We all know that marketing via multiple channels increases response rates, raises awareness and enhances branding.

According to DM News, combining direct mail and email could lead to response rates that are more than double the typical results.

While many businesses combine direct mail & email, different businesses combine them differently.

Which Came First, the Chicken or the Egg?

Some people use direct mail before email. In B2C, Nicki Howell believes that when starting a campaign, it’s important to send direct mail to prospects first. A week after prospects receive the letter, follow up with an email. Continue to follow up through email up to four times for each printed mail piece. Remember to create a strong call to action for each marketing piece. Readers must feel a great sense of urgency to respond to your offer. Test different calls to action in both your email and direct mail pieces to determine which one provides the best results.

Other businesses use email first and direct mail only to those people who either opened or clicked through. Those businesses most likely to do this are sending out expensive direct mail pieces.  Marketers should plan for at least 4 email deployments. Each week after the deployment, get the campaign performance report and direct mail to the opens/clicks. If the response is still good after the 4^th one, continue to deploy and mail to the opens.

Marketing via Multiple Channels – a Few Quick Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

• Use high-value content, such as reports, white papers, testimonials to build interest & credibility
• Develop customized landing pages for different lead sources for tracking
• Direct to other marketing channels
• Target your best prospects & fine-tune
• Use great photos

Don’ts

• Don’t hard sell in the first contact, regardless of media channel
• Don’t make too many offers and confuse the prospect
• Don’t change the message based on the marketing channel

Whichever marketing direction you’re leaning to (mail first/email second), try it and see how it performs. Then reverse the direction and see how that works.

In any kind of direct marketing, we have the ability to test, tweak, and test again until we hit on our personal perfect formula!