How to Pair Direct Mail Prospecting with Digital Prospecting

Even if you’re already finding sales success with your digital prospecting strategy, you can still improve your approach and achieve even better results.

One way to supplement your digital prospecting efforts is to use direct mail prospecting, an approach that many people neglect today since it’s more “old school” than the popular digital strategies.

However, these “old school” paper-based methods are still seeing success. And this success can be adapted to your prospecting in a few innovative ways, which we’ll cover below.

What Is Direct Mail Prospecting?

What does direct mail prospecting entail? With direct mail, you send your prospects printed materials like postcards, brochures, pamphlets, booklets, newsletters, or anything else that will catch their attention and help you communicate important information about your brand.

Why is direct mail prospecting so effective? For one, it can feel more personal than email since direct mail shows you made an effort to invest in printed material and then took the time to address and mail the item. In addition, it lasts longer than email; most people get inundated with emails on a daily basis, so the new emails quickly get buried at the bottom of their inbox. However, direct mail will stay fresh and relevant since it’s a physical item.

Finally, direct mail can be more cost-effective than you think. In the past, printed materials were costly to produce, but new technology makes direct mail marketing affordable and accessible for businesses of all sizes. Many marketing packages combine both physically mailed items and digital branding in a new campaign, allowing you to reach customers on all fronts and stay consistent with your business’ marketing strategy.

Direct Mail Prospecting Stands Out in a Flooded Digital Market

While it’s true that direct mail may seem outdated, it’s also unique.

These days, most people are connecting with their prospects via LinkedIn, email, text, social media, and other digital platforms. Your prospects are being inundated with messages on their smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers. By using direct mail alongside digital prospecting, you can increase your chances of standing out from the crowd.

You shouldn’t slow down your digital prospecting efforts, but you can always supplement them.

For example, you can share a whitepaper via email and then send a printed version of that whitepaper to give your prospects another way to read it. Alternatively, you can send your prospect a LinkedIn message but also send a postcard that tells your prospect more about your brand.

In addition, you can publish a new case study and then share that case study in a brochure.

Send Your Prospect Something They’ll Remember

Today, consumers want you to meet them where they are, and they want flexibility in both communicating and purchasing.

Studies also show that digital material is more likely to be classified as “white noise.” Our brains respond more readily to something tangible and real. This is yet another reason to follow up your digital marketing efforts with direct mail. Direct mail is also more likely to remind a potential customer of your service or product.

Hanging a mailer on the fridge is a more concrete reminder than an email they read a week ago.

Some Experiences Are Better with Direct Mail

There are also some marketing strategies that work best over mail rather than digital.

Offering a coupon or loyalty card to new customers is a great way to drum up business. Coupon codes can be done digitally but are only likely to be used if the customer is ready to shop right when they get the email. And loyalty cards do not translate via email. Loyalty cards are an opportunity for customers to return if they liked your service. You can offer a certain percentage discount for their repeated sessions or purchases.

Direct mail also allows the customer to see details about your product or services without having to click on a website or scroll through an email. You can showcase pictures, testimonials, and special offers immediately with little to no effort by the consumer.

Brand recognition is another reason to consider direct mail. Logos, images, fonts, and colors all help to invoke a feeling in the consumer that’s associated with your brand. With a direct mail piece, you have a better chance of enticing the consumer with something striking, rather than being another email they ignore. Mailed materials allow the consumer to experience your business directly and can give you a better chance at sparking their interest.