Hyperion Materials & Technologies

As digital communications fill our inboxes (or, more commonly, our spam folders), and digital advertising seems to be so ubiquitous that it is often ignored, marketers are challenged with finding new ways to get in front of B2B decision-makers. But what if one of the best “new ways” is an old-fashioned way? Could direct mail be an opportunity for marketers to engage with their prospects?

Direct print marketing provides marketers with many benefits over digital, setting aside the obvious cost and sustainability barriers. But when properly targeted and executed, direct mail can be a unique way to cut through the clutter. While large-scale mass mailers are (and should be) a thing of the past, various direct mail strategies have a place in today’s marketing mix.

Contact Qualification: When building a digital strategy, marketers face stricter privacy rules than ever before. GDPR in Europe, PIPEDA in Canada, and even the CPRA in the United States all have rules that make traditional list buying and contact research services obsolete for email marketing and, technically, for many unsolicited sales efforts.  

In the case of contacts without an opt-in or where you have yet to capture a record of legitimate interest, direct mail can be a substitute channel for reaching your target market. 

Direct mail with a significant “teaser” slant can drive a prospect to your website, where a gated piece of content can tell them the whole story. The request for this gated piece of content can serve as a de facto qualification of your prospect.

If you are unsure of the specific interest of your prospect, a multi-topic newsletter with calls-to-action related to each topic can trigger you to qualify the contact and further segment them in your CRM.  

Pairing gated content with a value-focused direct mail piece can be a significant driver of qualification in your database and help you add new prospects to your digital marketing channels while navigating changing privacy laws.*

Pre-Sales Engagement: Direct mail can also be used to help warm a lead for a potential sales call. 

Using a High-Value Mailer (HVM), you can capture a prospect’s attention in a way that will make them want to talk to a sales rep. HVM’s aren’t your average paper mailer. They can have substantial costs, but when used properly, they can also drive a substantial return.

“If you are unsure of the specific interest of your prospect, a multi-topic newsletter with calls-to-action related to each topic can trigger you to qualify the contact and further segment them in your CRM.”

So, what exactly are “High-Value Mailers”? These are pieces that you send via the mail that have a unique way of engaging with a customer. There are generally three types of HVMs:

• In-House Capabilities Mailer: This type of mailer is one that is done to highlight your specific capabilities. It can be a sample of your product or something that highlights your manufacturing competence. When doing this type of mailer, the medium is the message, and you need to provide something with the piece that tells the story you want to tell or highlights what it is that you are showing the prospect.

• What the Heck? Mailer: This type of mailer is something completely out of the ordinary, that when you get it, you ask yourself, “What the Heck?” Usually, this type of mailer comes with a message that connects the ‘gift’ to some sort of meaning that ties back to your product or service. There are agencies that specialize in getting this type of mailer exactly right. If done wrong, it becomes an amusing story for your prospect but doesn’t drive your business.

• Enhanced Mailer: This type of mailer operates like a standard mail piece but generally has some sort of added level of engagement. For example, there are companies that allow you to create “video card” mailers, which have an embedded display screen where you can upload your video. When done right, this allows your customer to learn substantially more than reading an article. Do you have a product that uses water? A water-activated card may catch a prospect’s attention. There are many creative options here that allow you to send unique, eye-catching direct mail to your prospects.

For success with HVMs, there are two key elements – qualification and follow-up. Because the mailers cost more than many marketing channels, it’s important that you know the exact contact you want to talk to and follow up with those contacts accordingly. Investing in pre-qualification of your full mailing list and staggering the HVM for sales follow-up is critical.

Adding Direct Mail to Your Mix

While the B2B world has moved on from many direct mailing initiatives in favor of digital marketing, print direct mail still has a place in a modern marketing mix. As with any marketing campaign, understanding your goal and tailoring your initiative and channels to that goal is critical. 

If your goals involve the qualification of contacts in a privacy-regulation-heavy environment or helping prepare a lead for a possible future sales call, a direct mailing campaign could be the right solution for you.

You should always consult your internal teams on the way your company chooses to handle and navigate global privacy laws.