5 Direct Mail Innovations That Will Make Your Next Marketing Campaign

Why Use Direct Mail at All?

Direct mail lasts longer. A study from Temple University recently found that direct mail resulted in longer engagement times of the potential consumer. The study shows that advertising was associated with better brand recall, and ultimately resulted in greater purchases. Direct mail, unlike other channels, provides a variety of benefits for brands to touch prospects. Here are just some reasons why direct mail makes a great component of an overarching marketing program.

Direct mail is:

• Tangible – direct mail is usually sorted the same day it’s received. Getting something in the hands of potential prospects and customers is a sure way to get attention.
• Uninterrupted – unlike other channels, there are few interruptions when it comes to direct mail. It can’t be skipped to a promotions tab or archived before hitting your mailbox.
• Impactful – a well-designed direct mail campaign can make a great impression on your audience. Unlike an email or a digital ad that may not render due to technology compatibility, your direct mail should be received in the same manner it was intended to.
• Versatile – with a many options available, it’s easy to stand out by creating direct mail campaigns that come in different sizes, shapes and types depending on your need.
• Personalized – In addition to basic recipient information, direct mail can be easily personalized with imagery and messaging.

Engaging the Recipient’s Senses

These results were based on a review of consumers’ interactions with simple postcards. However, through innovative technologies, printing today can do far more than simply visually engaging a prospective buyer. Why not go one step further with a piece that compels the consumer to pick it up, open it, and engage with it?

The Visual Experience

Graphic design and branding is critical to both advertising and packaging. When we think about “packaging” in the context of direct mail, the first challenge is getting the recipient to open the envelope. One more envelope—even with special messaging, such as “FREE OFFER INSIDE” will not garner much attention when a consumer is going through a stack of mail. However, an outsized, colored envelope, with stickers or a special sealer, or a window that tantalizingly shows the product or the ad is far more likely to capture attention and interest.

Additionally, using one of the newest technologies, called “lenticular printing,” adds dimension and/or motion to flat images. A stunning effect on the consumer can be created with images on your envelope that visually shift in various ways, including:

• Dissolve
• Flip
• Zoom
• Morph
• And more

The Tactile Experience

Every substrate has a unique texture, and each can deliver a specific message to a recipient. Cardboard, for example, provides heft, which can give a piece a sense of greater importance.However, there are many other textures that can convey information about your product or service, as well as entice a recipient not only to open your piece more quickly but engage with it more deeply. For example:

• A silken / soft touch texture could imply luxury or “high end” for virtually any product.
• Sculptured, embossed images typically cause people to run their hands over an envelope several times, literally “getting a feel” for what is inside and can be so aesthetically pleasing that a consumer is compelled to save the piece.
• A leather look and/or feel might be just the thing for a financial institution.
• 3-D appliques are also excellent attention-getters. If they are removable and can be re-adhered, the recipient can also use them as decorative elements, keeping the product and brand at top of mind.

The Olfactory Experience

For the most part, people do not enjoy being unsuspectingly hit with an onslaught of scents or fragrances, especially if they cling to other items or hands. However, an invitation to scratch and experience a fragrance is very commonly accepted. This, on an envelope, easily piques the recipients’ curiosity and makes your piece immediately appealing. The scratch-and-sniff technique can be used in many more instances than perfumes or other cosmetic or beauty products. Further, it can be a highly effective draw, whether actually applied to the envelope, or with a message on the envelope to invite the consumer to experience the scratch-and-sniff contents inside.

The Auditory Experience

A short comment about your product or the envelope’s contents, or an invitation, or even a jingle, can be introduced via the envelope. Apart from the actual message, this provides a unique form of communication from a “package” and begins to create a more personal, in-depth relationship with the consumer.

JohnsByrne – Your Source for Innovative, Multisensory High Impact Direct Mail

JohnsByrne has been applying an array of innovative multi-sensory technologies to a wide range of clients across many different industries. They have been used in product packaging, at POS, at trade shows, and in countless other applications.

We have a history of bold creativity and the technical expertise to bring virtually any vision to life. This combination of skill and artistry enables us to consistently fulfill our mission to relentlessly surpass our customers’ expectations and make them more profitable and successful—and we would be delighted to do the same for you. Connect with us to discuss your vision – we have the technologies that will bring it to life.