boosting sales.

Direct Mail Has a Long Lifespan

With social posts and email marketing, posts are often seen once and forgotten or lost amongst the amalgamation of other content in the digital world. A physical piece of mail is more likely to be viewed on several occasions by a customer as it remains in the household. Direct mail can also easily be passed from person to person to spread awareness of information.

It Can Be Informative

There is the opportunity to make direct mail informative, so the customer doesn’t feel that they are been relentlessly sold to. Instead, informational direct mail can be used to indirectly market your products or increase brand awareness. For example, a “How To” guide, or similar, could be something a customer would find useful. Once they see your brand as a reliable source of information, potential customers may be more inclined to engage further and make a purchase, digitally or otherwise. You can use data you have on customers to tailor direct mail to them and create added value to the product or services they are getting from the business.

Similarly, direct mail can allow a business to tell a full brand story. Often, with email or other forms of the digital marketing strategy, it is difficult to convey a brand story which often adds value to or is important to the product. This can be useful for both a customer and the business, as it enables a full story to be told, and that narrative will grab the attention of readers.

Direct Mail Helps Build Long-Term Brand Engagement and Loyalty

Good, relevant direct mail with appropriate calls to action can send customers to websites to make purchases. Just because it is an offline, traditional method of marketing, customer purchases made on the back of a direct mail campaign must made in store – quite the opposite. By using aggressive offers, which aren’t available elsewhere in your direct mail campaigns, direct mail marketing can appeal to the customer.

Lots of brands are utilising direct mail alongside subscriptions, which can be useful in nudging customers along to the next stage of the journey. If they subscribe to something already, why not pop a QR code on with extra savings and an initial cost discount? You don’t even need to offer a discount – for example, Gousto found that recipe cards with a QR code linking to the online version of the recipe worked better than similar correspondence with a discount code. The recipes are something that customers find useful, can share which also spreads the word of Gousto, and can be used again and again.