Gone are the days where businesses can take a “one size fits all” approach to their marketing efforts. Today’s customers want targeted, customized messages that resonate with them personally. And this consumer behavior makes sense – after all, why would you want to receive a postcard for a sale on fall apparel when instead you could receive a targeted piece with your name on it that announces a sale for a cashmere crewneck sweater you regularly purchase each year.
Customized mailings save consumers time by presenting them with offers that they truly want. And by reaching customers that are only interested in your specific products, customized mail gives you a higher ROI, which saves you money and brings you more qualified leads.
It’s smart marketing, hence the name “smart mail.”
Smart mail takes a few different forms:
Segmenting: This involves taking an existing list and breaking it up into broad demographic or psychographic groups. You might speak to women differently from men, singles differently from marrieds, and those with children differently from those without. Although there will be variation within each demographic, there are shared characteristics that enable you to target the message.
Targeting: Rarely will you need to target your entire database at one. Instead, try selecting out target groups based on the goals of the campaign. You may select out your customers for a special discount, for example, or promote certain products to key geographic areas based on anticipated weather conditions.
Personalizing: The ultimate in targeting is speaking to each individual by name and creating the message based on what you know about that person. A good example is travel companies offering personalized travel recommendations based on trips their customers have taken in the past.
Trigger-based Mailings: There are mailing that are automatically generated based on some external event. For example, automotive dealers often send mailings promoting trade-ins in advance of the expiration of a customer’s lease or encouraging customers to come into the service department at the time their car’s mileage is expected to hit a certain point.
As you plan your marketing strategy this year, think about marketing smarter, not harder. Contact Brand It Graphix today for customized, strategic direct mailers using our variable data printing services and state-of-the-art commercial printing equipment. Click here to learn more, and connect with our team at branditgraphix@bigcompany.com or (979) 530-9650.
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