Since early October, we’ve been actively building our clients’ 2015 strategic marketing plans. It’s quite a process, but one that is useful in so many ways. In this prior blog post, see some of the benefits of having an overall strategy and plan in place for the entire upcoming year.

When our team dives in to look at the dozens, if not hundreds, of potential marketing/public relations investments for each client, we look at the anticipated ROI, whether in truly measurable dollars or in a more general way, such as, “Would brand awareness be heightened amongst a particular target audience?” We can look at more passive advertising modes (having a listing in a directory) or more active modes (pay per click ads or remarketing digital ads that reach people specifically looking for what our clients provide or sell).

One tool in our toolkit that has actually come back in favor is direct mail. At one point, a rule of thumb was that a successful direct mail campaign would yield a 2-3% response rate. Then, over several decades, people were bombarded with so much mail that a mailing might be considered successful by having only a .5% response rate. With printing and postage costs always on the rise, and the response rate and payback less and less, our expenditures for that marketing line item decreased over time.

We have noticed, though, that in the past few years, direct mailings have been extremely successful for certain clients. Recipients of those mailings perhaps are enjoying tangible mail as opposed to the hundreds of e-mails that likely hit their e-mail in-box daily. We literally hear from our clients that business generated from a specific direct mailing has more than paid for itself, and served as a client touchpoint in the process.

There are different kinds of direct mailings, such as offering a special product or service, announcing a company change or providing general information (a newsletter). No, direct mail isn’t a right-fit tactic for every business, but you just may want to consider what it might do for yours.

If you need help with strategizing an integrated, strategic marketing and public relations plan for your business, reach out to an agency you trust.