When choosing marketing tactics for your financial institution, it can be tempting to put all your advertising eggs into the digital basket – after all, we’re more connected to our phones than ever, right?
Don’t fall into that pigeonholed way of thinking. Despite the digital frenzy, studies show direct mail still beats its online competition.
According to a Forbes article, the Direct Marketing Association found direct mail is the top channel for direct response – achieving a 4.4% response rate compared to email’s 0.12%.
Think about this: You’re constantly receiving email offers for best or hottest trend – how many of those do you delete without opening?
Digital advertising also falls prey to ad blocking and click fraud, according to The Financial Brand. A study noted the adoption of ad blockers, apps that remove ads from websites, around the world increased by 38%. Click fraud, in which bots pretend to be users clicking ads, can lead to deceptively larger impressions than occurred. Your potential customers might not even be seeing your ad.
A personalized postcard, on the other hand, is sent directly into mailboxes and holds weight, and the design, if done right, is intriguing. Whatever it is advertising, it has substance. Forbes calls this the “reality factor.”
A UK Royal Mail study concluded direct mail’s effectiveness correlates with that reality factor: “Giving, receiving and handling tangible objects remain deep and intuitive parts of the human experience.” (Wouldn’t you rather receive a handwritten birthday or holiday card than an emailed one?)
Within the study, 60% of respondents said that left a more lasting mental impression, and 57% said postcard marketing feels more authentic and personal.
We’ve got proof of this as well. image.works offers a ton of great marketing solutions, both digital and print. All have exceptional, proven results, but one of our most popular products continues to be direct mail.
You can choose an idea from our Design Center or let us create a customized piece. We offer clever ways to connect with your current and potential customers, including:
• Postcards: Get word of your new service out or send an eye-catching promotion.
• Die cuts: These fun designs are great for giveaways and special promotions.
• Coupons: Discounts, specials and giveaways become tangible when consumers can hold the savings in their hands.
• Iron Cross Self Mailer: A unique piece that unfolds into a cross will instantly turn a trip to the mailbox into an interactive and memorable experience – while maximizing your advertising space.
• Recipe cards: Show your commitment to wellness while advertising your brand with these cards, and you might earn a place in the consumer’s kitchen.
• Membership cards: Consumers can tear these out and put them right in their wallet.
• Scratch-offs: Really get them involved in your deal by giving them an incentive.
• Magnets: Whether you’re promoting a new product or service or just want your contact info available, a magnet is an excellent way to keep your name accessible and visible.
What about millennials, you ask? Do they even know what a mailbox is?
Yes, they do. It turns out 36% of people age 30 and under enjoy checking their mailboxes every day, according to a Gallup poll, and a whopping 95% of 18- to 29-year-olds have a positive response to receiving personalized cards and letters (some things don’t change through generations).
Of course, this doesn’t mean you should ditch digital altogether. It’s all about using the right tool for the right job.
At image.works, we provide marketing strategies that work – and many of them combine direct mail with digital marketing to achieve the highest impact. With our targeted lists, you can reach any demographic in any region and personalize mailings to the audience you want to engage.
Our new mover program pinpoints new residents in your area and welcomes them to your organization with an attractive direct mail piece. This program is especially powerful when integrated with Marketing Automation – a web address on the mailing leads recipients to complete an online form and become a trackable lead; then you can monitor their website visits and send automated emails about the topics they visited on your site.
That’s just a sampling of what we can do. Be sure to check out our website for more information or request your free sample kit!
Sources: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2017/08/30/why-direct-mail-marketing-is-far-from-dead/#642f0598311d
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https://thefinancialbrand.com/69856/digital-marketing-mistakes-banks-credit-unions/