Marketing
Five reasons to use printed newsletters to promote your business In our crowded online world – a world where our inboxes are often full to the point of being exhausting – printed direct mail is still one of the most refreshing, creative and effective ways of engaging potential customers. According to online searches, e-newsletters can average click-through rates from .5% up to 1.6%. However, a printed direct-mail newsletter can generate a 3% to 5% response rate. To give you another comparison, Mailchimp pegs the average click-through rate for all emails across all industries at 2.62%. Plus, according to Canada Post, marketing campaigns that integrate direct mail with digital elements elicit 39% more attention (i.e. time spent) than digital campaigns alone. Today, most companies realize that they need to incorporate direct mail into their promotional campaigns to be successful. Here are more reasons to use printed direct mail, especially printed newsletters, to promote your shop.
1. A huge purchase rate Studies show that about 66% of consumers here and in the U.S. have purchased a product because of direct mail. Printed newsletters are no exception. Today, successful business owners are revisiting this powerful and tangible marketing tool. Plus, with their more informative and entertaining style, newsletters can dominate when it comes to better engaging with customers and potential clients.
3. Stay ahead of your competition by acting now In any crisis, marketing is usually the first budget to be slashed. But most marketing experts agree that continuing to communicate with customers and potential clients – especially during difficult times – is vital. Printers are no exception, especially when they can showcase their creativity and product range in the very piece they create! Let your informative and engaging direct mail ‘masterpiece’ reflect your shop’s professionalism. “The best time to market to people is when others are not,” said Robin Sumner, Managing Director of UK marketing agency Romax. “After the initial panic subsides and society accepts the ‘new normal’, then business will return swiftly – and those that have continued to promote during that time will be well ahead of the curve.”
4. Boost your response rates with variable data Consumers today have come to expect a higher level of personalized messaging during their buying journey. One of the best ways to meet those expectations is by using variable-data printing. For example, instead of sending 500 identical
flyers to customers and potential clients, use variable-data printing to create 500 customized flyers in the same amount of time – which substantially raises your response rate. This customization can include recipient names, body text, special offers, images and more. Do you have a mailing list of current and potential customers? Now is the time to use it as businesses slowly re-open and consumers emerge from self-quarantine. Bottom line: personalized print (depending on the audience and the degree of personalization) can elicit response rates up to six times more than a general mail drop.
5. Spend your marketing dollars wisely This pandemic has put financial pressure on just about every business At the end of the day, you need to balance the inexpensive nature of e-newsletters (i.e. no printing needed) with the many advantages of a printed format – not the least of which is showcasing your shop’s creativity and exceptional print quality. Our suggestion? Why not use both? Finally, if you feel you don't have the time or the staff to create a professionally designed and engaging newsletter each month, we can definitely help. Please be sure to read the next page.
2. Showcase your shop’s print quality Give your prospects a colourful printed newsletter that they can physically hold, peruse, and above all, enjoy. Impress them with the print quality and creativity of your mailer. Printed newsletters also reflect your professionalism and a commitment to your clients and potential customers that’s almost impossible to convey with e-newsletters on a computer screen.
26 | September 2020 | GRAPHIC ARTS MAGAZINE
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