One big advantage of direct mail marketing is that people often pay more attention to a physical piece of mail coming through their letter box than to an email or an online ad, for example.
If you can make your mailshot stand out and get recipients to interact with it, they will engage with your brand and message for longer. The longer they do that for, the more likely you are to get a better response rate. Here are 10 examples of the kinds of things you can do:
1. Enhance Direct Mail with NFC technology
NFC stands for near-field communication. If you use NFC-enabled paper or plastic or an electronic chip, recipients can simply wave a smartphone over it to engage with online content.
2. Make Use of a QR Code
A QR code has much the same effect as NFC technology. Recipients just have to scan the code with their smartphone to be taken to the website you want them to see. This also makes it very easy for you to track responses and assess the efficacy of your direct mail campaign.
Check out our data management services, where we can help you improve your response rates.
3. Consider Using Three-Dimensional Items in Direct Mail Marketing
These can be more expensive to produce and send, but most people like a parcel and are intrigued by what might be inside. This generally boosts response rates. If recipients can feel something with an interesting shape through the envelope, this provides a tactile experience and piques their curiosity.
4. Use Scratch-Off Strips
If you encourage recipients to scratch a strip off to see if there’s a behind it, most will generally do it. Who doesn’t like to win something? Alternatively, your scratch-off strip might release a pleasant odour, which can be good if you’re selling something like flowers, food or perfume.
5. Include Something that You Need 3D Glasses to See Properly
This gives people a bit of fun. What are they going to see? Include art or information that your recipients can’t see properly until they put the glasses on. As with all these suggestions, the more time people spend with your message, the more time they have to develop an interest in and a desire for what you are offering.
6. Enclose a Product Sample
If you are selling food or cosmetics, it can be very effective to enclose a free product sample. If you also include a discount code for use on your website, response rates improve even further.
Feel free to read our previous article, ‘7 Advantages of Using Direct Mail Services.’
7. Create Cut-Outs
If you create cut-outs that, when pieced together, create fun, relevant objects that your recipients will associate with your brand or message, you will have their attention for longer.
8. Compile a Quiz
Rather than just writing straight sales copy for your direct mail piece, present it in the form of a quiz. You can formulate questions with yes/no answers. Ensure that recipients will inevitably respond with answers that indicate your product would be useful or desirable to them.
9. Include a Card with Key Information
This could be a cardboard, paper or even plastic card that recipients punch or cut out or pull off. It’s something that is easier for them to keep in their wallet or attach to the fridge and return to later.
Have you seen our blog article, ‘What Makes a Good Direct Mail Piece?’
10. Use a Branded Magnetic Piece in Your Direct Mail Pack
If you include a branded fridge magnet, perhaps with a specific message on it, recipients can attach it to their fridge door and use it to hang things like to-do items or notes there. It will keep your company in their minds for longer.
The Benefits of Providing Sensory Experiences in Your Direct Mail Marketing
Direct mail advertising generally just provides recipients with something to read and images to look at. That alone can be very effective. But allied with the sensory experiences provided by some of the above interactive elements, direct mail can attract more attention, improve recall and trigger significantly more action.
If you have any enquiries regarding our services, please feel free to contact us and a member of our team will be happy to help!