Direct mail is a form of below the line advertising that allows you to target specific customers with personalized messages and offers. However, to measure the effectiveness of your direct mail campaigns, you need to track and analyze the response and feedback from your recipients. Here are some tips on how to do that.
One of the simplest ways to track the response rate of your direct mail is to use tracking codes on your mail pieces. These can be barcodes, QR codes, coupon codes, or unique URLs that link to your landing page or website. By scanning or entering these codes, your recipients can access your offer, sign up for your newsletter, request more information, or make a purchase. You can then use analytics tools to monitor how many people used the codes, what actions they took, and what sources they came from.
Track response through unique codes or URLs, analyze conversion rates, conduct surveys or feedback forms, monitor social media mentions, and use CRM systems to gather and analyze data for insights on direct mail effectiveness.
Another way to encourage and measure the response from your direct mail is to include a clear and compelling call to action (CTA) on your mail pieces. A CTA is a statement or a question that prompts your recipients to do something, such as call a phone number, visit a store, fill out a survey, or refer a friend. A CTA should be visible, specific, and urgent, and it should offer a benefit or a solution to your recipients' needs or problems. You can then track how many people followed your CTA and what results they achieved.
Besides tracking the response rate, you also want to collect feedback from your direct mail recipients to understand their preferences, satisfaction, and opinions. Feedback can help you improve your direct mail campaigns, tailor your offers, and build relationships with your customers. You can collect feedback in various ways, such as sending follow-up emails, conducting phone interviews, creating online surveys, or asking for reviews or testimonials. You can then analyze the feedback data to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your direct mail, and to segment your audience based on their interests, behaviors, and feedback.
Finally, to optimize your direct mail campaigns, you need to test and compare different variables and strategies. Testing can help you determine what works best for your target audience, what generates the highest response rate and return on investment (ROI), and what needs to be changed or improved. You can test different aspects of your direct mail, such as the design, the copy, the offer, the timing, the frequency, or the mailing list. You can then compare the results of your tests using metrics such as open rate, conversion rate, revenue, cost per acquisition (CPA), or customer lifetime value (CLV).
Printed Surveys: Include surveys in your mail piece for recipients to return. Online Surveys: Use URLs or QR codes to direct recipients to online surveys; analyze responses with survey tools. CRM Integration: Track interactions and conversions by integrating responses with your CRM system. Analytics Tools: Use tools like Google Analytics for online tracking and dedicated software for offline tracking. Tracking Software: Utilize direct mail tracking software (e.g., Postalytics, Lob, Mailchimp) for detailed insights. By combining these methods, you can effectively track and analyze the response and feedback from your direct mail recipients, allowing you to refine future campaigns and improve their effectiveness.