Since the beginning of the pandemic, many workers have proven themselves as being productive when working at home. Now, they are pushing for flexible work arrangements to continue. Fortunately, most employers have no plans to completely end remote work. Recent surveys show that nearly 60% of companies are planning to adopt some form of hybrid workplace. So what does this mean for marketers who incorporate direct mail into their mix?
Plan Early and Build in Time
Hybrid work means people will be splitting their time between work and home. At the very least, this affects your direct mail timeline because you’ll have fewer chances to reach people at their offices. For example, if someone only works in the office Monday through Wednesday and your mail piece lands on a Thursday, you’ve lost that week. If you’re marketing a conference, a sale, or anything else with a deadline, be sure to start planning early! You’ll want to allow more time to develop the mail piece and more time for it to sit on desks before being seen.
Where and How to Send Direct Mail
Are people more likely to open their mail at the office or at home? Given that the average American household receives 454 pieces of marketing mail per year, it’s probably easier to reach people in the office. Most people don’t have store circulars and bills to contend with at the office. In fact, if your prospect list includes entry-level workers, you might make their day by sending mail to them!
Of course, if your main audience is filled with movers and shakers, you’ll need to make your mail piece stand out even at the office. Oversized envelopes have the highest response rate of any marketing mail (an average of 5%). There’s recently been an uptick in these types of campaigns, where a letter and catalog or large (8.5 x 11 size) brochure are mailed in a 9 x 12 envelope. Even when your prospect knows it’s direct mail, they want to open it and find out what’s inside. Remember: Up to 90% of direct mail gets opened, compared to only 20-30% of emails.
Don’t Skimp on Copywriting and Design
Once your direct mail is opened, it’s time for the copy and graphics to do their job. Talk about leaving an impression (printing pun!)—75% of people can recall a brand immediately after seeing a direct mail piece. That’s compared to only 44% who viewed a digital ad. Make sure your piece is branded well and uses copy to entice your audience to learn more.
Do you use direct mail in your marketing mix? Did you know I graduated with a degree in Graphic Communications, and learned to run presses? Let’s discuss!