Unique Content Article: Direct Mail and Email: A One-Two Marketing Punch!

<h2 class = 'uawtitle'>Direct Mail and Email: A One-Two Marketing Punch!</h2><br />
<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>by Keith Klamer</div><br /><br />
<div class='uawarticle'>Long gone are the days when marketing pros argued over whether printed mail is more effective than email... and vice-versa. Today, they know the truth: both are effective -- and even more powerful when paired with each other in a synergistic campaign! The tools to coordinate a synchronized, multichannel campaign are now available, if not leveraged as much as they should be. There are five items to incorporate in your campaign: Branding, timing, the list, CTA (call to action) and analysis.<br />
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1. Branding<br />
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This is the heart of the campaign: the branding message. Your e-mail should contain the same slogans, logos and other identifying marks used in the print piece,and both channels must reference the other. For example, the email subject line should repeat the envelope headline or a prominent head in the postal piece. Keep the subject line REAL short-30 to 40 characters-and make it extremely benefit-driven. The "from" line should exactly match the name used on the printed piece. The channels have different strengths but the message should be the same in both. Create custom landing pages that are identical to your print offer. Feature the url in every piece and link to it from your e-mails. <br />
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2. Timing and Frequency<br />
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Whole volumes have been written on when to send email (what day of week, time of day, etc.). While the research remains murky, the numbers are clear in connection with the timing of a coordinated email/DM campaign: direct mail should precede the email campaign by a week or so. The postal piece goes first because it has a longer life expectancy than email; it usually ends up lingering around the home longer than email, which either gets read, buried or deleted in a couple days at most. <br />
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3. The List<br />
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The job of compiling a mail list for these kinds of coordinated campaigns is obviously twice as hard as other DM campaigns because you need a list with both kinds of addresses. Remember: always add the recipients name to the "Dear" line. This signals some kind of pre-existing relationship with the recipient. Avoid using too many graphics and pictures. And keep the size of your entire email under 60kb. <br />
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4. CTA<br />
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Make sure your calls-to-action are prominent in your campaign. In e-mail messages, use both text and image-based CTA links to ensure they can be viewed regardless of image blockers. The location of your CTA should be in the top third of your e-mail so it can be viewed in most preview panes.<br />
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5. Post-mailing analysis<br />
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Some marketers insist on quantifying success by judging results from each channel, but that's wrong-headed. The results should be viewed together as either successful or not. For example, the prospect may respond to an e-mail for convenience sake, but it is entirely possible the postal piece closed the sale. Or the customer may phone in an order after reading both a direct mail piece and/or an e-mail. <br />
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Both media must work in coordination for an effective campaign and results should be assessed that way too.<br />
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<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br />
About the Author:<br />
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<div class='uawlinks'><a href='http://www.commercial-letter.com'>direct mail and email</a>? Then visit <a href='http://www.commercial-letter.com/comlet/capabilities/'>our website</a>to get expert advice. </div><br />
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New Unique Article!<br />
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Title: Direct Mail and Email: A One-Two Marketing Punch!<br />
Author: Keith Klamer<br />
Email: keith@net-ahead.com<br />
Keywords: direct mail, email, marketing campaigns, business<br />
Word Count: 501<br />
Category: Marketing<br />
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