While considered outdated by some, direct mail marketing is still a highly effective way to generate new leads and produce sales. Not all of the companies utilizing direct mail are grocery stores and local retailers, even technology driven companies, such as Google, use direct mail to find customers.
Direct mail can function both like a press release, and as a means to alert customers to deals, discounts, and specials. Catalogues are another excellent way to use direct mail. Many customers will still make their purchases online; however, they may have never found the website before they opened their mailbox.
Even in the digital age, there are many companies effectively using direct mail marketing—some far more successfully than others.
1. Burger King
Much like grocery stores, fast food chains send coupons and other material to nearby addresses in hopes the community use their products and services more often. This geo-targeting is another benefit of direct mail—these potential customers can obviously get to physical location.
In addition to a website and mobile app both offering special coupons and company information, Burger King still opts to send coupons in the mail. Customers often opt into the mailing list by filling out surveys or prize ballots at the local shops and then are mailed coupons to entice them to return.
2. Mead Johnson
Mead Johnson is known for producing a wide variety of household products for families. One of their most popular products Enfamil (a baby formula) is often marketed through coupons. Because new parents are very busy and don’t have time to look and compare products online, Enfamil direct mail campaigns include coupons along with information about how their products help baby. Mead Johnson can also be fairly certain that their potential customers will be home.
3. Tylenol
Tylenol reaches new customers in a variety of ways using direct mail. One of the most successful is sending offers to obtain samples simply by writing to the company. Customers will also occasionally receive coupons in the mail after receiving the sample. Additionally, Tylenol produces a serving-size pack, also called a Pocket Pack, that other companies can purchase and include in mailing campaigns. These sample packs still have the Tylenol logo and customers can see what company sent them the pain relievers with a colorful outer package.
4. Botanic Choice
Botanic Choice is a vitamin and supplement shop operating out of Hobart, Indiana. The company uses many traditional means to promote its mail order business, including sending customers flyers and savings certificates regularly. Being privy to a very extensive mailing list definitely makes this easier as people can write to opt in and have been doing so for year.
As a means of expanding these mailing lists, many of the catalogues will include a “refer a friend” section, sometimes offering free gifts to those who write down their friends name and address. The popular shop also takes phone and internet orders, but traditional mail and direct marketing brings in many of the sales the company sees.
5. Google
As counter intuitive as this may seem, technology giant Google uses direct mail on a regular basis. The company uses direct mail to promote many of its new services, especially to businesses. Direct mailings will often include Google AdWords coupons or information on how Google can help businesses advertise. Google tracks its results closely, usually by including a unique ID in the mailing.
The company uses FSC-certified paper and keeps the mailing to a minimum, only sending relevant information to its potential clients. This not only helps to promote the company effectively but bring in many new clients to the long list of services that Google offers.