How to Personalize Your Direct Mail for Better Response Rates

Personalization is crucial for successful direct mail campaigns, as it leads to greater response rates. With personalization, you ensure that your message reaches the right people: the prospective customers who are most likely to purchase your product or service, attend your event, or subscribe to your mailing list. It also helps you stand out from the competition by referring to customers by name and referencing relevant information. 

In this article, we will outline exactly how personalization in mail advertising unlocks better response rates, enabling you to launch effective campaigns and meet your business goals. Contact Troi Mailing Services for more expert guidance or to inquire about our variable imaging services.

What is a good direct mail response rate?

What is considered a successful direct mail response rate depends on the industry; however, 1% to 3% is a good benchmark. More specifically, acquisition mailing (designed to acquire new business) aims for a response rate between 1% to 2%.

On the other hand, not-for-profit renewal mailings (which seek to obtain gifts from existing donors) should work towards a response rate of 8% to 10%. It’s important to keep in mind that every industry has distinct response rate expectations for targeted, personalized mailings.

Audience, offer, and creativity are the three key factors shaping response rates. 

• Audience: The accuracy of your mailing lists, how well you understand your target audience, and how well you segment that audience to better personalize your messaging.
• Offer: What you’re offering, whether it’s a coupon, discount code, invitation to an event, or information.
• Creativity: The effectiveness and attractiveness of the design.

Some other factors that affect response rates are:

• Type of program (acquisitions, renewal initiatives, etc.)
• Easiness to respond or redeem the offer
• Relevance of product to recipient
• Competitive activity
• Seasonal trends

What is personalization in direct mail?

Personalization refers to the myriad of ways that direct mail pieces can be tailored to the recipient to resonate with them on a personal level. Early forms of personalization were limited to mentioning the recipient’s names.

However, those days are now behind us. Modern technologies, like digital variable imagining, allow for greater personalization than ever before.

5 Ways to Improve Direct Mail Response Rates

1. Use an up-to-date mailing list

Accurate, up-to-date, and high-quality data allows for greater personalization. Therefore, your mailing lists must be top-tier. After all, the less you know about the audience you’re trying to reach, the harder it is to make an impact with them. 

For a message to truly resonate with your recipients, you need to understand who they are, what they care about, what problems they face, and how they like to be communicated with.

Of course, you also need to know where to reach them. Out-of-date and incorrect mailing addresses waste money and lead to missed opportunities. 

The more detailed your mailing list is, the better. Strive to collect as much demographic data as possible, as this helps ensure that your message reaches the right audience and generates the best response.

2. Define your audience

Who are you trying to reach with your direct mail campaign? This sounds basic; however, many business owners struggle to answer this simple question. If you don’t know who you’re targeting, then it’s much harder to reach them.

First and foremost, understand exactly who your message is for. Be as detailed as possible. This simplifies personalization later on.

Start by looking at your current customer base to determine who is the right fit for the product, service, or event you want to promote. Who would benefit most from your offering? What are their buying habits? What are their demographics? Try to be specific.

Some useful demographics to consider are: age, gender, location, marital status, education level, income, and occupation.

3. Implement targeted segmentation

Now that you know who you’re hoping to reach, you can begin segmenting your mailing list according to those characteristics. At this stage, you’ll start to notice any weaknesses in your mailing list. Segmentation is only possible with customer data. If your mailing list lacks crucial demographic and behavioural data, then segmentation becomes very difficult.

There are many ways to segment your target audience, including, for example, the following:

• Location
• Demographic 
• Family size
• Purchasing history

Ultimately, segmentation ensures that audiences receive mailers that are most relevant to them. It’s key for generating engagement and optimizing response rates.

4. Personalize the message

Personalized messages resonate with recipients far more than the alternative. They make people feel special, seen, and valued. Plus, a personalized greeting is more eye-catching than a generic statement. It helps your mailer stand out as the recipient sorts through their mail.

There are several ways to personalize your messaging:

• Use their first name: In the modern age of direct mail marketing, this is the bare minimum.
• Customize based on their gender: This is useful if you’re selling a product or service that targets one gender specifically. You can tailor your message to mirror their interests and values.
• Reference the location: Establish common ground or illustrate that you’re a locally-owned and operated business—a pillar in your community.
• Mention their purchasing history: Refer to their last purchase, offer them a complimentary product, or welcome them back if they haven’t shopped with you in some time.
• Follow-up mail: Sending follow-up correspondences increases the likelihood of a response.

5. Personalized URLS and QR codes

Personalized URLS (pURLS) and QR codes are powerful tools in modern direct mail marketing. They allow for greater tracking, which generates better data that can be analyzed later.

Furthermore, they can be used as part of a multi-channel marketing strategy by directing customers to your other marketing channels (such as your website or social media account).

A custom QR code quickly and easily directs customers to a personalized online space with a special offer or digital catalogue. You can use pURLs in the same way.

Variable Imaging Services for Greater Personalization 

Variable imaging printing (also known as variable data printing) is an advanced form of digital printing that allows for extensive personalization within a single print run. For example, it can insert names, customize images, offers, headings, and more. It’s cost-effective and generates greater response rates. 

Troi Mailing Services offers variable imaging services, along with all other direct mail printing and fulfillment services. 

Personalized Mail Advertising With Troi Mailing Services

Troi Mailing Services is your one-stop shop for all things direct mail. From printing and personalization to fulfillment and analytics, our mailing experts are ready to assist you.

We offer leading expertise and advanced mail advertising printing services, such as variable imaging, that allow for unparalleled personalization.

To learn more about our mail advertising in Toronto, call Troi Mailing Services at 1-866-486-9350 or contact us online to know about our services.