In today’s competitive ecommerce environment, it’s not easy to get noticed. Digital is overflowing and it takes a lot for a consumer to see an email that just gets buried or ignore an ad. This is why direct mail is gaining traction right now. A direct mail piece is something that a customer can hold onto and use as a tangible reminder.
At Blue Market Media, we work with ecommerce companies every day to help them rise above the digital noise and clutter. Direct mail is not a technique that you can dismiss as old school; it is a very deliberate action that helps foster a real relationship with your audience.
This article will provide you the knowledge and tools you need to create direct mail campaigns that stand out, gain attention, are compelling, convert customers and create long term loyalty for your ecommerce store.
Why Direct Mail Matters for Ecommerce
When ecommerce brands want to differentiate and get noticed to complete, direct mail is still one of the most potent forms of marketing available. The challenge is that in a world of digitally blurred ads that look and feel like wallpaper, getting attention online is getting more difficult.
Although people are trained to swipe or ignore online ads, a direct mail piece lands in someone’s hands when they’re in a position to naturally engage with that content. It is physical and tangible, memorable and lasting—none of which an email blast could ever replicate.
Here’s the reality: numbers do not lie. The Data & Marketing Association states that direct mail has a 4.9% response rate. Email? 1%. So, if you are serious about increasing engagement and sales, direct mail shouldn’t be ignored.
At Blue Market Media, we empower ecommerce brands to break through the chaos and utilise direct mail communications to build real relationships. Whether you are launching a product, promoting a special offer, or developing long-term loyalty, a strategic approach will certainly work better.
So, ready to see how it is done? Let’s walk through the steps to a direct mail for ecommerce campaign that delivers.
Step 1: Define Your Campaign Goals
Every effective direct mail campaign starts with clear objectives. Ask yourself: What do you want to achieve? Common goals for direct mail for ecommerce include:
- Increasing traffic to your ecommerce store
- Improving sales for a product or category
- Re-activating inactive customers
- Creating brand awareness
- Promoting offers or events
When putting together your marketing campaign, it is important to incorporate the measurable piece of your goals, (10% increase in website visits, 500 new orders) as the metrics you chose to measure will help to guide each concept you have outlined in your campaign and how you integrate that campaign into your ecommerce plan. As an example, if you plan to re-engage lapsed customers, you could think of adding a direct mail blast to that campaign with a discount code for you customers with a personal touch, or if your goal is to simply create a brand awareness campaign, you could go deeper into your campaign showcasing your product catalogue.
Step 2: Know Your Audience
At the end of the day, the purpose of direct mail is a matter of reaching the right people. You need to utilise your ecommerce data to segment your audience – demographics, purchase history, browsing habits (what do they look at often), a lot of possibilities even where they are located could drive segmentation. For example, you could send a premium catalogue to your best customers (VIP’s) and then send a post card with exclusive offers to first time buyers.
Blue Market Media has real data-driven marketing expertise and value to add to your campaigns. After you develop your design and what you want to say, they help you to enhance your mailing list (using tools like Direct Mail Systems) so your message is sent to the right audience! And segmentation is not just a term people use, smart segmentation is what makes your campaign relevant, personal, and ultimately what drives results.
Step 3: Craft a Compelling Offer
If you want your direct mail for ecommerce campaign to be noticed, you need a value proposition that excites readers. Examples are limited time discounting, free shipping (no one wants to pay for shipping), BOGOF (buy one, get one free) deals, exclusive early-bird access to new launches – you catch my drift. It has to be clear, urgent, and relevant – not some freebie for the sake of it.
Let’s say you have an ecommerce shop selling skincare, you may send people a postcard for 20% off on their next order, perhaps it had a QR code that took them to a curated product page to offer specific products relevant to their base. The key? It has to be on-brand and have a genuine ‘reason’ for someone to act quickly. You can see how I would almost turn boring mail into sales.
Step 4: Design a Standout Mail Piece
The design of your direct mail piece is critical. A visually appealing, professional design reinforces your brand and captures attention. Here are some tips for creating an effective direct mail piece for ecommerce:
- Clear Call-to-Action (CTA): Include a bold, actionable CTA like “Shop Now,” “Claim Your Discount,” or “Visit Our Site.”
- High-Quality Visuals: Use vibrant images of your products to entice recipients.
- Concise Copy: Keep text short and impactful, highlighting the offer and benefits.
- Branding Consistency: Ensure your direct mail aligns with your ecommerce site’s look and feel.
When using direct mail, it all comes down to the format! Postcards are relatively low-cost and are easy to use when describing limited-time promos and deals where getting your target audience’s attention first is essential. Catalogues and brochures allow you to highlight multiple products in a neater and more polished way. You could even give a small branded gift box for your highest-value clients – it’s a nice premium touch!
With Blue Market Media’s Print Ordering service, you can have the assurances of paper and finishes that will enhance and promote your brand’s image.
Step 5: Personalise for Maximum Impact
Personalisation has changed from a nice-to-have in direct mail for ecommerce to the secret sauce. New advancements within direct mail systems allow you to personalise pretty much every detail from greeting the recipient by their first name, to highlighting products they browsed on your site.
If you were a clothing retailer, for example, you would be able to send a postcard to the customer, featuring the shoes they almost bought, with a unique discount code to incentivise closing the deal. The numbers do not lie; personalisation through direct mail can up engagement by 30%. If you are taking ecommerce marketing seriously, this is pretty much essential.
Step 6: Choose the Right Timing and Frequency
In direct mail, timing means everything. Evaluate your online ecommerce data to understand when your customers prefer to shop your site. If you send direct mail in the holiday season, or before holidays when you’re running major sales events like Black Friday, you will be more likely to convert customers to your online store. Sending a series of direct mail pieces to your customers, such as a welcome series to new customers, is another way to set up engagement over the long haul, leading to repeat business.
Blue Market Media can assist you in determining the best timing and frequency for your direct mail campaign so that it arrives in the mailbox at the appropriate time when it will drive action.
Step 7: Integrate with Digital Channels
To amplify your direct mail campaign, integrate it with your digital marketing efforts. Create a seamless omnichannel experience by:
- Including QR codes or unique URLs that link to your ecommerce site
- Following up with personalised emails to reinforce the direct mail offer
- Retargeting recipients with online adverts after they scan a QR code
- Adding social media handles or campaign hashtags to encourage sharing
For example, a direct mail postcard could direct customers to a landing page with a special offer, while a follow-up email reminds them to redeem it. This multi-channel approach increases brand recall and drives conversions.
Step 8: Optimise Postage and Delivery
Postage costs can heavily affect your budget for your campaign. You should have a provider like Blue Market Media that can streamline postage costs and ensures timely delivery. A full-service provider, like Blue, is set up to help justify costs by offering their full-service solutions from printing service to mailing, all within your budget.
And one great way to reduce the amount you are spending on postage, and lessen the waste with direct mail, is to use their Targeted mailing lists. Then, Blue Market Media can leverage their expertise in Direct Mail Systems. This will ensure your campaign lands in the hands of target customers as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.
Step 9: Track and Measure Results
The measurement of success in your direct mail campaign is important and the best way to accomplish this is with tracking. Tracking can be done using various means such as unique URLs, QR codes or discount codes. For example, you can use a unique promo code in your direct mail to understand how many customers purchased something after seeing your direct mail.
Calculate your ROI by comparing the costs of the campaign(s) (design, print, postage) to the revenue generated. You can use the numbers to often improve on the performance of future campaigns.
Why Choose Blue Market Media for Your Direct Mail Campaign?
Here at Blue Market Media we have been providing Direct Mail Services for Ecommerce for over 25 years. Our full range of services include Print Ordering to postage optimisation so that your direct mail campaign is delivered flawlessly. Regardless of whether you have a mailer of 500 postcards, or 500,000 catalogues we can ensure that your project is completed on time and on budget.
Ready to Launch Your Direct Mail Campaign?
A well-executed direct mail campaign can transform your ecommerce marketing, driving traffic, boosting sales, and building lasting customer relationships. At Blue Market Media, we’re here to make your next campaign your most successful yet.
Let’s make your ecommerce direct mail campaign a success. Contact Us today!