It is estimated that there are around 269 billion emails sent a day. An average office worker receives 121 emails a day. The percentage of email that is spam is around 49.7%. However, unlike unread emails, people still sort through their physical mail that gets posted through the door and 77% often do so immediately.

1. WHEN TO USE DIRECT
MAIL FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT

2. It is estimated that there are around 269 billion emails
sent a day.
An average office worker receives 121 emails a day.
The percentage of email that is spam is around
49.7%.
With statistics like this, email marketing is becoming
highly competitive and increasingly hard to be heard.No
matter how much thought goes into the content, subject
line, persona-lisation, it may well find itself deleted or
even worse in the junk folder.

3. Have a look at your own email inbox right
now. How many are waiting for you
unread?
However, unlike unread emails, people still
sort through their physical mail that gets
posted through the door and (according to
an Epsilon study) 77% often do so
immediately.

4. Like any other marketing methods, direct
mail does have its challenges.
Below are some tricks of the
trade and ways to use direct mail
for maximum effect.

5. TARGETING PEOPLE ON A
SPECIFIC GEO-LOCATION
A common tactic for restaurants, dentists etc. is to target a
specific postcode or geographic area near their location. Geo-
location targeting allows businesses to take personalisation a
step further.
Is this just another gimmick or is there any
advantage to sending mail this way?
Many people will keep a piece of mail rather than an email.
They may be thinking of trying out a new restaurant, so will
hang on to the mail until they’re ready to make the decision to
go. This piece of mail will serve as a reminder and provides
clear directions of how to find the restaurant.
Consider how you might use this strategy in your own
business - can you use geo-location to add that extra touch of
personalisation?

6. TARGETING DEMOGRAPHICS THAT
ARE DIFFICULT TO TARGET ONLINE
Direct mail allows you to target demographics
that are hard to target online e.g. household
income, age, marital status.
Let’s take age for example. If your target
audience is the older generation, you’d be much
better off spending your efforts on a direct mail
campaign rather than social paid campaign.
Let’s take household income as another
example. Through direct mail, businesses can
target an audience dependent on their
household income, which can’t easily be done
online.

7. TARGET VERY SPECIFIC
PERSONAS
Direct mail allows businesses to send campaigns that
zone in on personas in laser-like fashion. Use this
personalisation to your advantage and really impress the
recipient.
For example, a new veterinary could send out a postcard
with branded dog bowls. This will be memorable for the
recipient, meaning they will be more likely to check the new
vets out.
How does understanding your audience in this
detailed manner help you figure out the value that you
can deliver via such a campaign?

8. BE DIFFERENT…
Why not be different? Why not send a
handwritten note or an imaginative
promotional item? This will receive better
engagement. Why? It adds a human touch
and is personal. Your target audience will be
pleasantly shocked and surprised.
You are showing to the recipient that you
have done your research and care about their
likes and dislikes

9. BOOST YOUR OVERALL
MARKETING STRATEGY
Direct mail can be used as an additional method
that enhances and boosts your overall marketing
strategy.
For example, you may have decided to host a local
event and are currently promoting through your
website, social and email lists. In addition to this,
why not send handwritten invitations to key people
within your target audience. If you’ve taken the time
to write it by hand, the recipient will be more inclined
to respond.
The invitation could include a link or QR code (bear
in mind that not everyone has QR readers) that
takes them to a registration page with more
information. This registrational page could be a
bespoke landing page, so you can measure how
successful the handwritten invitations are.

10. We hope you enjoyed our pro tips and you’re
now ready to start implementing some killer
direct mail campaigns?
Remember, one of the best benefits of direct
marketing is how measurable it can be e.g.
results can be measured by tracking phone
calls, use of promotional codes, traffic to a
specific landing page etc.
“Take a risk and keep testing, because what
works today won’t work tomorrow, but what
worked yesterday may work today”
– Amrita Sahasrabudhe

11. THANK YOU