So, you just spent around $2,000 on your direct mail campaign and it is finally time to talk business. You are probably waiting for all those customers to flood into your store, or maybe give you a call before dropping by, right?
Wrong! How do you know it was worth spending all those dollars? Which version of the two you tested did better? Which one of your mailing lists did better?
We are talking about tracking your direct mail marketing campaigns. Tracking is not just about sending out direct mail pieces and then waiting for the response you get. It is about understanding every element of the campaign so you can refine your future mailing. This is the only way to systematically get better and derive the most effective results from your growing business.
So now that you know what marketers shouldn’t do when measuring direct mail results, here are the things that truly matter. Use these tools to track your direct mail campaign:
URLs
You need a unique landing page for each campaign. Don’t go for the same old page you designed for the first campaign. Instead, use your creativity to come up with something unique for each direct mail piece.
QR Codes
The landing pages for all scans should be created separately for each campaign. This way, you can easily track who is going to the landing pages using the codes and then monitor what they do from there.
Coupons
Remember to include a code on the coupons so you can track responses when people redeem them.
Phone Calls
Another tool that works all the time is phone calls. Use a special phone number for each campaign, and if that isn’t possible, ask for the code you imprinted on the piece as part of your order intake.
Donation Reply Cards
Create a special code for each campaign and print that code somewhere on the reply device so that when customers return it with their checks, you can identify the campaign it came from.
Text Messages
The majority of the people find messaging as the easiest way to respond. When you setup your campaign, you can either create a special number for each one or require that as part of the text message they need to enter a code from the mail piece.
The Mail Piece
Another easy way to track a direct mail campaign is to ask recipients to bring the mailer with them in order to get a discount or other special offers.
Creating the most effective direct mail campaign is all about knowing what works and what doesn’t. Put a direct mail tracking system in place and you will boost your chances of success by degrees. If you are looking for reliable direct mail solutions, remember to get in touch with us at Mellady Direct to learn more about how we can help.
