Direct mail marketing remains one of the best ways to create personalized relationships with your customers, despite the hesitancy of some businesses to invest because of its traditionality. It’s cost-effective, results are easy to measure, and your marketing material gains high visibility fast.
To further scale these outcomes for businesses we partner with here at Key Dynamics, we apply automation in all stages of direct mail marketing, from creation, planning, mail delivery, and follow-ups. The effectiveness of our campaigns comes from having a data-focused marketing approach that allows us to target the right audience at the right time.
This article introduces direct mail marketing automation and explains how it can help your small business grow and thrive.
What is Direct Mail Automation?
Automation is the use of technology to minimize human input in a process, especially one involving repetitive tasks. In marketing, the term also refers to trigger events, where software as a service (SaaS) tools perform an already set action determined by customer behavior.
When it comes to direct mail marketing, automation bears the best results when applied both ways.
First is the automation of manually intensive tasks involved in creating successful direct mail campaigns. These include designing and sourcing marketing material, customization, inventory tracking, procurement processes, and delivery logistics.
Second is integrating direct mail automation software with your customer relationship management (CRM) tool. Automated workflows are then set, and from here, the campaign can run without any manual input. This allows you to track activities like website visits, send triggered direct mail as a follow-up or remarketing, and estimate the return on investment (ROI) from outcome reports.
These two complement each other. One without the other is not as effective as investing in both aspects of direct marketing automation.
10 Benefits of Automated Direct Mail Marketing for Small Businesses
Automation breathes life into traditional direct mail marketing, creating the perfect combination of offline and online experiences for your customers.
If you’re still not sure whether we’re the right fit, read on to see how much your small business stands to gain from automated direct mail.
Building Deeper and Personal Connections With Customers
To connect with your prospects enough for them to trust your products or services, you’ll have to do more than address them by their first name in your copy.
Automation allows detailed audience segmentation using the data you have, such as location, unique demographics, actions taken on previously mailed marketing material, and so on. With this, you can create and send marketing messages tailored to each of your customers’ needs.
And what’s more effective than the right message sent to the right person in their hour of need?
Other ways we create personalized experiences for your customers include:
Using a unique scannable QR code in direct mail
Thorough verification of data
Customized and personalized landing pages (PURLs)
High Response and Conversion Rates
Automation enables you to target a group of your customers with solutions that match their needs. Because of this, most are likely to respond by taking action, like calling or visiting your website to learn more.
But our team does not stop there. We create automated direct mail campaigns that lead to conversions and even a follow-up for maximum customer satisfaction.
Saving on Resources
When you sign up for automated direct mail marketing, the software takes over nearly all the tasks previously performed by an employee. Intensive processes like designing, printing, mailing, and follow-up logistics are time-intensive and require a lot of labor input.
Automation is quick and efficient, so you’re billed for fewer hours but improved results. This reduces your marketing budget and improves your ROI in the long run.
Easy Tracking and Reporting
When businesses come to us with doubts about direct mail marketing, one concern is how to track the results. Rightfully so, entrepreneurs must track how their marketing strategies are performing to know whether they’re investing wisely.
With automation, you can use a trackable numeric code, QR code, and customized PURL, to name a few, to track engagement and report customer behavior. A CRM software then records and stores this data, and then our team uses it to nurture your prospects until conversion.
Effective Customer Reactivation and Retention
With proper customer segmentation, you can send personalized trigger-based mail to members of your audience who haven’t engaged with your business in a while. A simple postcard, such as warm holiday greetings, will remind them of your business. And if you sweeten the deal by adding discounted offers or a coupon code, you’re more likely to encourage a purchase.
If you run an e-commerce store, using this tactic can slash down cart abandonment rates.
Supporting a Seamless Buyer Journey
Automation helps you craft a seamless buyer journey because it’s applicable in all stages. There are many ways to connect with your audience, whether a prospect who just learned about your product or a customer to retain after purchase.
The team assigned to you here at Key Dynamics starts creating brand awareness with direct mail material like a personalized letter. Next, we encourage them to engage through follow-up mails with clear CTAs. And when they do, we find ways to keep them interested in your business, such as creating referral networks, brand loyalty, and more.
Test Different Marketing Strategies
By integrating automation tools with your CRM, you provide access to valuable customer data.
Take advantage of this to test out different marketing strategies and go with the one that provides maximum results. A/B testing is one of the methodologies we use to conduct marketing tests so that you’re putting your dollars in the right place.
Facilitating Mass Mailing
One of the reasons direct marketing automation is so efficient is that it drastically reduces the time previously spent preparing and running campaigns. This implies that you can do more quickly, including mail more material.
As you grow, automating your mailing workflow will enable you to scale both your business and your audience easily.
Strengthening Remarketing Campaigns
Remarketing campaigns are a must-have in your strategy. When a potential customer shows interest in your product, sending them retargeted direct mail keeps you at the top of their mind. Should they decide to purchase or hire a service, you’re likely to be their go-to person.
With offline marketing like direct mail, this is only possible through the robust and accurate data gathered through automation.
Take advantage of our remarketing campaigns if your small business is struggling with stalled conversions and non-responsive prospects. We use pre-existing data to identify and reach highly-qualified targets more likely to convert.
Call Center Support When You're out of Office
At Key Dynamics, we’re keen on creating a seamless experience for you and your customers from start to end.
As a small business owner, it’s challenging to be always available on call. Hiring an assistant is viable but could eat into a budget that’s better invested elsewhere, especially if you’re just starting.
All of our automated direct mail campaigns come with 24/7 call center support. This conversion stage is crucial because the qualified prospect is likely to have another business like yours in mind. Leaving calls unanswered or with a generic voicemail encourages them to explore your competitors instead.
Are you ready to take your direct mail marketing to the next level? Reach out and receive a sample of our campaigns, along with an estimated prospect database that your company could expect to reach on a monthly basis. On average, our direct mail campaigns bring a 3-5% call return rate.
At Key Dynamics, we welcome any feedback, advice, or business consultation our clients may have. Our dedicated team is always available to answer any questions you may have. Drop us a line: hello@keydynamics.com or give us a call today at (888) 855-0402.
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