<h2 class = 'uawtitle'>Snail Mail vs Email: The War is Over!</h2><br />
<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawbyline'>by Keith Klamer</div><br /><br />
<div class='uawarticle'>So which medium is more effective at inspiring consumers to take action? A printed, snail-mailed direct mail piece or email?<br />
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You might as well ask, which kind of wine is better: Merlot or Moscato? <br />
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The answer, of course, is "it depends." In the print vs. email debate, both have strengths and weaknesses in different situations.<br />
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But unlike the wine example, where you ordinarily wouldn't have both at the same meal, the print/email comparison is often a distraction from the real insight, namely, to use both of them in the same campaign! <br />
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That's correct -- research has shown that campaigns which use both tactics do better than campaigns which use just one. In other words, direct mail and email strengthen one another. <br />
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While 90% of consumers strongly prefer one medium over the other, combining both tactics does not seem to bother most of them. In fact, they are 50% more likely to respond to their preferred medium when it is joined with its opposite. This number rises to 62% when digital campaigns are linked with direct mail.<br />
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Here are just a few of the ways the two media help each other:<br />
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* Snail mail pieces provide more detail while email serves up bite-sized chunks;<br />
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* Email is typically opened up the first day, while direct mail may stay on counters and end tables for days;<br />
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* Printed mail can generate responses for weeks while email responses peak quickly, then fade away just as rapidly<br />
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Although all of the foregoing speaks to the effectiveness of a cross-channel email/snail mail marketing campaign, there are several points to bear in mind. For example, don't simply use the exact same message in both media. Use the comparative strengths of each to create a thorough, efficient campaign. <br />
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You might send a long letter to your target audience, then email the same folks a reminder about it. Or, on the other hand, you might email your target market and tell them an informational piece is on its way so they can be watching for it. <br />
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Indeed, it might even be a savvy move to send out an email blast, wait for the response, then ONLY mail to those prospects, as opposed to your entire target. Not only will you boost your response rate, you'll save advertising and marketing dollars by not mailing to your entire list. <br />
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If you do plan on using both media, it's important for each medium to talk about the other. For example, if you snail-mail a piece to a prospect who has responded to an earlier email, be sure to remind them of this so they'll recall they had asked for the mailing. (Even though, as marketers, we know that no marketing communications piece ever goes out to anyone who hasn't signaled their interest in some way) <br />
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Reference their earlier response to your email to boost your reponse rate through the well-known phenomenon of "brand-bonding by self-selection." <br />
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One final note: try to identify your prospect's preference for either email or print, then send them more of it, and less of the one they don't like. In fact, it might be wise to ask them directly which medium they would like NOT to receive, then fulfill their request if they do so. While cross-channel marketing is a very potent tool, it should never come at the expense of irritating your audience members who are totally turned-off by either of these two marketing methods.<br />
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<div style='font-style:italic;' class='uawabout'><br />
About the Author:<br />
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<div class='uawlinks'>Looking for expert advice on <a href='http://www.commercial-letter.com'>direct mail</a>, then visit Commercial Letter's website to find the best advice on coordinated direct mail/email campaigns by <a href='http://www.commercial-letter.com/comlet/559-2/'>clicking here</a></div><br />
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New Unique Article!<br />
<br />
Title: Snail Mail vs Email: The War is Over!<br />
Author: Keith Klamer<br />
Email: keith@net-ahead.com<br />
Keywords: direct mail, email, marketing campaigns, business<br />
Word Count: 565<br />
Category: Marketing<br />
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