If you’ve been paying attention to the world of business lately, you know how important digital marketing has become. But you’ve probably also figured out that digital isn’t everything. In fact, as email inboxes (and cyberspace in general) have become more and more cluttered with people and companies trying to “get through the noise,” digital marketing has become more difficult. It takes more noise, more originality and more strategy to make an impact.
As the dust of the internet revolution clears, it’s becoming apparent that for many businesses, a combination of digital and direct mail marketing is the most effective way to build a brand and grow a customer base. The question is, what constitute the right balance between these two forms of marketing?
The answer is different for every business
Certain businesses and industries have relied more on direct mail marketing in the past, and continue to rely on it heavily today. Others are growing frustrated with the ultra-competitive digital marketing landscape, and are looking for other ways to get their message heard. There are many different scenarios in play, and the right “balance” isn’t the same for every company.
One thing’s for certain — no matter what kind of business you are, you don’t want to base your strategy on guesswork. Marketing strategies, whether digital or traditional, have been shown to be much more successful when careful strategy is put in place. This includes consulting with reliable experts in digital and direct mail marketing to develop a strategy that’s based on real data and real world experience.
Striking the right balance
Many business leaders are actually surprised to learn that direct mail marketing is still going strong — and that there are experts who routinely get much better results than others. There are many reasons why reputable direct mail marketing companies outshine and outperform their competitors. Experience is one. People who have been in the business a long time are able to draw on what has and hasn’t worked in the past, while integrating new strategies that fit the modern marketing landscape.
Mailing lists is another big one. Some direct mail marketers are all about quantity, and like to impress their clients with massive mailing lists. What they don’t tell you is that many of these names and addresses are either defunct and invalid or completely off-target in terms of what the client is trying to achieve. Reputable direct mail marketers know that it’s not really about quantity when it comes to mailing lists. It’s about having a smart, targeted mailing list that works to achieve clear, established goals.
Knowing where direct mail marketing fits into your overall marketing strategy can be tricky without knowing what’s really possible. A lot of people have written off direct mail marketing, either because they believe it’s too expensive or because they believe it doesn’t work. Neither of these things are true. When it’s done right, direct mail marketing can be a worthy and impactful addition to any marketing strategy. It’s just a matter of knowing where to look for answers.