According to the Direct Mail Association, direct mail campaigns with a highly personalised element can expect to achieve a ROI increase of between 300% and 1000%.

Birmingham, West Midlands -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/08/2015 -- Today's consumers are savvier than ever before and expect retailers to work hard to win their custom. With 98% of people saying that personalisation is very important to them, it is definitely something brands need to consider incorporating into their direct mail campaigns in order to generate a good ROI.

Customers don't want to be treated all the same; they expect to receive personalised content that has been tailored to their needs.

The personalisation of direct mail

Whilst addressing customers by their name on a piece of direct mail is likely to get it opened, it's not quite as simple as that. In order to maximise results and ROI, retailers need to think of ways they can enhance their direct mail with other personalisation techniques.

It all starts with collecting clean data. By ensuring their data (customer name, address, title, purchase history etc.) is correct, companies stand a better chance of being able to personalise their direct mail effectively.

Clean data of course allows for the accurate segmentation of customers. Through segmentation, companies are able to target different behaviours, needs and even colloquialisms (in different parts of the country), allowing for more effective personalisation. It gives them the opportunity to target different mailshots and different offers at customers, allowing for a more personalised direct marketing experience.

The key to effective personalisation of direct mail is to give consumers the impression that they are the only one a brand is communicating with. Sure, using their name is a start but providing offers based on purchase history, catering to previously stated preferences and tailoring to their gender and interests, will take a brand's direct mail campaign to the next level.

Something more and more brands are now doing is embracing technology as part of their personalised direct mail campaigns. Using personalised URLs (PURLs), brands can bridge customers' offline and online marketing experiences and provide a dedicated landing page full of personalised information and offers.

Other key technologies great for direct mail include augmented reality apps, clickable paper (developed by Ricoh) and Google Analytics (tracking software designed to monitor customers' online behaviour.)

Getting personalisation right

In order to achieve success with personalisation, brands need to regular test and tweak their campaigns. Personalising small batches of mail to identify the optimal degree of personalisation is highly recommended.

Finding out customers preferred communication method is also essential. Brands need to ensure they provide contact details that a customer is likely to use to follow up on the mail, whether it's a phone number, landing page, email address or social media handle.

Finally, a call to action is a must. No matter how well a piece of direct mail is personalised, without a great call to action, the customer won't convert. Providing vouchers and other incentives is a great way to influence customers to take action, as is putting a time limit on offers and sales.

Retailers can boost their conversions through effective personalised calls to action.

What can companies expect from personalised direct mail campaigns?

Increased profit is undoubtedly the main reason why businesses should consider personalisation within their direct mail campaigns. Personalisation has been proven to lead to increased sales and reduced costs, making it a win-win for those that utilise it.

However, those motivated by more than profits will also see environmental benefits from personalising their mail too. Since more customers will respond to personalised direct mail, businesses can significantly reduce wastage. Personalised direct mail can also be made from recycled paper and renewable sources, allowing businesses to really boost their green credentials.

Of course, businesses wouldn't exist without their customers, making customer satisfaction one of the most important benefits of personalised mail campaigns. Through greater data accuracy and tailored content, brands will be able to keep their customers satisfied and go a long way in winning their loyalty.

"Despite being savvy, it doesn't take a lot for customers to appreciate a brand's effort," says Lorraine Burnell, Managing Director of Birmingham-based Baker Goodchild.

She continues "Personalised print media has a much more powerful presence that personalised digital content like marketing emails, as customers can recognise that brands have to put a lot more effort into customising print media than digital content."

Other mail personalisation techniques

Whilst not strictly personalisation, businesses can also use a wide range of other techniques within their direct mail to increase response rates and generate a higher ROI. From using colours to attract customers and engage with them on an emotional level to creating interesting multi-dimensional and 3D mailings, there are plenty of ways brands can make their direct mail stand out to customers and give it a unique edge.

Want to see how personalisation can impact the ROI of your direct mail campaigns? Visit http://bakergoodchild.co.uk to find out more about their personalised direct mailing services.

Image credits: Images from SumAll and Jeff Zelaya

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

The aim of direct mail campaigns is to engage with customers and generate sales, helping businesses to increase their profits.

Birmingham, West Midlands -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/11/2014 -- However many companies attempt direct mail campaigns with little to no success and this is usually as a result of poor execution.

In order for a direct mail campaign to be successful it needs to involve recipients and make it as easy and convenient as possible for them to respond to the call to action. Whether you are looking to generate sales from existing customers or acquire new ones with your direct mail campaign, integrating it with USB web keys is sure to maximise its results.

Add a USB web key to your campaigns

Whilst direct mail already offers the benefit of being tangible, attaching a USB web key to it is sure to peak the recipient's curiosity and encourage them to plug it into their computer and experience more of what your business has to offer. Seeing as minimal effort is involved (they won't even have to type in a URL) there is little to deter consumers from being put off the intended task.

Using a USB web key and online content (videos, infographics etc.) will allow you to provide prospects with even more information about your products that will hopefully encourage them to make a purchase. Taking things a step further by using USB web keys to direct recipients to landing pages with personalised content and offers can also increase the chances of them completing the call to action, thus making your direct mail campaign more profitable.

Other benefits of a campaign

Direct mail campaigns and USB web keys also have the advantage of longevity, allowing brands to make a higher return on investment over time. If you think about it, direct mail lasts much longer than other forms of advertising e.g. TV adverts and emails (which can be skipped and deleted) and USB web keys are usually kept for long periods of time, with research from the British Promotional Merchandise Association revealing 87% of people keep promotional items for longer than a year. The longer they keep and re-use the promotional items, the more familiar they will become with your brand and the more they will trust it.

Both direct mail and USB web keys are relatively cheap to produce and are therefore able to offer even higher returns on investment than other forms of advertising like radio and TV.

A proven success, some case studies

One of the great things about integrating USB web keys with direct mail is that it has already been tried and tested. Numerous brands have already experienced fantastic results from using USB web keys in their direct mail campaigns. One such company is Rolls Royce, which after sending out 10,000 mailshots including USB drives with pre-loaded videos had a total of 594 responses, generating an initial sales pipeline of £5.9 million.

UK construction company Conquip Construction also rolled out an innovative direct mail campaign over three years, which involved sending out USB web keys that had been designed as a Conquip character. This memorable character USB was an instant hit with their target audience and helped them to win many deals both in Europe and other territories over the three year period.

"Integrating USB web keys with direct mail is a great way to pique the interest of recipients and encourage them to take another step to get to know more about your brand and products," says Lorraine Burnell, Managing Director of the UK mailing house, Baker Goodchild. "Consumers will need little encouragement to plug in the USB, especially if it has a great design and what's even better is that they will continue to use it afterwards and constantly remind themselves of your brand."

Supporting research

Research from the British Promotional Merchandise Association in 2012 found that 56% of those asked said their impression of a company improved after receiving a branded item and 79% would be likely to do business with the company again. This just goes to show how effective USB web keys can be as part of a direct mail campaign aiming to increase brand awareness and improve brand loyalty.

When it comes to developing a direct mail campaign, your creativity is only limited by your own imagination. Effective designs and captivating content are both essential, but if you are looking to really make a good impression on prospects, attaching a USB web key filled with engaging online content is sure to do the trick.

Take your direct mail campaigns to the next level and integrate them with USB technology with the help of mail fulfilment experts, Baker Goodchild.

For further information, the full range of Technology Integrated with Direct Mail infographics can be found here:

- Technology Integrated with Direct Mail
- Direct Mail combined with QR and PURL Codes
- Augmented Reality (AR) Technology integrated with Direct Mail
- USB Web Keys integrated with Direct Mail
- Direct Mail integrated with Google AdWords and Remarketing
- Near Field Communication (NFC) Integration with Direct Mail

Find out more about Baker Goodchild's direct mail fulfilment services at http://www.bakergoodchild.co.uk

Contact information:
Telephone: 0800 612 1972
Fax: 0121 248 8550
Baker Goodchild
257 Great King Street
The Jewellery Quarter
Birmingham
B19 3AS

Image credits: redtouchmedia and Pure Metal Cards

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm