The Best In Direct Mail: October Edition
Welcome to our new monthly feature, spotlighting direct mail campaigns that inspire our own marketing efforts - and we hope they'll spark ideas for...
In an era of ever-changing marketing trends, there has always been one constant success: personalisation. Post-COVID has left many individuals feeling disconnected, prompting a significant shift in the consumers' behaviour, in which 70% of consumers crave deeper, personal connections with brands. Regardless of the industry, personalisation stands as a paramount factor that punches above its weight.
Basic personalisation is expected in marketing in 2026. Personalised dynamics like ‘Dear [FirstName] were revolutionary in the 2010’s, but now they’re insufficient alone. The average consumer isn’t impressed by their name being included in marketing communications, and it certainly isn’t enough on its own to push people to take action. Proper personalisation is powerful, and consumers are impacted by it; 56% of UK consumers say personalisation improves the customer experience.
Most businesses will stop at the basics of name or location and miss out on the massive opportunity that personalisation brings. To go further than the basics is to make concerted efforts to connect with each customer and get to the heart of what they want. Does personalisation really have a place in modern marketing?
In this blog post, we’ll go through exactly how to use personalisation in 2026 and how direct mail can help.
Why should you personalise your direct mail?
Introducing personalisation into your direct mail campaigns amplifies your marketing efforts by providing an individual connection with consumers. The logic is simple; think about the friendly and welcoming feeling when a barista remembers your usual coffee order.
Personalised direct mail has the same effect, making the consumer feel like they are being addressed directly. With the personalised content arriving through your mailbox, these personal touches play an important role in building strong consumer relationships.
The evolution of direct mail personalisation
In the 1990’s and 2000’s, mail merging was the forward frontier of personalisation, using basic credentials like name, address and other demographics to specifically target individuals.
In the 2010’s, it changed to segmentation, targeting groups based on purchase history or location. Now the 2020’s are about a more specific individualisation, such as behavioural triggers, predictive content and dynamic creatives.
As technology gets more sophisticated, so does personalisation. The improvement of integration capabilities, like APIs and automation platforms mean personalisation can go further.
Advanced personalisation tactics
It’s important to send direct mail based on what they do, not just who they are. Automated direct mail can be sent in response to specific customer actions, which means sending the right message at the right time and with the right context. This usually leads to a higher conversion. For example, you can target browse abandonment campaigns for users who’ve viewed a product X amount of times and not purchased.
Users of Stannp.com’s platform can integrate with API or automation platforms such as Zapier & Make. You can start simple with manual triggers and scale up to full automation.
Another tactic is adapting your message using real-time customer intelligence. Dynamic content personalisation goes beyond segmentation. You can leverage data signals such as purchase history, engagement, demographics, geography and predicted intent, consumers expect highly personalised experiences tailored to their individual needs.
Let's get personal
Amongst the variety of options to get creative with your mail, here are some proven suggestions that we would recommend:
Add a name
Whilst we may have downplayed the significance of including the consumer's name on the direct mail piece, this remains a vital element to include. It is the easiest and most common method to personalise your direct mail, signifying to the consumer there is a specific reason they are receiving that piece of mail, setting it aside from generic mass-distributed flyers.
Product deals
Include relevant products based on their purchase and search history, then send them an exclusive offer. This special promotion will convey to the consumer that your brand values them, thereby encouraging them to make a purchase.
Demographic customisation
Using demographic indicators allows you to tailor your message to the consumer, as each demographic will be more responsive to different forms of communication.
Referral incentives
Another personalised incentive is the tactic of referral incentives. For instance, one of Stannp.com’s clients implemented a strategy where they posted personalised greeting cards to their new customers containing a QR code linked to a referral bonus incentive. Once the recipient scanned the QR code and referred a friend, the recipient could enjoy 25% discount on their next purchase. This campaign was highly effective, not only in increasing the returning customer rate but also in expanding their client base.
Personalised mail with Stannp.com
With the advancements in digital printing technologies, incorporating personalisation into direct mail has become an easy process. Get in touch with our team at Stannp.com to learn more about our direct mail services and discover how you can strengthen your brand's connection with consumers in your next campaign.
