To Ditch the Envelope?

Envelopes are Down 15%, While Postcard Usage Increases

Between 2013 and 2021, we’ve been observing a trend of companies using less postcards – an average of 15% less, to be exact, while postcard usage has steadily increased. “We’re seeing marketers changing how they campaign – with less pieces and copy,” along with less space to market. Furthermore, when it comes to word count, “over the last 20 years…direct mail copy has (shortened) by 62%“. This has meant shorter sentences, shorter and fewer paragraphs (if any), and less bullet points across both postcards and enveloped letters. What this has also meant? Marketers and businesses alike have learned to only use the information that customers want and need, not all the information. Plus, with the paper shortages we’ve suffered from in the past few years, why use more when you can use less?

Why Postcards?

Besides getting the same message across with fewer words and less paper, postcards are also much more cost effective than enveloped mail – especially in larger quantities. Why? Postcards weigh less. Even at a few cents less, when you’re printing and sending in the hundreds or thousands, a few cents per piece really adds up!

With postcards, recipients are also more likely to see your message, and see it right away. They don’t have to find an envelope cutter, risk a paper cut, or tear anything open. It’s all right there. Plus, carefully and well-crafted postcards will get to the point right away, give the viewer the information they want and need, and tell or show the viewer exactly what they want them to do (by way of a good call to action). Also, think about it – a postcard with exciting and enticing information among a sea of white envelopes can easily draw attention.

Postcards are also highly scannable. They’re easily embellished with a QR code or barcode that can lead to web pages, more information, deals, videos – you name it! They’re like mini, low-cost billboards, and are even more effective when they lead to fillable customer forms and/or premium giveaways.

We’re Not Writing Off Envelopes (…See What We Did There?)

Of course, there are times where a letter is the better option (for instance, to contact or write from more professional businesses or send important B2B mailings), and there are other times where a postcard is the better option (for first-time outreach, or to provide discounts, deals, and quick offers, just to name a few), but it’s always good to think before you send, either way. Make sure you know what and why you’re sending before choosing your medium.

Not sure which is best for your audience, or thinking about switching to sending high-quality, ROI-producing postcards? Contact the direct mail and digital marketing experts at Strata.

to Maximize Results

Creating an effective, ROI-producing direct mail marketing campaign takes a lot of data, brainstorming, predicting, strategizing, and moving parts. This includes the timing of when to (or not to) send out your campaign. Timing is one of those things that can truly make or break success, so it’s important to put effort and thought into it. Unsure where to start when it comes to deciding on timing? Don’t worry –  we’ve compiled some of the best tips and tricks to deciding direct mail campaign timing, so that you can limit your research time and efforts – and focus more on the success of your campaigns.

Anticipate Your Busy Season

Anticipating your busy season is key to launching a successful mail campaign, but when exactly is your busy season? Well, that’s up to you to interpret – since you know your business best! No matter what time of year you determine is your busy season, it’s beneficial to send your direct mailers before it starts. This allows time for people to receive the mail, in case of any delay, and check out your business ahead of time. By sending your mailers before your busy season, you can also highlight seasonal deals you will be offering, such as those around Back-to-School, Christmas, Black Friday – you get the picture.

For example, say you want to promote a deal going on in November. Aim to get mail in front of people by mid-October (at the latest). On the flip side, if you’re trying to sell more generic summertime items, you’ll want to send the mailer during the winter to get people thinking about buying in advance, before the warmer months. By doing this, you can appeal to new customers and re-invite the existing ones to continue to come back, all before your competitors are able to reach your target audience. With an early send-out, you can focus on gaining and retaining customers without the hassle of last-minute marketing.

Stop and Think – is My Mailer Time-Sensitive?

If your business has strict deadlines (such as promotion timing or year-end sales goals), remember that you need to leave time for your mailer to be designed, printed, mailed out, and received by customers. The faster you can accomplish (most of) these tasks, with the exception of design (which should be well thought-out and action-oriented), the better the outcome of your campaign. It’s best to get your mailers out as soon as possible, think 6-8 weeks prior to the end date of your campaign. As we said above, this not only allows customers time to receive your mailer, but also to consider your offer and act on it. If you’re working with a direct mail marketing company, make sure to check and see if they can get it done in a timely manner. This will ensure you have the best success rate possible.

You may be asking yourself: what would be considered time-sensitive? Typically, things like coupons and general promotions that have a hard-set end-date and need to be planned and carried out carefully are “time-sensitive”. The goal is for people to receive your promotions and use them – so, you must give them enough time to get to your store and take advantage of your offer. If you’re having issues executing a mail campaign according to your set timeline, another option is to get rid of the hard end-date and replace it with “for a limited time only” or “within two weeks of receipt”. This gives you a more flexible timeline while still creating a sense of urgency for your customers.

Deliver Mail on the Most Popular Days

Did you know that the actual day your customers receive your mail has a lot to do with the success of your campaign? There are certain days of the week that customers are more receptive and willing to engage with your mailer. While it can depend on the industry, the main days customers should receive your mail are Tuesday, Wednesday, and/or Thursday. During these three days, customers are well into the workweek, and the idea of their past weekend activities has fizzled out. They’re focused on their week ahead. While Monday would be the next best option, people are either often still away due to a long weekend, or not in the right headspace to look over and consider your promotional mail. Avoid Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, if possible. During these days, people are in full weekend-mode and are not looking to go through their mail. These pieces usually get thrown out, put to the bottom of the pile, or forgotten about completely, making customers miss your sale or the deadline of your promotion.

Check in with Your Vendor

Creating copy, designing, producing, and mailing your piece can be overwhelming. To alleviate some of that stress, consider working with a marketing agency. If you decide to go that route, it’s vital that you keep track of how the campaign is coming along throughout the strategizing, creation, and execution process. If you don’t communicate (and they don’t either), the mailer may not be to your liking or may not be customer-oriented, among a plethora of other issues. This then could result in a ton of edits that have to be made, or worse – you may have to go back to the drawing board, pushing back deadlines and affecting your success rate. This is something you don’t want to do – especially with time-sensitive material – as every moment is crucial to the development of your mailer.

Make sure to choose your provider carefully. While picking the cheapest one may seem great up front, you may run into issues along the way, causing more stress than anticipated. Be sure to pick a company or platform with quality machines and the proper tools to execute the idea you have for your campaign.  By setting up a timeline for yourself and your provider, everyone can keep track of deadlines and know what to expect of you and your vendor.

 To get this timeline started, be sure to ask questions in relation to:

• If they can send your mailer out on the day you specified.
• How soon they can start, depending on the sensitivity of your piece.
• How long it will take to complete the campaign from start to finish.

Whether you work with a vendor or not, remember that communication is key so that changes can be made quickly and effectively and give your company the best chance at success.

What’s Next

These are the main tips and tricks to direct mail timing, but you will find that there are always nuances and hiccups along the way. We’re here to help. With 30 years of practice and knowledge, we ensure your marketing campaign process goes smoothly and ensure it’s timely and successful. If you’re ready to start your next timely and effective direct mail campaign, contact us today.

A Strata YouTube Channel Original

In our last few blogs (and their corresponding YouTube videos) we’ve gone over the basics of new mover marketing, how to choose a new mover marketing partner, and the best workflows and channels to reach new movers among different industries. It’s important to remember that new mover marketing can differentiate between industries, and to curate the best plan of action for your specific business – not just any business. In this blog, and in the video below, we’ll go over how healthcare systems can create incentives that highly resonate with new movers.

A Quick Review of New Mover Marketing

To give you a brief refresher, new mover marketing is a specific, niche marketing tactic that’s designed to reach new residents in your area. It’s one of the most effective ways to bring in new customers that have just recently entered your specific target market. When it comes to new movers, they’re nobody’s customer, yet – so it’s an effective tactic to make a good first impression at the same time they’re looking for your product or service.

The Benefits of Incentives

While some people may view incentives and free giveaways as too expensive or not worth the time and effort, we’re here to tell you that couldn’t be farther from the truth! Incentives have a multitude of benefits that have long-lasting effects on your business as well as current and potential customers. They help build a positive company image in the minds of new movers – since your relationship starts with a free gift (or other incentive). Along with this, incentives boost ROI. While you may be spending a little up front, you can get a lot back in return – potentially a life-long, loyal customer.

The First Rule of Incentives

While there are many important things to remember when it comes to incentives, being generous is the most crucial. Sure, you may be swayed to try and take the inexpensive route, but it likely won’t pay off in the end. It’s always better to be generous right off the bat, to show your potential patients you care – especially when it comes to healthcare. Patients want to feel seen, heard, and special, especially when it comes to their healthcare providers. To achieve a personal relationship with your customers, it’s important to make sure you do everything to show you’re willing to go above and beyond your competitors.

New movers are a segment that’s more willing to spend money than established residents. In fact, they’re likely to spend 2-5 times as much within their first few months of moving into their new home, so this is a crucial time for your health system or urgent care to take advantage of and secure new patients. While you may be putting out some money, new movers will always appreciate a free gift, and, once they become a loyal patients, they’ll likely be willing to spend more money with you. If you’re thinking there’s no way your system can afford grand, intricate and personalized gift items, we’re here to tell you that these gifts don’t have to be grand at all. They can be anything from branded thermometers to first aid kits. Basically, anything that represents what your system does, who you are, and your care for your patients. Ultimately, the hope is that when they use it, they’ll be reminded of your healthcare system and associate your brand with good, positive thoughts.

What’s Next?

Now that you know the benefits of healthcare incentives, and the first rule of thumb, learn a bit more by heading over to our YouTube channel. You’ll hear from Rob, a member of Strata’s Strategic Sales Team. He’ll provide you with even more information about effective healthcare system incentives. If you’re ready to take these new mover marketing steps with Strata, contact us today.

A Strata YouTube Channel Original

In our last three blogs (and their corresponding YouTube videos) we’ve gone over the basics of new mover marketing. It’s important to remember that new mover marketing can differentiate between industries, so the best plan of action for specific business types may not be the same as others. In this blog and its corresponding YouTube video, we’re taking a deep dive into how you can specifically utilize new mover marketing in the healthcare sector – as well as what channels work best.

A Quick Refresher on New Mover Marketing

To give you a brief refresher, new mover marketing is a specific, niche marketing tactic that’s designed to reach new residents in your area. It’s one of the most effective ways to bring in new customers that have just recently entered your specific target market. When it comes to new movers, they’re nobody’s customer, yet – so it’s an effective tactic to make a good first impression at the same time they’re looking for your product or service.

What are New Residents Actually Looking For?

To answer the question, new residents are on the lookout for “reliables”, which are goods and services they can depend on daily, weekly, monthly, or even yearly. The healthcare industry is full of these “reliable” services – and these services are much different than those of grocery stores and restaurants. Customers will more likely choose any grocery store or restaurant to at least check out and maybe turn into their new “go-to” spot. If it ends up that they don’t like the spot – it’s really no big deal. They’ll move on and find another. With healthcare, most people don’t want to “try out” 4 or 5 doctors/healthcare services until they find one they like. In general, it’s a lot more work to fill out paperwork and questionnaires at healthcare offices, and most people only want to do that once.

Potential patients want to feel important and valued, so it’s key to be the first to reach out. When you reach out – first, the potential patient can get to know you and your system, while ensuring that you’ll be there in their times of need.

Best New Mover Healthcare Campaign Channels

Based on our years of expertise and data collection, we’ve compiled a list of what we think are the best channels to utilize when reaching out to new movers to hopefully turn them into patients. The first channel we recommend utilizing is direct mail. The average response rate for direct mail can be up to 50% more effective than that of an email blast, when done correctly. For a direct mail campaign to be done correctly, there must be some aspect of personalization, multiple response vehicles (such as QR codes and PURLs) and accurate data lists. The key to quality, effective direct mail is incorporating more than one touchpoint. If you’re able to send more than one direct mail piece, your potential patient will be consistently reminded of you and your business.

The next channel we recommend utilizing? Digital advertising. Targeted, focused ads can show potential patients that you’re close by and welcoming new patients. A benefit to using digital advertising? The level of precision. With digital ads, you can measure performance through impressions served and ad clicks. If you pair with the right new mover marketing partner for your business, you’ll be able to see how many and which customers converted due to your digital ads. This real-time data is vital to the success of your campaigns. It allows you to see what campaigns are working, which ones are not, and make the necessary adjustments on the fly rather than once the campaign is over.

What’s Next?

You now have some potential, optimal channels to utilize as a part of your next new mover campaign. But it doesn’t stop there! We still have more suggestions. Head over to our YouTube channel (by clicking the thumbnail below) to hear from Rob, a member of Strata’s Strategic Sales Team. He’ll fill you in on the rest of our channel recommendations. If your healthcare system is ready to take these new mover marketing steps with the team at Strata, contact us today.

A Strata YouTube Channel Original

In one of our recent blogs and its connected YouTube video, we went over the basic ideas behind new mover marketing. Now you may be thinking, what do I do with all this information? The next step is choosing the right new mover campaign partner. It can be overwhelming deciding on a marketing or new mover business that’s right for you to partner with. Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of all the different qualifications you should be looking for in a partner. 

What’s New Mover Marketing Again?

As a quick reminder, new mover marketing is a specified, niche marketing tactic that’s designed to reach new residents in your area. It’s focused on bringing in new customers that have recently entered your target market. Why’s it so important – and furthermore, why does it work? It helps your company make a strong first impression at the same time someone is looking for your service. 

The Qualities that Make a Good Partner

You don’t want to just choose a random new mover partner or even the first one you stumble upon. It’s important to put thought and consideration into your choice, so that you can make the best decision for your business. Make sure your partner has a bit of background on your company and understands your budget, time, size, and end goals. Remember, what you put into your search is what you’ll get out of it.

What if I Still Don’t Know Where to Start?

While you might have tons of information in front of you, deciphering this information and sifting through it all can be difficult and overwhelming. Here are a few things to do to make your search just a bit easier. 

First, figure out the size of your industry, how sales have been, and what goals you want to set. All of this will allow you to pick a business that’s best suited for your type of company. The more information you can collect, the easier it’ll be to compare the strengths and weaknesses of each potential partner. 

Additionally, you’ll definitely want to choose a partner that has a focus on lists and good data. This data should include demographics, psychographics, behavioral, and business-to-business firmographic information. The more specific data you can get, the better you’ll be able to target new movers and bring in more loyal customers!  

While all this might seem like a lot to tackle, it’ll be worth it in the end when you have successful and effective new mover marketing campaigns.  

Next Steps

You now have a baseline of how to choose the right new mover campaign partner for your business, but it doesn’t end there! Be sure to watch the video below, where you’ll hear from Rob, a member of our Strategic Sales Team at Strata. He’ll explain choosing a partner that best represents your business, in a bit more depth. Or, if you’re ready to choose your next new mover campaign partner and think it may be Strata, contact us today. 

& Why They Matter

As you may know, new mover marketing is a big segment for Strata and an offering we’re quite proud of. We believe we do it best – not only because of our experience and skill, but because of the multiple channels we use, the data we provide and incorporate, and the digital touches we implement. We’ve had trust in, and have been executing, great new mover campaigns for several years now. It’s no wonder we have an eye on new mover trends that may arise and behaviors within this segment – but we’re not sure anyone predicted or was prepared for the shift in the new mover market that happened at and after the onset of the pandemic. Today, we’re looking at how the new mover market has changed since March of 2020, and the increased need for new mover marketing solutions that it’s caused. 

Stats You Need to Know

To get started, we wanted to give you a few recent new mover statistics to take in and think on: 

• A fifth of US adults moved or knew someone that did due to the pandemic. 
• Over 110,000 people moved away from New York City between February and July of 2020. 
• 487% more people moved out of NY in 2020 than in 2019. 
• Although there was no “exodus” away from urban areas that some were claiming, people did and do seem to generally be “drifting towards the suburbs”. 
• Families have mostly chosen to move to the suburbs, while those living alone have more often chosen to move to metropolitan areas (In the first half of 2021, 7 in every 10 people who moved into urban areas were those living on their own). 
• 35% of moves related to Covid-19 happened because of financial hardships. 
• 36% of movers in a recent study claimed their reasoning for moving to a new place was because they felt safer there. 
• 10% of them indicated that they moved to places with less stringent Covid-19 restrictions. 

Overall, the pandemic has shown to accelerate some moving trends that have already been underway – and also create a few new ones. This, of course, has also had an impact on the effectiveness of new mover marketing (marketing specifically targeting new residents in your area). 

What’s Causing all the Movement?

There are several reasons people are moving, some of them which we stated in the statistics above – and others that we’ll get into now. First and foremost, a big reason many have moved and are moving is financial stress. Many are moving to less expensive housing and apartment living to cut costs during these financially tough times. Additionally, apartment amenities or “big city” expenses that were previously valuable became almost meaningless during the peak of Covid-19, causing apartment-dwellers to rethink their living expenses. 

Due to increases in work-from-home life and more flexible working hours and situations, people are craving more space. Because of this change, many are moving to larger spaces where they can work more comfortably. Additionally, they’re moving to where they truly want to be instead of where they previously “had” to be for their in-office employment. 

For some people in different areas around the country and different industries within the workforce, finding employment during the pandemic has been tough, so this has caused some to find employment elsewhere and relocate. 

And lastly, throughout the pandemic, the realization or reminder of the importance and need for family support during times of crisis and distress has been prominent – so many have moved and are still moving to be closer to the ones they love. 

Overall – no matter where, when, or why they’re moving, people are definitely on the move since the onset of Covid-19. 

How These Numbers (And the Causes Behind Them) Make Marketing to New Movers Essential

As you can probably imagine, as people move out of your area, you lose those customers, but as people move in, the opportunity arises for new customers to replace the old. So, more movers mean more new opportunity – but not if a competitor snatches them up by getting to them first and making a good impression. 

That’s why it’s so important to be the first to put your brand in front of this niche audience, and to deliver quality marketing that welcomes, attracts, and entices them. New mover marketing programs are made to keep you connected with these new residents on a consistent basis, so that you’re never missing out on a new customer that, if targeted correctly, could become a loyal, repeat one. 

Strata’s program, SmartMove, is a robust, multichannel, multi-touch, new mover marketing program that helps you find the right time and place to reach your target audience, right as they move into your surrounding area. We’ll help you reach this audience throughout their customer journey to build brand loyalty and trust and turn them into long-term, devoted customers. Interested in hearing more of our thoughts on the new mover market, or ready to start your first (or next) new mover campaign? Give us a call. 

 

Laying Out the Pros and Cons

We know it can be a long process to research, find, and decide on a marketing solutions company that achieves your objectives. We also know that the full package – good data, quality design, excellent messaging, great customer service, mailing and fulfillment, and quantifiable results – is the goal, but not always the outcome. Since we get asked about it from time to time, in this blog, we’re going to cover why you may want to choose to work with a marketing company over a CRM services company who also happens to strategize and launch campaigns. Before you make your decision, give this a quick read. 

Not Always the “Path of Least Resistance” 

First and foremost, although it may appear “easier” to partner with a CRM service to launch your campaigns (because they have access to CRM) – they don’t always have immediate access to other capabilities. For example, they likely don’t have in-house creative design, printing, fulfillment, and mailing, and if they do have some of them – they likely don’t have all of them to execute a turnkey campaign. The main focus of a CRM company is usually just that – customer relationship management. Their key offering is their ability to compile and supply lists – which they may be excellent at doing, but what will they provide in terms of other areas of expertise? 

Because of the outsourced services they use (such as those listed above), CRM companies can’t always make campaign changes on the fly. They’re usually unable to print on-demand, have their artist make quick modifications, make last-minute changes to the mailing process, or most importantly, optimize the campaign based on results, midstream. 

The Marketing Differentiators

So, what’s the alternative? Partnering with a marketing solutions company that offers expertise in everything from implementation to optimization. Marketing companies are often also connected directly to the list compiler, and even more than that, they’re usually more closely if not directly connected to everything else you’ll need and use during the campaign production process – from strategy to printing. Since many if not all of their services are in-house (including design, print production, fulfillment, and mailing), you can always make changes and improvements mid-stream and at rapid speed. They can simply call on their marketing team of strategists, artists, print production associates, and others to change gears, swiftly improving the efficiency of the program while it’s in progress and effectively increasing campaign ROI. 

Additionally, marketing companies focus solely on marketing strategy and production, and the more years of experience under their belts of doing so – the better. Marketing execution is not an add-on to marketing companies. It’s what they do, day in and day out. And the right marketing company will be able to simultaneously execute concurrent campaigns, whether single-touch or many, with corresponding digital to (targeted, specified) customers and prospects. If you’re lucky or do your research, you’ll find a marketing company that also incorporates backend fulfillment, seamless management, granular personalization, and attribution, and will be a team of dedicated experts, creators, innovators, and most importantly, marketers. You get the picture we’re painting. It’s important for a marketer or marketing team to also value and provide quality execution and customer care to every client, and ensure you have the reporting, understanding, and peace of mind you need, with 1:1 attribution, automated data exchange, and a detailed dashboard. 

Next time you’re debating, think through this blog first. Do you just need a simple marketing campaign with CRM first, or do you need a multi-touch, well-focused marketing campaign with accurate, up-to-date lists and quality attribution? 

Why They’re Not (at All) the Same

Sometimes direct mail gets a bad rep. Why? Because it’s commonly mistaken for junk mail. But other than being mail, these two have nothing in common. Direct mail only falls into the category of junk mail when it’s poorly executed. When done right, direct mail targets, entices, and benefits a specific customer. Someone, who through market research, is most likely in need of your product or service. It’s designed with purpose in mind, is backed by research and data, drives audiences with calls-to-action, and is highly customized and personalized. Take a quick read to further understand how direct mail differs from junk – and why it should be a key part of your company’s marketing strategy.

Direct Mail Starts with a Good List

The biggest difference between direct mail and junk mail is a good list. A list that’s backed by data, and one that targets the right people – not just any people. Before making an effective, comprehensive or specified list, first review the mailing lists you currently have. Who are you sending mail to? Who have you sent to in the past? Are they the right audience(s)? Are there more audiences (or more specific audiences) you should be targeting?

A wrong list will fail to target those who’d be interested in buying from you, and will often also target those who’d have no interest at all (cough, cough – junk mail). For example, sending “get 10% off your first order with us” to a loyal customer, or even worse, trying to sell meat to a vegetarian. Junk mail goes to anyone and everyone, and often with irrelevant and impersonal information. Plus, it’s often a waste of money, as many of those unspecified and uninterested customers will throw your mail out without a second thought.

In contrast, direct mail is sent to people in data-driven lists, and with messaging that makes sense for their specific customer profiles. Compiling this strategic list makes all the difference in targeting the right customers and catching their attention. Direct mail, unlike junk, is sent to direct people for direct reasons. In fact, 42% of recipients read or scan direct mail that’s relevant to them.

Types of Direct Mail Lists

Direct mail lists come in many forms, so it’s good to take a look at them all before deciding what will work for your company and its marketing needs. Here are the 4 most common ones:

House List: A list you’ve collected on your own time of prospects and customers you’ve made connections with. People on this list are likely to respond, because they’ve already responded to previous offerings.

Response List: A list you’ve put together of people who’ve responded to and reacted to your outreach before. Whether they’ve purchased something or have asked for more information, these people have some level of interest in your offerings.

Compiled List: A list of candidates that went through screener questions and possessed a characteristic or set of characteristics you searched for. These characteristics are fixed, and are most commonly age, gender, location, or income level.Another characteristic could be new movers – those who just moved in and are looking to become loyal customers of your services.

Segmented List: A list curated through a high-tech analysis platform that defines key prospects. This type of list accesses information far beyond age, income, and gender, and gives you the ability to micro-target your market for more extreme results and higher ROI. This type of targeted list also helps you avoid sending to “do-not-mail” contacts.

Direct Mail Has Personally Relevant Messaging

After you decide on a list, the next step is deciding on the right messaging. Direct mail isn’t just about knowing who to send to, but how to speak to them to get them to notice, develop interest, and potentially buy from you. Look into your customers’ buying habits. What entices them? What offerings are they most interested in? And, how can you best reach them? Knowing the proper way to connect with your current and potential customers will help your mailer stand out. Don’t just use a cheesy, typical slogan or generic text. Craft words that highlight who you are, what makes you unique, and why they should use your surfaces or buy your offerings (over others). Make your mailer personal by adding their name, incorporating content that makes sense to their age and other demographics, and including offers applicable to them. Lastly, a clear call-to-action can educate the recipient in how to respond in the most efficient and convenient way possible.

Direct Mail Has Purposeful & Impactful Design

Lastly, once you’ve crafted effective messaging, design your mailer with intentional and engaging visuals. Make sure you’re thinking through the following key design aspects:

Sizing: Think about what size mailer makes sense for your audience, and what will help yours stand out in the mailbox among others. And, in terms of font size – think over what message is most important to get across. Use sizing hierarchy to emphasize words like “free” or “grand opening”.

Layout: Always consider how you want the viewer’s eye to be lead across your mailer. One good technique is the “s-curve” layout – which leads the eye down and across by using imagery on the left and words on right, or a similar variation.

Graphics: Using unique and eye-catching graphics is a great way to make your business stand out from the rest. Be sure to use high quality images as well as consistent branding elements – such as a logo, fonts, colors, and textures. And, go further by using variable images depending on who’s receiving the mailer to make it resonate with the viewer.

Color: Pops of color are also a great way to spice things up – especially when they’re not expected, or to emphasize a call to action. For example, use pops of color on new services, departments, or special offers, or to emphasize a QR code.

Altogether, the key to good mailer design it to ensure it resonates with the customer and emphasizes who you are and the message you’re trying to send. For more help with mailer design, specifically, check out our blog on current direct mail trends.

Now that we’ve gone through what makes direct mail, well, direct – we hope you can see that it is drastically different than unsolicited junk mail. If you’re looking to make a change with your direct mailers or simply want to learn more, contact Strata’s experts.

From QR Codes to Concise Copy

Direct mail trends can be difficult to forecast, and even harder to use correctly and efficiently. However, you’re in luck, because as direct mail experts, we’re providing you with the top 10 direct mail trends – from QR Codes to concise copy – that have and continue to dominate 2021.

1. QR Codes

In the last few years, QR codes have really built a name for themselves. Not only because of their quick, digital nature, and the 2% postage cost break that comes with them, but because of their data-backed effectiveness. When a QR code is included in a way that makes sense- it provides a time-saving benefit to the customer while letting the company lead their customer exactly where they’d like them to go.

Although the year 2020 was detrimental for most industries and marketing tools, the QR code flourished. During a time where we didn’t want to physically touch anything, QR codes made up for physical marketing pieces like menus, signage, print ads, and flyers, leading customers from physical to digital – and quickly. The more QRs were seen, the more used to them we became (similar to our newfound familiarity with masks and hand sanitizer). And they’re still going strong in 2021.

Like we said, QRs lead customers to wherever a company would like them to go. They can provide helpful information, send the customer to a website, or even lead them to purchase.

2. Postcards on the Rise

Envelopes – they’re great and all, but let’s be honest, they add a few seconds (at least) to the time it takes to open (and read) direct mail. These days, it’s often better to send a postcard due to its more creative, eye-catching nature and faster access to information. Making it easier to read your call-to-action can often make customers more likely to respond to an offer or even visit a website or landing page for more information. Plus, they’re lower in cost – which means a better chance of higher ROI for your campaigns. As you can see below, postcards pushed past self-mailers and envelopes this year by quite a bit.

3. B2B Dimensional Mailers

These fun, three-dimensional, interactive mailers are the perfect way to stand out and cut through the clutter of everyday mail. “On the B2B side, dimensional mail is working well; because we all receive so many packages today, prospects want to open it and see what’s inside,” says Grant Johnson, Owner and CEO of Responsory. Although more costly and demanding in terms of postal handling, dimensional mail has the best B2B response rate at 8.51%. Check out our blog on the best secrets to a successful dimensional mailer campaign to get started on your own.

4. Better Segmentation with Data

“Accessing 1st and 3rd party data to further segment an audience will continue to play a huge role in a DM campaign’s success. If you’re able to align targeted messaging and great creative with those different segments, then that’s a recipe for increased response rates. Furthermore, surrounding that DM send with a similar message/offer through various digital channels will only add to that campaign’s success. Being able to hone in on delivery dates and putting an emphasis on speed to market are big contributors to making a direct mail/digital integration program thrive.”

– Mike Efstathios, Business Development at ICS Corporation

Data, data, data. It’s all everyone can talk about these days – and for good reason. Enriching your data qualifies your audience, and in turn, increases your ROI. And, if your marketing strategy is multi- or omnichannel, the customer experience becomes even more successful. While better segmenting your data may cause your audience to shrink, it will definitely cause your engagement to grow. Like we always say – it’s better to target the right people than all the people.

5. Increased Personalization

88% of marketers recently reported seeing better campaign metrics after using personalization in their advertising. More than ever before, the need for marketers to make human connections is extremely relevant, and some may even say necessary. The majority of our population feels they’ve lost personal connections and relationships due to the pandemic. Because of this, 2020-2021 has been the time to make up for lost connections by personalizing materials to bond with your audience and make them feel seen, heard, and human. Check out our blog on the best ways to get personal, here.

6. Higher Response Rates

Since the beginning of 2021, we’ve seen a rise in direct mail response rates. Why? More time at home means more time to go through – and even pay attention to, mail. And as the trend of working from home and staying at home has continued and even increased, response rates don’t seem to be dwindling anytime soon.

However, high response rates don’t just come from people staying put. They come from quality tracking, targeting, design, and audience awareness. For more tactics to increase response rates, visit this blog.

7. Interactive Direct Mail

In today’s world, we’re surrounded by technology. And with all of this technology, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be incorporating it into our direct mail efforts. 2021 brought new technology and an abundance of data that empowers companies when targeting audiences and crafting content. Next time you’re sending direct mail – think about how far you can go with it. Can it include a scratch-off? A game? A free kit or item? A contest? It’s pretty limitless.

8. Digital Prompts

Direct mail isn’t only a way to reach customers, but an excellent way to reinforce online efforts. Simply use social icons, QR codes, or other prompts to send customers to social platforms, websites, menus, forms, landing pages – you name it! Marketers are definitely catching on to this direct mail tactic, as usage of digital prompts has doubled in the last four years. Take a look at the chart below to see how the use of digital interactions has increased.

9. Concise Copy

It’s one thing to know what you want to say, but knowing how to say it is the real key to direct mail effectiveness. Throughout 2021, we’re seeing shorter sentences, smaller paragraphs, fewer bullet points, and obvious CTAs. Your audience’s attention span is only so long, so catching the ears and eyes right away is crucial.

Below is a great example of how Amazon has practiced this and changed their copy to be more concise and clearer. Even at just a quick glance, the message is less overwhelming and more approachable.

Need some help with your direct mail copy? We’ve got a blog for you on ways to write action-inspiring content.

10. Investing in Direct Mail Tools

Although it’s not always top of mind, the right tools are one of the most important components of great direct mail. If you haven’t looked into or invested in marketing and data tools, you should be, because they can take your direct mail from general and stale to effective and exciting, and in turn, save you time and money. Instead of targeting the wrong contacts or using the wrong design elements, the right tools will ensure your mailer looks great and is sent to people who will actually open and engage with it.

Consider changing your format, ink, paper, or finish. Update your branding, content, or calls to action. Or, try technology like USPS Informed Delivery to reach consumers in a modern way.

So, there you have it! 10 effective direct mail trends that took off this year. If you’re interested in learning more about enhancing your direct mail, feel free to contact the experts at Strata. We’re happy to get you started with some great direct marketing materials.