Direct Mail Marketing in Australia
We’re in a world of social media and digital advertising, so surely direct mail marketing doesn’t work? Aren’t these days long gone? Isn’t direct mail marketing inefficient and ineffective? To answer all these questions in one, direct mail marketing can still contribute to an effective marketing strategy…and we’re going to explain everything you need to know in this guide.
Read More: The Top Tools for Marketing in Australia
Today, you’ll learn why direct mail marketing still works, some tips for introducing the technique to your marketing strategy, and a handful of reliable direct mail marketing services in case you decide to get started immediately!
Benefits of Direct Mail Marketing in 2021
While you might think that direct mail marketing is outdated, these benefits will prove otherwise.
High ROI
First, let’s talk about numbers. When investing in any marketing technique, you need to know that a return awaits on the other side. Well, allow us to surprise you a little. For many businesses, direct mail brings a greater return than online display and paid search ads. Yes, you read that right.
Not so long ago, the average ROI for direct mail marketing was just under 30%. When it comes to ROI, the only marketing techniques ahead of direct mail marketing are social media and email marketing. Meanwhile, paid search yields an ROI of 23% while online display ads average 16%.
Simple Implementation
Not only will you make a profit, but direct mail marketing is easier to implement than you might think. When advertising on Facebook, you reach out to a specific audience based on their hobbies, interests, location, and demographics. Don’t worry, services like Every Door Direct Mail from USPS are available for this marketing technique, and similar services exist in Australia.
To start, enter your address and the tool will show the number of homes within the postal code as well as average household income, average household size, and other details. Assuming you’re aware of your target audience, you can use tools like this to target a specific niche (ensuring that only those who will enjoy your content receive it).
Read More: Top 4 Ways to Target Your Audience
Tracking Opportunities
Wait a minute…you can track direct mail? That’s right. While it might not be as advanced as automatic tracking on social media, there are some steps to take to make tracking that little bit easier. For example, use a unique phone number. This way, you know that every single call that comes through to that number started with the direct mail campaign.
Likewise, create a unique landing page. Once again, you know that everybody who clicks onto this landing page found the URL through the direct mail campaign. You know which leads were generated by the direct mail campaign, how many of them convert, and the return on investment that comes as a result.
Don’t believe the people who say tracking is impossible with direct mail campaigns. As long as you’re willing to go to the effort of creating a unique landing page or phone number, there’s no reason why you can’t track results.
Element of Romanticism
Give anything 20 years and we look back on it with rose-tinted glasses. There’s an element of nostalgia, and the same is starting to happen with direct mail. These days, consumers are accustomed to receiving emails, social media messages, and social media posts. People very rarely receive direct mail anymore, and this means that they’re excited about it once again.
According to one survey, nearly three in every four consumers prefer direct mail compared to all other methods in the advertising world. What’s more, around 60% of consumers link branded mail to a sense of enjoyment. Direct mail is less popular compared to ten years ago, so there’s intrigue around material that comes through the door now. This is the very reason why email marketing is taking off once again too. GDPR and other privacy regulations have removed unsolicited emails, so we pay more attention to the emails that make it to our inbox.
The more personalized you can make the mail, the more attention your audience will pay it.
Full Attention and Brand Awareness
Next, consumers tend to pay direct mail their full attention. Just think, what do you do when a letter comes through the door? You’re unlikely to blindly throw all post in the bin because, well, this would be silly. You need to see what’s important and what isn’t. Therefore, no matter how small, you have a chance to grab the attention of consumers.
Of course, a small percentage of people will throw your material in the trash. Likewise, a small number of people don’t pay any attention to your online ads. However, you have the full attention of consumers and an opportunity to appeal to their needs. More so than digital ads because they’re not doing anything else while looking at their mail.
With their undivided attention, this means awareness for the brand. If you add a special offer to the direct mail, this can sit on the fridge or kitchen counter for many months. All visitors see the material and the brand is always in the mind of your audience.
Read More: Why Building Your Tribe is Just as Important as Building Your Brand
Additional Benefits
Just in case these benefits weren’t enough to persuade you, here are some additional benefits to consider.
- Works for all age groups
- Allows the brands to get creative
- Appeals to multiple senses
- Stands out in a digital world
- Fits into a multi-channel strategy
Direct Mail in Australia
In the next section, we’ll discuss some of the best agencies for direct mail marketing. But first, how well does direct mail work in Australia? According to one survey, four in ten people have been encouraged by direct mail to purchase a product. What’s more, over 90% of materials dropped through a letterbox are read. While some people throw material in the trash immediately, the average material stays in the home for 38 days.
If you adopt a multi-channel approach, research suggests that ROI will increase by around 12%. Therefore, you don’t need to leave the digital world behind, and you don’t need to remove the physical aspect either. One surprising fact about direct mail is that younger generations engage with the material more than older generations. While most people think that the only way to target younger demographics is with digital material, this isn’t true, and you can test this hypothesis with a direct mail campaign.
Direct mail in Australia right now is proving to be an interesting way to connect with an audience. Consumers are looking for meaningful connections, and advertising material landing on their welcome mat is an effective way to start. You can offer a colorful design, special promotions, personalized messages, and engaging content.
Examples of Direct Mail Marketing Companies
In this final section, we want to look at some of the biggest and most reputable direct mail marketing agencies. By doing this, you’ll learn the sort of fees you can expect to pay alongside other important information.
1. made4media
Founded back in 2003, one of the advantages of made4media is that the team is made up of all sorts of professionals. For example, you’ll work with:
- Graphic designers
- Social media experts
- TV directors and producers
- Marketers
- Creative directors
- Journalists
- PR experts
Therefore, you know that your content is always in good hands whether you choose a digital or physical route. Ultimately, made4media focuses on two key areas: social media marketing and direct mail marketing. Although based in Brisbane, its digital services mean that it can help anybody in Australia.
Read More: Has the Pandemic Changed the Way Australians Spend and Live?
2. Direct Marketing Agency
Direct Marketing Agency makes it onto our list because it’s another company that prioritizes direct mail marketing. While some companies throw direct mail into their service almost as an afterthought, Direct Marketing Agency in Yennora might only have a small team but it focuses on direct marketing as a priority.
According to the company itself, the team works around the clock to produce high-quality content that resonates with the audience. Based in Sydney, this is a new company that launched in 2021, but is quickly capturing the attention of businesses. As a small business with a personalized approach, you can expect to pay between $100 and $150 an hour (compared to a maximum of $50 an hour for made4media).
3. Rich Contacts
As our third example company, we find a service that falls in the middle in terms of budget. You’ll pay between $50 and $100 per hour depending on the service you choose. Founded in 2017, it has more market experience than Direct Marketing Agency but doesn’t offer direct marketing as a priority. Instead, email marketing is the focal point with direct mail behind this.
As you outsource certain tasks, the company generates leads through various marketing techniques, and you benefit from the team of experts. We should note that Rich Contacts is based in London, but the time difference shouldn’t affect performance. If you schedule regular meetings and stay on the right page, location shouldn’t affect proceedings.
Read More: Influencer Marketing in Australia
There you have it, some of the best practices, agencies and benefits of direct mail marketing in Australia. You now have enough information to get started, so what are you waiting for?
