Direct mail can be an effective way to reach new and existing customers. Adding an aspect of personalisation to your direct mail campaigns can take them to a new level, improving engagement and the overall success of the campaign. If you’re wanting to know how to personalise your direct mail for better engagement you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got everything you need to know when it comes to creating an engaging, personalised direct mail campaign.

What is Personalised Direct Mail? 

Personalised direct mail is a type of direct mail sent by an organisation to their prospective or current customers and will feature personalised content which is specific to the recipient. Therefore each mailer will be slightly different depending on who the recipient is. Aspects of personalisation can include the recipient's name, their latest purchases, their geographical location or their shopping behaviour. 

How to Create Personalised Direct Mail?

To create personalised direct mail, you will need customer data. Utilising your customer database, website data, as well as purchase data, can help you create a highly personalised direct mail campaign with relatable mailers your recipients will engage with. Make sure that whenever you are using customer data it is in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 as well as GDPR. 

What Can Personalised Direct Mail be Used For? 

Personalised direct mail can be used for all types of campaigns, and objectives and within various types of direct mail such as brochures, leaflets, flyers, letters, catalogues and more. Many types of businesses and organisations use personalised direct mail to reach their target audiences such as charities, local councils, retail brands, estate agents, schools and healthcare services. 

Why Does Personalised Direct Mail Increase Engagement? 

Adding an aspect of personalisation to a piece of direct mail allows for a deeper connection between the recipient and the message being delivered. They will be able to better relate to the content if it is tailored towards them, as well as grabbing their attention if it features their personal details such as their name. Research shows that personalisation direct mail is read and reread an average of 4.5 times, which really allows the message to land with the customer, so it is definitely worth doing. 

Choosing to use addressed mail over unaddressed mail has also been shown to return better engagement, with personalised mail 35% more likely to drive a purchase than unaddressed mail. 

It is thought that customers feel valued when they receive personalised mail and this can further strengthen the customer relationship which leads to increased loyalty and better brand perception all of which lead to better overall brand engagement. 

7 Ways to Personalise Your Direct Mail for Better Engagement

1. Segment Your Audience 

Segmenting your audience can help you create a more targeted campaign that in effect can be more personalised to the recipient. Using key demographics such as location, age, gender and buying habits can allow you to identify specific segments of customers that you can then send a relevant direct mailer to. Because the mailer will be more targeted toward them, the recipient is more likely to engage as they can relate to the content.

2. Personalised Messaging

Use your customer data to create personalised messages to the recipients. Using their name is a great way to grab their attention and make them feel special, thus leading to better engagement and higher interaction. 

3. Tailored Offers & Promotions

Sending a customised direct mailer with offers or promotions tailored to the recipient and their specific buying habits, demographics or characteristics is a great way to personalise your direct mail and make it relevant to the customer. The more personalised an offer is, the more likely it will be better engagement for the campaign. 

4. Personalised QR Codes

Many organisations use QR codes with their direct mail campaigns as a way to track engagement, direct customers to their online store or site, as well as provide more information. Adding a personalised QR code can be a great way to personalise your direct mail for better engagement as it will lead customers to a customised landing page with tailored content specifically designed for them.

5. Utilise Variable Data Printing (VDP)

A key way to personalise your direct mail for better engagement is to use Variable Data Printing (VDP), a type of technology that allows you to print customised text, images and other elements based on an individual recipient’s data. This allows for a highly personalised mailer, so much so that each one may be completely different! 

6. Utilise Past Purchase Behaviour 

You can personalise direct mail for better engagement by including messaging surrounding the customer’s past purchase behaviour. For example, if they recently bought a pair of earrings perhaps you could send them a brochure showcasing the rest of the collection with 10% off their next purchase. Providing your customers with relevant messaging will improve engagement and result in a more successful direct mail campaign. 

7. Combine with Digital Marketing Efforts

Combining your direct mail campaign with other digital marketing efforts for a 360-degree personalised approach can really help to improve engagement. After sending a piece of direct mail, following up with a personalised email or social media advert can reach the customers at all touchpoints and bring direct mail into a broader marketing strategy.

What are the Benefits of Personalised Direct Mail?

As well as increased engagement, sending personalised direct mail can have many other benefits.

• Increased Brand Awareness
• Improved Brand Loyalty 
• Greater Return on Investment (ROI)
• Improved Response Rates 
• Higher Conversion rates 
• Strengthened Customer Relationship
• Better Targeting 

Personalised Direct Mail with DMS

At DMS, we specialise in sending high-quality, personalised direct mail to drive engagement and help organisations meet their marketing objectives. We help produce, deliver and manage all aspects of your personalised direct mail campaign and can even provide data processing services to ensure high-quality data use and high deliverability rates. Our experienced team is also always on hand to advise you on ways to use personalisation to better engagement and the overall success of your direct mail campaign. Get in touch by clicking here.