Why CallRail + Direct Mail Are a Match Made in Heaven

There’s no doubt that digital marketing is here to stay, but that doesn’t mean traditional marketing techniques are out the door. Direct mail advertising still brings in 7x the responses of all digital channels combined. What’s more, direct mail has a 4.4% response rate, compared to digital marketing which comes in at 0.12%. This means direct mail is 10-30 times more effective than any social ad you can create.

That being said, digital advertising allows for detailed analytics and tracking that is often difficult to harness in physical ad campaigns. Luckily, with the introduction of call and lead tracking services such as CallRail, measuring the success of your direct mail campaigns has never been easier.

Why choose direct mail in 2021?

The COVID-19 pandemic turned all eyes towards at-home audiences, giving marketers an exciting opportunity to find innovative ways to bond with these consumers.

Luckily, our home addresses are already brimming with data, collected over decades by Canada Post and other such entities. By integrating the right mix of media, with direct mail as an anchor, and CallRail as an analytic tool, marketers can create hybrid experiences that combine convenience and value in a deeper subscription model.

Here are a few more direct mail stats you should know:

• 82% of millennials believe print advertising is more trustworthy than digital marketing materials
• 48% of consumers keep direct mail assets for future reference
• Direct mail requires 21% less cognitive effort than digital media, which improves brand recall and awareness
• Direct mail has a 20% higher motivation response than digital media, making it a more persuasive platform

How to track the success of direct mail campaigns with CallRail

Essentially, direct mail advertising all comes down to the strength of your mailing list and analytics. No matter how good your designs or product offerings are, it won’t matter if you send them to unqualified leads. Similarly, if you can’t determine who is a qualified lead and who isn’t, you’ll never be able to edit your mailing list efficiently and you’ll end up overspending.

Luckily, direct mail is a channel that can be easily measured and tested with the right tools. Not to mention, the ability to track and analyze your physical advertising assets can lead to impressive returns. When integrating CallRail with their existing direct mail campaigns, Praxton Automotive Marketing saw a 20% increase in client retention and a 15% increase in sales.

Here are a few ways you can leverage CallRail in your direct mail campaigns.

Use CallRail to track digital leads

With CallRail you can set up online Call Tracking to determine if users are completing actions as directed in your mail campaigns. For example, if a customer receives your mail and heads to a designated landing page, you’ll be able to track that action.

CallRail’s Dynamic Number Insertion feature lets you tag new website leads who come in through direct mail. This means your leads will be tagged with the correct source information from the start, making your sales and marketing process more cohesive overall.

Use CallRail and split testing to track direct mail campaigns

You can also use Call Tracking to track which piece of advertising brought in which sale. This is helpful if you’re using an A/B testing method to measure the success of different advertising materials. Or, if you’re simply tracking campaign effectiveness.

For example, if your first promotion offers “Save 20% On Your First Order” and another offers “Free Shipping On Your First Order” you can use different call tracking numbers to find out which advertisement was more effective.

From there, it’s easy to optimize your assets to improve your campaign efficiencies.

More tips for creating successful CallRail + direct mail campaigns

• Continually track and test your campaigns to boost what’s working and get rid of what isn’t
• Create campaigns that resonate with your audience and offer real value
• Edit your mailing list on a regular basis to ensure optimal conversion rates
• Offer incentives to customers who complete directed actions
• Get creative with your mailing assets-- scratch-offs, post-it notes, and interactive advertising materials will make your brand stand out

Improve your returns with integrated marketing tactics

Recent research from InfoTrends found that combining web, email, mobile, and print marketing resulted in a 45% increase in response rates, when compared to digital-only media. By integrating your direct mail campaigns across all of your channels, you can create a seamless marketing system that can be continually optimized.

When sending out your direct mail campaigns, ask your customers to follow you on social, visit your website, or sign up for your mailing list for added features. Track all of these journeys in CallRail to find out where your wins and losses are, then modify your campaigns from there.

The results? A more comprehensive campaign strategy that widens your audience base. From there, you’ll truly understand why CallRail and direct mail are a match made in heaven.

Written by Hannah Macready