In a lot of ways, one of the biggest mistakes that far too many marketers still seem to make involves thinking about print and digital collateral as two totally separate concepts. They may have started out that way, but there is absolutely no reason why they need to exist separately any longer – especially when you consider that they’re essentially just two sides of the same basic coin.
In fact, many businesses are enjoying tremendous success by using one technique to feed into the other, leveraging the power that only direct mail can provide to actually drive newer and more organic levels of digital engagement. You can do this with your own campaigns, too – you just need to keep a few key things in mind.
Bridging the Print and Digital Worlds Together
By far, one of the best ways to use direct mail marketing services to drive digital engagement involves the use of elements like QR codes. These are almost like digital barcodes that, when scanned with a smartphone, instantly allow a user to visit a particular website, download a certain application and more.
When you design collateral like direct mail postcards with a QR code at the end, you’re essentially creating a two-stage journey for your reader. Their experience begins in the world of the physical with a plastic postcard mailer that they can hold in their hands and give to their friends, but they can continue it online on their own terms. This is a great way to create something of a “best of both worlds” scenario with your direct marketing lists participants in a meaningful way.
Another way to use direct mail to drive digital engagement involves re-thinking your approach to a call to action at the end of your materials. Instead of saying something like “call us today” or “stop by and redeem this coupon,” consider sending out more general “informational” or “awareness” collateral that directs people to your website or social media channels. Sure, they can always give you a call – but they can also send you a tweet, too. In many ways, success on these terms is all about giving your audience members as many options for engagement as possible.
If you’d like to find out more about how direct mail marketing companies can help you use print collateral to drive digital engagement, or if you have any other questions that you’d like to see answered, please don’t delay – contact us today.
