Programmatic Direct Mail Marketing: All You Need to Know

Programmatic Direct Mail Marketing is one of the most unique forms of online marketing today and one that many households are actually a part of—even if they don’t realize it. On its most basic level, this is a type of marketing that sends Direct Mail to anonymous online website visitors.

This marketing system combines both online and direct mail marketing together. While it seems like a relatively complex approach, it is actually fairly simple and many businesses are capitalizing on this opportunity to directly communicate with individuals who have already shown interest in their brand.

Want to know how to get started with programmatic direct mail marketing yourself?

How Does Programmatic Direct Mail Marketing Work? 

Programmatic Direct Mail Marketing is a fairly direct process. Your brand looks for anonymous online visitors who display specific triggers or behaviors. It works by looking at the visitor’s IP address and reverse-appending their information to find their household address so companies know where to send these mailers. This is done through a simple tagging code on a website.

This then allows mail offers to be sent directly to that home. This can be sales flyers, coupons, magazines, or other information that can entice these individuals to become loyal customers. This is a great way to target those who already know that a brand exists and can help improve the trust between that brand and its potential customers. 

This approach combines today’s most effective online targeting approaches with the proven direct-mail marketing approach that has worked for decades. Even though direct-mail marketing has been around for years, studies indicate that approximately 42% of purchase decisions today are still influenced by direct-mail marketing.

With programmatic mail marketing these messages are even more catered to consumers than normal and have the potential to deliver a higher ROI. Personalized messages like this are a great way to convert anonymous website visitors to loyal customers and do more than just sending mailers to a random selection of people based on their zip code.

What Are the Benefits of Programmatic Direct Mail Strategies? 

If you want to take advantage of this unique marketing opportunity that allows you to directly market your services to those who have already shown interest in what you have to offer. You basically have a direct line to your target market and to people who are already interested in what you have to say. 

If you want to start utilizing this direct marketing program for your brand, you’ll find there are many hidden benefits. Here’s what you should know first before launching your campaign. 

Direct Mail Can Boost Conversion Rates 

One of the many reasons that this type of marketing works so well is because of the direct mail aspect. Sending direct mail to someone that already knows your business will increase conversion rates. When customers have already visited a brand’s website, they are already at least primarily interested in starting a business relationship.

Direct mail pieces will help interested individuals take the next step to becoming actual customers.

Programmatic Direct Mail Marketing Combines Two Marketing Strategies

One of the most interesting things about this marketing approach is that it combines both online and offline marketing strategies together which can create better customer engagement. This allows companies to reach more people and approaches potential customers online and through the mail.

This combination marketing strategy works better than each strategy on its own and allows brands to finally follow up with the individuals who visit their website but don’t necessarily make a purchase.

Targets Specific Clients 

This type of marketing works because it targets clients not only based on their actions (i.e. visiting your website) but also allows you to target clients based on their interests, hobbies, demographics, occupation, and more. 

In addition to targeting the type of customer you want, this programmatic direct mail marketing approach allows you to send personalized messages and marketing materials that will speak to these individuals.

Personalized Offers Target Younger Consumers 

This marketing strategy allows brands to send out personalized and targeted messages to potential customers, a strategy proven to work with younger consumers such as Millennials and Gen Z consumers. According to one study from MarketingCharts, 92% of millennial consumers claim they are influenced by direct mail marketing when making purchases. 

Programmatic Direct Mail Marketing Leads to Higher Open Rates 

One of the biggest pitfalls of traditional direct mail marketing is simply that people aren’t opening their mail. Instead of risking your expensive marketing materials ending up in the junk mail pile, this approach ensures higher open rates. You can choose to send first-class mail, which typically has a higher open rate, regular mail, or postcards that will grab customers’ attention from the moment they open their mailbox.

Is Programmatic Direct Mail Marketing Right For Your Brand?  

Programmatic Direct Mail Marketing is relatively simple for Ecommerce companies of all sizes to set up, which is why more and more companies are leaning towards this two-pronged approach. All brands need is a special line of code for their website that tracks visitor behavior and a plan for what physical pieces of mail they would like to send out. This code can be completely general and just target individuals who visit your site, or it can be as personalized as targeting those who leave an empty cart behind.

This process works for so many companies because it can be completely automated and everything from finding addresses to printing and eventually delivery of your mail, making it an easy set-it-and-forget-it mode of online marketing.

Conclusion

Many companies are already seeing great returns from this marketing approach. Statista found that today’s brands spent an estimated $155 billion in 2021 on programmatic ad spend. In today’s industry, more marketers than ever are trying to diversify their marketing approach to get better, lasting results, and this system has proven to deliver the types of returns today’s customers are looking for.

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