REBOUNDING FOR
THE SUMMER!

Consumers
Trust Print Media

School Starts Early
for direct mailers

Consider two to three couple direct mailer runs to draw consumer attention and for the most response. As long as your mailing lists are up to date and your company’s message is finding the right demographic, your campaign will achieve the required reach to gain results. Also, be sure your campaign’s design and color palettes are in-season. We don’t have dive headfirst into winter just yet, take time to embrace the warm colors of autumn before the leaves fall. Allow your designs to change with the season.

Consider two to three couple direct mailer runs to draw consumer attention and for the most response. As long as your mailing lists are up to date and your company’s message is finding the right demographic, your campaign will achieve the required reach to gain results. Also, be sure your campaign’s design and color palettes are in-season. We don’t have dive headfirst into winter just yet, take time to embrace the warm colors of autumn before the leaves fall. Allow your designs to change with the season.

To grab the attention of your audience make sure the offers are simple by offering either percentage or large dollar off of purchasing. Coupons can also encourage the buyer to buy more to get more as long the incentive is easy to understand and attractive it will greatly improve the success of the campaign.

Plan to mail to the same list more than one time for a consistent reminder to the buyer to take advantage of the sales you’re offering. Keep the campaign consistent in design with just slight changes to make the newest mailer fresh. The more buyers see the offer, the more likely they are to take action.

Take advantage of the traffic as people come in and offer incentives to come back after the rush of the season. Coupons and printed incentives are a great way to measure the success of your advertising efforts. Contact Specialty to start planning your next direct mail campaign.

THE LOOK

Engage consumers by appealing to their fun-in-the-sun mentality and incorporate summer-related graphics into your direct mail piece. Bright, vibrant colors are always eye-catching and at the same time offer you the opportunity to come across as energetic, relevant, and far from stale. For those brands that have mailed out repetitive layouts and color schemes for a long period of time, a new and fresh look will gain that much more attention.

THE FEEL

Play up nature’s backdrop to your advantage. Create a scene in which consumers can ultimately envision themselves immersed in and your direct mailer has the power to immediately relate to your audience- and potentially create need for your product or services. One way is to display the product/message in an ideal outdoor setting. For example, if the goal of your direct mail piece is to sell more tires, consider adding an image of a family on a summer road-trip. Relate to the every-family experience while simultaneously reminding consumers of their responsibility to protect loved ones on the road by purchasing new tires.

THE NEED

A well-known aid in converting prospects to customers is adding an incentive to direct mailers. Yet, however much a deal may be appreciated, if it’s not relevant to the needs of your target audience, it sinks. By understanding what your audience is experiencing, the more you can advertise their solution. For example, we know many are anticipating summer holidays, enduring sweltering heat, enjoying longer days, spending more time outdoors, etc. Benefit your direct mail results by identifying and examining shared and current lifestyle trends of your target audience and use it to your advantage.

THE FUN

There are many ways to employ the summertime theme into your direct mail campaign so get creative! Want some local buzz? Promote a “cool” company-sponsored water balloon blast that is open to the public. Get wordy! Include text that subconsciously offers what potential consumers may be needing as they break a sweat just going to their mailbox like “arctic”, “chill”, “cool blast”, “unwind”, “family-fun”, “refreshing”- the list of related words could go on and on. Include these tips in your next summer mailer, lounge back, and soak in the success!

BABY BOOMERS

A large audience made up of adults aged 54 to 73, Baby Boomers are generally considered most affluent and at a stage where their daily lives have more time freed up compared to the other generations. Such freedom, coupled with their background that predates the technological communication boom, means Baby Boomers have both more time to read and consider direct mailers, as well as a greater appreciation. Baby Boomers also tend to place a higher value on respect, and so by creating a direct mail campaign that employs this notion to its advantage, and by ensuring the piece is not just eye-catching but also extremely legible, this audience will be more engaged with your message and therefore more likely to act.

GENERATION X

Made up of adults ages 38 to 53, Generation X is primarily driven by a work + life balance and are making important and often long-term financial decisions for their families, as well as for themselves as individuals. Direct mail still has a powerful impact on this group as they are majorly focused on their families’ financial situation and direction, therefore many are looking for the best deal, competitive pricing and discounts that will provide them the most beneficial service/product for the least cost.

MILLENNIALS

25 to 37-year-olds find themselves in the Millennials category. (This is somewhat of a cross between Generation Y and a portion of Generation X.) Just as with Generation X, many are making financial decisions for their families however, drivers for Millennials tend to be centralized around transparency and authenticity. This group is generally more concerned with social awareness and have a higher emotional drive in terms of their consumer practices. Incentives in your marketing campaign directed at this demographic that include guarantees, support of a cause, and a message that resonates on an emotional level with them, will have a greater impact and entice a stronger response.

GENERATION Z

Lastly, though Generation Z may be made up of the youngest group of individuals from about 18 to 25 years old, they are also coming in strong as a large consumer base for services and product sales across the nation. While studies are still being conducted to determine the spending and buying habits of this group, it is clear some drivers for Generation Z include control, freedom, and technology. Often referred to as the “iGeneration”, Generation Z is largely centralized around technological communication, however direct mail still provides an impact. Beyond brand awareness, the message is key and having a tangible connection to this audience may prove more personal, which offers something a screen does not.

Special Offers:

Shoppers love savings! Having the right offers on popular services, discounts on items, or even giveaways, can be a great motivator to bring more traffic to your business. Whether the offer is dollars off your prices or percentage off your prices, tracking what works over time will help you gain knowledge into the buying behavior of your clientele and what works best for your business.

Mailing List:

Having a great message is just the start, reaching your target audience is the next step to your campaigns success. Your mailing list needs to be comprised of potential clientele that fit your demographic. Knowing the area that your business covers, along with consumer lifestyle habits, will help determine who should receive your campaign. Through a mailing list you can drill down to location, age range, and income and capitalize on reaching the right consumer in your area.

Online Connection:

Maintaining brand awareness across all platforms is crucial. Your website, social media sites, and email lists, can be indispensable tools when reminding customers about special offers or keeping them up-to-date on company news. Give shoppers a reason to come back by frequently updating your sites with relevant information about your industry. On the printed direct mail piece, try providing an attractive giveaways to the mix for example tickets to a sports game or local attractions, that will encourage consumers to sign up to win and opt into your email database or to follow you online to help build those connections on all platforms.

Consider these factors when building your next campaign. Contact Specialty Mailing to learn more about mailing list, driving online traffic, and getting your mailers in the right homes!

PAPER: Selecting the right stock can be a great way to make your campaign stand out. Glossy stocks will add more appeal to photographs in your direct mailer, while matte finishes create a more understated and classic look. A more recent material, “soft touch,” is a laminate that has a soft and smooth suede feeling when in hand. Added textures bring a whole new dimension to your mailer, keeping your ad one step ahead of the competition.

FONTS: Typography is imperative to highlight key points and draw consumer attention. Recent trends show script and hand written type fonts are becoming increasingly popular in consumer campaigns. “Moonlight Serenade” and “Thirsty Script” may be prime candidates for your next direct mail piece.

COLOR: Temperature will influence consumer perception of your ad. Clean and earthly color palettes can convey a peaceful and holistic message, blues can be seen as traditional and technical, while reds are typically chosen to stand out and represent energy and joy. Matching the right colors to the mood and tone of your brand will give consumers a much deeper understanding of your product’s image.