A customer's journey starts with awareness, peaks with a purchase, and ideally leads to repeat buys and advocacy. Direct Mail can enhance each stage, increasing the likelihood of progression.
From initial awareness to final purchase and beyond, prospects move through various stages as they engage with your brand. Your Direct Mail strategy should engage them at every step, using relevant and tangible mail pieces to create memorable brand impressions and encourage the next action, increasing your chances of making a sale.
Let's explore each stage of the customer journey and how Direct Mail can make a difference.
Prior to the awareness stage of the sales journey, the customer may not even be aware of your company. Or if they do have awareness of your company, it could be vague and lack detail of what you actually offer. Therefore, your goal at the awareness stage is to reach out and make your brand visible to potential customers.
During the awareness stage, Direct Mail should focus on delivering key information to potential customers. Address their interests, needs, or wants that your products fulfill. Introduce your brand: who you are and what you offer. Include a call to action, such as visiting your website for more information or scheduling a consultation, but avoid using hard sales language unless it aligns with your brand strategy.
The aim is to guide the customer to the next stage, bringing them closer to purchasing your product.
As soon as a customer is aware of your business, your marketing efforts should aim to heighten their interest and persuade them to make a purchase. This phase is known as the consideration stage, where the customer is actively seeking solutions to a problem. At this point, your Direct Mail materials should demonstrate your understanding of the consumer's issue and present your solution.
When developing mail for the consideration stage, provide as much information as possible to help your customer make an informed decision. Instead of a general overview of your company, offer specific insights into your products or services and how they address the customer's needs.
An example of a consideration stage Direct Mail tactic is to follow-up an abandoned online cart, showcasing the forgotten items. You know the customer is interested now, so use this to encourage them to complete the purchase.
During the decision stage, the customer determines which service provider deserves their business. Armed with all the necessary information, the buyer is now ready to make the purchase.
Your objective at this stage is to set yourself aside from competitors, ensuring your brand becomes the preferred choice. To secure the sale, you must provide the most attractive offer.
At this point, Direct Mail should feature your most enticing offer. This could be a limited-time offer or an exclusive coupon, designed to make the customer feel they are receiving the best deal and must act quick before it expires.
Just because a customer has made a purchase doesn't mean your work is done. In fact, the true lifetime value of a customer is realised in the post-purchase phase, where continued Direct Mail can drive repeat business and encourage word-of-mouth referrals.
Maintaining a Direct Mail relationship post-purchase helps build brand loyalty, boost customer retention and, in some cases, facilitate upselling. Adobe reports that 40% of retail revenue in the US comes from repeat customers, underscoring the importance of follow-up.
Additional mailings also present an opportunity to re-engage dissatisfied customers and encourage them to give your products another go, potentially leading to repeat sales. Moreover, satisfied customers who receive compelling promotional material may share these offers with friends and family. This can turn them into advocates, leveraging word-of-mouth to generate even more sales.
Understanding where customers are in their sales journey is crucial for developing an effective Direct Mail strategy. To find this information, you need an omnichannel presence that tracks your interactions with consumers and their responses.