In our interview with Steve Falk from PrimeData, we talk direct mail statistics, repurposed content, and attribution models!
Kendra: Here at Wriber, we’re obviously huge fans of using content to market your business. We see every day how startups and enterprises alike use great writing to share their stories and drive sales. At PrimeData, you take those stories and bridge the gap between print and digital. Can you explain why you believe so strongly in a multi-channel approach?
Steve: We try to approach print as a channel, and the postal service as the platform. It helps our clients visualize print within the context of a digital marketing strategy. It’s understood that not all channels work in all situations and that they don’t work in isolation. Our approach is to use them in concert and show that they work best together. Staples1, for instance, found that their email open rate increased 6 times when a direct mail channel was added to the mix.
Canada Post compiled some research from various sources in their recent paper, Break Through The Noise2. There are some convincing stats to support multi-channel approaches that include digital and printed mail, in the right circumstances. Compare these stats to how you feel about digital display ads and email, especially given the climate of Adblockers and spam blockers.
- 74% of consumers prefer direct mail to other media
- 55% of consumers feel better about a company that reaches out to them by mail
- mail is often shared (35%) and kept for many days (17 days on average)
- 64% of consumers visited a website from a direct mail piece
Kendra: I have to admit I’m a little skeptical of using a print-first approach for all audiences. I’m sure this varies by demographic segments and other target variables. That said, the last statistic is incredibly interesting. I didn’t realize the call to action to a digital medium was so effective from a print piece.
If my business has traditionally been digital first, and I have a ton of content in the form of blogs and case studies, can I leverage my existing material into print channels as well?
Steve: Now that full colour variable printing has become agile and low cost, we can customize messages and graphics to each recipient much more fluidly than in the past. With workflow automation, we can custom print one-off messages to a client with almost the same responsiveness as a retargeted banner ad.
So yes, if you want to put a case study in the hands of someone who has triggered an automation cue on your site, then it can be done now, as a one-off personalized printed mail piece. It could be the whole case study or a teaser and a link to the entire thing online.
Our ResponsivePrint triggered and automated print service is our solution to serving up content in print. Using the mail, you require a mailing address so the channel is effective in situations where that is part of the relationship. For instance, EcommerceCo ships you a parcel and now can respond with a printed mail piece to events such as an abandoned shopping carts, purchase history, etc. In automotive, financial, and fundraising sectors this is also the case and a printed mail channel can be put into the marketing technology mix.
Kendra: One of the biggest benefits that digital marketers highlight is that they can track, in detail, the effectiveness of all of their campaigns. Attribution models seem to be easier to build and apply when your customers’ digital footprints can be monitored. Does a multi-channel approach including print campaigns change this?
Steve: Attribution is a great problem for all these channels. Often the final point of contact is given the highest attribution score, but understanding the customer’s journey to the final conversion is very challenging. A multi-channel approach that has digital and print points of contact does not make this any easier.
Print brings readers back online, and promo codes, QR codes, coupons, discount cards, loyalty programs, TinyUrls, and landing pages help to track the outcomes. In some cases, a test segment in the mail is all that is required to see the lift that the print channel brings to the strategy outcomes.
Kendra: What can a small business with limited resources do to leverage a multi-channel strategy?
Steve: I coach some small businesses on this and the approach is as varied as the types of businesses. I usually suggest a schedule of content created and published through as many channels as is appropriate.
An Optometrist writes content about eye care for the local newspaper, then these “blogs” are also posted on her site, Google Local Listing, and social media. The content could certainly be reprinted and mailed along with reminders for appointments too. The paper mail piece sends a strong message of commitment to clients, when it contains useful content, in this case, eye health care tips. Small business should not forget how to make their client feel valued by remembering birthdays, anniversaries, and saying thank you with printed mail.
Neuroscience work done by Canada Post3 has illustrated how much more of an impact there is when print is read over a digital ad or email.
With small businesses, the fixed set up costs of preparing to print and mail content is usually too much of a burden. Even with a high conversion value, like in automotive, the hassle and cost are obstacles. Look for more digital automation coming to the marketplace. In automotive, BumperApps.com provides dealers with an easy way to pull a few hundred records each month, match them with some content and send it out in printed mail to their customers. The ROI on these few hundred mail pieces is very high. A similar approach is being used by PropertyVista.com to help landlords communicate with their tenants.
Kendra: These are great ideas, Steve! Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us about multi-channel approaches to content marketing!
1. Canada Post Statistic from Smartmail Marketing, 2015.
2. Break Through The Noise, 2015.
3. A Bias for Action – The Neuroscience Behind the Response – Driving Power of Direct Mail, 2015.
John is the Founder & CEO of Wriber. He’s passionate about entrepreneurship, high-tech startups, thought leadership, content marketing, and artificial intelligence. John frequently volunteers his time at the University of Waterloo to help young entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground. He’s also a faithful Toronto Maple Leafs fan, frequent Redditor, and lifelong learner.