For many years, the best way for entrepreneurs and small businesses to promote their products and services and generate business was by leveraging the low cost and wide reach of digital media. Using email and social media was both efficient and cost-effective — a no-brainer for small businesses and digital marketers.
We say “was” for good reason. Things have changed. Digital return on investment just isn’t what it used to be.
As online giants change their algorithms and adopt new privacy policies, many companies are finding their digital campaign conversions declining. While companies struggle to keep up with these changes, costs are rising.
A 2016 research study by Demandbase and Wakefield revealed 71% of marketers felt that their digital campaigns fell short of expectations, while a staggering 96% believed most of their online marketing was wasted, as it continually reached unintended and unwanted targets.
In the five years since, Facebook, Google and email providers have tightened their algorithms and filters so much that the digital conversion trend for most companies continues a downward spiral.
Laura Betterly, a leading expert in the digital marketing space for nearly 20 years, has noticed the challenges businesses are experiencing. “It’s very clear that Apple’s and Google’s ever-evolving privacy rules and filters are starting to stymie digital marketing connections and conversions,” she says. “Meanwhile, Facebook’s continually changing automated advertising programming and lack of customer service are frustrating the progress of so many businesses as they try to close a sale.”
“Worse yet, users are becoming tired of email marketing bombardment, social media ads, and advertising intruding in their digital apps.”
While Ms. Betterly is frustrated with the changing Facebook and Google ad policies and algorithms, she isn't just sitting back and watching. She's doing what the elite do – adapting and taking action. She and her partner Richard Miles have recently added powerful, personalized direct mail advertising capabilities to their automated follow-up software, CLOSEM.
Why direct mail? Read on…
Direct mail remains one of the most powerful ways to promote a brand to millions of potential customers.
Research published by Forbes has shown that 90% of people physically open all of their mail. When their name is on it, they simply need to see what’s inside. Adding to its effectiveness, the study showed that, many people keep brochures and postcards around for days, and see it multiple times in passing, which amounts to additional reminders and contact points from just one item. Other research shows that human brains are more likely to process and remember personalized physical mail than digital ads.
Furthermore, USPS learned that “50% of consumers have tried a new product, service or establishment in the past six months after receiving a direct mail advertisement.”
Compare that with your digital advertising engagement and ROI and you have a powerful tool to add to any marketing effort.
Every smart marketing strategy employs multiple channels. Along with other communication routes like SMS (text), digital ads and email, direct mail fits perfectly into the mix.
Because direct mail recipients are more likely to check out a company online after receiving a brochure or postcard, personalized direct mail is a great first touchpoint between companies reaching out to new prospects.
According to a whitepaper by USPS Delivers, when digital and direct mail are combined, businesses can see up to a 40% conversion rate! Compared to digital conversions that average 2% or less, the combination is incredibly more effective.
On average, it takes as many as 12 interactions with a company for a prospect to take action. Direct mail opens up an additional contact point to get your message heard.
CLOSEM has married contact management with automated follow-up via multiple channels. The information in a user’s database can be utilized to identify the best prospects for a marketing campaign, generate initial email and text contacts, and also send affordable and professionally personalized letters and postcards. Following up with leads can easily be put on autopilot, while always maintaining a personal touch.
When an automated system like CLOSEM can send the perfect message, in the perfect form, at the most advantageous time – conversion potential skyrockets.
Direct mail advertising integrated into CRM software is all about enabling small and medium-size businesses to compete on the same field as the mega-corporations. With fewer resources at their disposal, personalized direct mail outreach has remained a pipe dream for small businesses due to high upfront costs – until now.
With CLOSEM, there are no set up fees and no minimum orders. Users can send a single postcard or several thousand.
In addition, businesses can bypass hiring expensive designers and writers. Professional marketing and sales experts have pre-written and designed a huge variety of letters and messages to increase your chances of conversion.
“With our patented one-click UI, our customers can have professional business letters and gorgeous, compelling postcards sent to their contacts via first-class mail. Right now offered in the US and Canada, this service is soon to be available worldwide[1] . According to Ms. Betterly, the overhead is low and the potential for recurring sales is high.
Savvy marketers are learning that adopting this combination approach — what Ms. Betterly refers to as “Octopus Marketing” — is the wave of the future.
Copyright © 2022 CLOSEM All Rights Reserved
