The promotional materials market is a large, competitive and often lucrative industry. While many people think of direct mailing as junk mail, it can work extremely well when the right message is sent to the right audience at the right time.

Direct mail includes any physical item that is mailed to a recipient. Some examples of this type of marketing include postcards, catalogs and flyers. Unlike digital advertising, physical items are more likely to stand out to recipients and be read in-depth. In fact, according to RetailWire, 88% of key purchase decisions are discussed at home and direct mail is a great way to get people talking about your product or service.

When creating a direct mail campaign, it’s essential to set goals. This will help guide your strategy and keep you on track towards achieving your desired outcomes. For example, setting a benchmark of a specific percentage increase in meeting bookings or new customers is a great way to measure your success.

In addition to a clear goal, it’s important to understand your audience in order to deliver the right message at the right time. The first step to this is conducting a thorough customer or buyer persona research study. Once you have this information, use it to create a highly targeted and personalized message that will resonate with your audience.

Adding personalization to your direct mail can also boost ROI. Incorporating the recipient’s name into a message, for instance, can make them feel valued and appreciated. In turn, this can encourage them to engage with your business. Using data from your CRM or an email-marketing platform, you can also target your audience with a physical piece of mail that is triggered by their actions online.

Another way to leverage physical mail is by incorporating tracking elements. QR codes, unique URLs and phone numbers are all easy to incorporate into a print piece and can be tracked to monitor performance. By doing this, you can ensure that your audience is engaging with your brand and making conversions.

A quality printing partner can help you optimize your marketing by designing and printing high-quality, impactful and cost-effective pieces of direct mail. They’ll take your ideas and concepts and bring them to life in a way that is on-brand and appeals to your audience. Additionally, they’ll make sure that your message is clear and actionable.

When choosing a printing partner, look for a company that offers a range of customization options and provides transparent pricing. This will ensure that your messaging is clear and your design is eye-catching without breaking the bank. They’ll also be able to provide you with A/B testing tools to help you determine which elements of your direct mail are resonating with your audience and driving the best results. Then, you can use the results of your A/B tests to ideate around the most successful options and create a series of direct mailers that speak directly to your customers.