We all live in a digital world. We join video conferences from our phones, receive text messages on smart watches, and read emails on tablets – it couldn’t be more convenient. However, if we put our ‘marketer’ hats on, this narrative changes slightly. What we’ve got now is an audience that’s bombarded with ads and communications on a daily basis, a variety of barriers (like spam filters), and a degree of apathy towards marketing that’s difficult to overcome. This all sounds bleak, but it doesn’t need to be. There’s a solution that not only achieves cut-through in a digital world, but has also been a mainstay for multiple decades – direct mail.

What, why and how

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that direct mail is printed advertising materials posted directly to business recipients’ addressees. The printed materials can take different forms and layouts, but ultimately it’s a posted communication. So, why in a digital world are we discussing the benefits of ‘old-school’ postal advertising? Well, it’s for that very reason. If you want to get people’s attention, do something different. If you’re questioning the truth behind this apparently antiquated approach, consider this…

66% of direct mails throughout the UK are opened, also influencing a staggering 56% of audiences to visit both online and physical stores following the exposure.[i]

How best to use it

As with all B2B marketing channels, isolation is never a recipe for success. The best marketing and lead generation campaigns work when multiple channels are used in combination – providing a consistent message, and driving towards a single goal. When it comes to direct mail, this is certainly true. Direct mail, as we’ve established, does well to cut through the wall of white noise in most industries, but it’s not a silver bullet. To generate the best results from this channel, it’s necessary to provide follow-ups (via telephone and emails) and digital continuations of concepts on landing pages and in content. Having highlighted the benefits of direct mail, it’s worth noting that best results will be reserved for those that push creative boundaries. You are unlikely to set the world on fire with an A5 postcard, but you can certainly generate huge impact when you let creativity run riot.

Get creative – just like we did

In 2019, we worked with Shred-it – an organisation recognised as the protection experts across a diverse range of industries, including financial services and healthcare. Shred-it’s information destruction services ensure the security and integrity of their clients’ private information. To differentiate the offering from competitors, we devised a creative and memorable big idea for the campaign. ‘The art of destruction’ achieved this goal, highlighting the idea that destruction is an art form – one that takes serious skill.

A big impact was needed to kick off the campaign and grab the attention of the busy decision-makers, so a powerful direct mail concept was developed. Prospects were sent a graffiti-painted box which opened to reveal a beautiful golden frame containing a piece of art – but, taking inspiration from Banksy’s auction shredder stunt, the artwork was shredded half way. This high-impact delivery showcased Shred-it as a forward-thinking, relevant and modern business, who are experts in the art of destruction.

The message was reinforced with the inclusion of copy on the panels either side of the frame, which then fold back, allowing the prospect to put the frame on display. The key headline on the piece was ‘The art of destruction is best left to professionals’ – driving home the fact that Banksy’s shredding picture frame had failed to fully destroy the artwork.

Did it work? It sure did!

Driving recipients to a specific landing page and kick-starting the multi-channel lead generation campaign, the direct mail piece and overall activity went on to generate a pipeline ROI of 1,321% and appointments with some well-known UK brands. But that’s not all. Having submitted this direct mail activity to the 2019 B2B Marketing Awards, we were recently presented with a first-prize gold award in the category of ‘Best Use of Direct Mail’.

To find out more about maximising your lead generation activity, and how direct mail can help you stand out from your competitors, speak to us today on 02392 314498 or email info@reallyb2b.com

 

[i] https://pscsystems.co.uk/2019/05/21/why-direct-mail-marketing-works-isnt-dead/