Brand mail is a form of direct marketing that involves sending a physical piece of promotional material through the mail to a home or business. It can include flyers, brochures, catalogs, postcards, coupons, newsletters, samples, and more. Brand mail can help you reach your target audience, increase your brand awareness, and drive more sales.
What is brand mail?
Brand mail is a type of direct mail that focuses on promoting your brand identity and values. It is not just about selling a product or service, but about creating a connection and a relationship with your customers. Brand mail can help you communicate your brand story, personality, mission, vision, and values to your audience.
Brand mail can also help you differentiate yourself from your competitors and stand out in the crowded marketplace. According to a study by the U.S. Postal Service⁶, 69% of consumers say that direct mail makes them feel more valued than email. Moreover, 59% of consumers say that direct mail influences their purchase decisions.
Brand mail can also help you increase your customer loyalty and retention. According to a study by MarketingSherpa², 76% of consumers trust direct mail when they want to make a purchase decision. Furthermore, 54% of consumers say that they are more likely to buy from a brand that sends them direct mail.
Why is brand mail important for your business?
Brand mail can offer many benefits for your business, such as:
- Increasing your reach and exposure: Brand mail can help you reach customers who may not be online or who may not be aware of your online presence. You can also use brand mail to target specific geographic areas, demographics, or interests.
- Enhancing your online marketing: Brand mail can complement and reinforce your online marketing efforts. You can use brand mail to drive traffic to your website, social media pages, or landing pages. You can also use brand mail to collect email addresses or phone numbers from your prospects.
- Improving your response rate and ROI: Brand mail can generate a higher response rate and return on investment than other forms of marketing. According to a study by the Data & Marketing Association², direct mail has an average response rate of 4.9%, compared to 1% for email and 0.3% for social media. Moreover, direct mail has an average ROI of 29%, compared to 23% for email and 16% for social media.
- Building trust and credibility: Brand mail can help you build trust and credibility with your customers. You can use brand mail to showcase your testimonials, reviews, awards, certifications, or social proof. You can also use brand mail to educate your customers about your products or services, or to provide valuable tips or advice.
How to create an effective brand mail campaign in 2023?
To create an effective brand mail campaign in 2023, you need to follow these steps:
1. Define your goals and objectives
The first step is to define what you want to achieve with your brand mail campaign. Do you want to increase your brand awareness, generate leads, drive sales, or retain customers? Do you have a specific offer or message that you want to communicate? How will you measure your success?
2. Identify your target audience
The next step is to identify who you want to reach with your brand mail campaign. Who are your ideal customers? What are their needs, wants, challenges, or pain points? How can you solve their problems or fulfill their desires? Where do they live, work, shop, or hang out? How do they prefer to receive information or communication?
3. Create your mailing list
The third step is to create your mailing list based on your target audience. You can use different sources to build your mailing list, such as:
- Your existing customer database
- Your email subscribers
- Your social media followers
- Your website visitors
- Your referrals or word-of-mouth
- Your purchased or rented lists
Make sure that your mailing list is accurate, up-to-date, and compliant with the privacy laws and regulations in your area.
Design your brand mail piece
The fourth step is to design your brand mail piece according to your goals, objectives, and audience. You can use different types of brand mail pieces, such as:
- Flyers: A single sheet of paper that contains your offer, message, or information. Flyers are ideal for announcing a new product, service, event, or promotion.
- Brochures: A folded sheet of paper that contains more details about your offer, message, or information. Brochures are ideal for showcasing your features, benefits, testimonials, or case studies.
- Catalogs: A booklet that contains multiple pages of your products or services. Catalogs are ideal for displaying your variety, quality, or prices.
- Postcards: A card that contains a brief and catchy message on one side and your address and postage on the other side. Postcards are ideal for generating curiosity, interest, or excitement.
- Coupons: A piece of paper that contains a discount or a special deal for your products or services. Coupons are ideal for encouraging action, urgency, or loyalty.
- Newsletters: A periodic publication that contains news, updates, tips, or advice about your brand. Newsletters are ideal for educating, informing, or entertaining your customers.
- Samples: A small portion of your product or service that allows your customers to try it before they buy it. Samples are ideal for demonstrating your quality, value, or satisfaction.
When designing your brand mail piece, you need to consider the following elements:
- Size and shape: Choose a size and shape that fits your budget, message, and audience. You can use standard sizes and shapes to save on printing and mailing costs, or you can use custom sizes and shapes to stand out and attract attention.
- Color and images: Choose colors and images that match your brand identity and guidelines. You can use colors and images to create contrast, harmony, or emotion. You can also use colors and images to highlight your offer, message, or call to action.
- Font and text: Choose fonts and text that are clear, readable, and appealing. You can use fonts and text to create hierarchy, emphasis, or personality. You can also use fonts and text to convey your tone of voice, style, or mood.
- Layout and whitespace: Choose a layout and whitespace that are balanced, organized, and easy to follow. You can use layout and whitespace to create alignment, direction, or focus. You can also use layout and whitespace to avoid clutter, confusion, or distraction.
Write your copy and call to action
The fifth step is to write your copy and call to action for your brand mail piece. Your copy is the text that conveys your offer,
message,
or information to your audience. Your call to action is the text that tells your audience what you want them to do next.
When writing your copy and call to action,
you need to consider the following tips:
- Use a catchy headline that summarizes what your brand mail piece is about.
- Use a clear and concise language that speaks directly to your audience.
- Use a persuasive and emotional language that appeals to your audience’s needs,
wants,
challenges,
or pain points. - Use a consistent and authentic language that reflects your brand personality and voice.
- Use a scannable and actionable language that makes it easy for your audience to read and respond.
Test and optimize your brand mail campaign
The sixth step is to test and optimize your brand mail campaign before you launch it. You can use different methods to test and optimize your brand mail campaign,
such as:
- A/B testing: A method of comparing two versions of your brand mail piece to see which one performs better in terms of response rate,
conversion rate,
or ROI. - Feedback: A method of collecting opinions,
comments,
or suggestions from your customers,
prospects,
or peers about your brand mail piece. - Analytics: A method of measuring the results of your brand mail campaign in terms of reach,
engagement,
sales,
or retention.
Based on the results of your testing and optimization,
you can make changes or improvements to your brand mail campaign to increase its effectiveness.
Brand mail is a form of direct marketing that can help you boost your business in 2023. By creating an effective brand mail campaign,
you can reach your target audience,
increase your brand awareness,
and drive more sales.To create an effective brand mail campaign in 2023,
you need to follow these steps:
- Define your goals and objectives
- Identify your target audience
- Create your mailing list
- Design your brand mail piece
- Write your copy and call to action
- Test and optimize your brand mail campaign