By Sharon A.M. MacLean

You probably avoid doing direct mail. You might think:

1. it’s too expensive;

2. you can’t track its effectiveness;

3. it’s too hard;

4. it’s time-consuming;

5. you need special skills to make it work.

I remember laboring over postal code maps with my mail distributor, Bill, analysing mail drops in Alberta. We calculated return-on-investment for every single neighbourhood throughout the province. On a hand-calculator.

We compared prices for unaddressed mail campaigns to the premium method of sending addressed mail with pre-paid return envelopes so we could increase our return rates. Except the addressed mail approach backed by a telephone follow-up was expensive and we couldn’t reach efficiencies until year two and later.  Those willing to invest in the marketing process improved results–on every level.

But things have changed.

There’s a new way of using stacked messaging. It’s something that has been nearly impossible to do until now because there hasn’t been technology in place to make it work.

Let’s say that, instead of sending out 2500 catalogues, you send an email linking subscribers to a landing page for your online collection. Next, send a mobile text, audio email or video email…automatically. See what happens and then ONLY send a catalogue to people who you couldn’t track online.

This would save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in unnecessary expenses. It saves you time and money.

Here’s a plan: Test half your catalogue list by sending out an email. Depending on the quality of the list, you might get a 20%-30% open rate. Then send a text message to the people who didn’t open the email. Then, send the catalogue to the people who didn’t engage with either the email or text message.

Direct mail remains a useful tool. See if you can track its effectiveness—and improve your results.