At ContactPigeon, we love the thrill of getting a beautiful message, and in our quest for that feeling, we thought: “what’s more beautiful than an actual paper postcard that you can touch and admire all you want?” It will be a message that truly stands out in a mailbox full of bills.
So, starting this month, we are excited to launch the Direct Mail postcards as an additional messaging channel for connecting with your customers. The only exception is that this message is delivered with actual pigeons (okay, postal offices, since we believe in animal rights)!
What’s truly innovative is that whatever you could do with email campaigns, you can apply the same with printed postcards! Cool, right? 😎
You could schedule mass postcards to go out as part of a one-off campaign, or include it as a touch-point with any consumer automation flow such as anniversary celebrations or reorder reminders. Of course, postcards will also come with fully personalized content because that’s the true value of our next generation postcard.
Why send direct mail?
In today’s world, where most communications are digital, direct mail adds a unique and personal touch to B2C messaging. It takes extra effort (for the others that is, because in our case ContactPigeon does all the heavy lifting, and that’s why for our customers is as easy as sending an email campaign) and this is appreciated by the recipient. After all, paper mails spark an emotionally nostalgic response in many consumers, especially when accompanied by a personal touch like a handwritten note or signature. It makes your marketing more memorable.
This observation is supported by data as well. A recent study by United States Postal Services found that Millennials respond better to direct mail compared to other types of marketing. 84% of Millennials take the time to look through their paper mail, and 64% would rather scan for useful info in the mail than email.
How does it work?
The process of sending postcards with ContactPigeon is very similar to sending your email campaigns.
You start by creating the postcard templates – one for each scenario (e.g. rebuy reminder, back-in-stock alert, product recommendations). If you need help, our in-house designers are more than happy to provide some inspiration. The templates are customized for your brand and messages, which can be personalized with dynamic tags.
Aside from the card design, you can pick the layout and whether an envelope is required. We will provide you a copy of the postcard for preview before setting it in action.
Define the scenario or timing for which the card will be sent and set it live. We’ll handle the rest of the process, including print, stamp, and deliver to the recipient’s address.
How is ContactPigeon direct mail different?
The direct mail feature at ContactPigeon is unique in several ways.
1. Personalized content. You can personalize the postcards as much as the data you have on the customer. This includes the use of dynamic fields such as customer’s name, salutation within the message, as well as product info such product name or images of the item that was purchased, viewed, or added-to-cart by the recipient.
Tip for power users: Use our AI insights that predict the next order date as well as the recommended products and personalize the message based on that.
2. Automation flow. You can trigger a postcard to be as if it is an email. All postcards are printed overnight and posted the next business day for speedy delivery to your recipients. Some great ideas of postcards scenarios for retail are:
- Welcome Notes for first-time shoppers or sign-ups.
- Post-purchase thank you.
- Come back message with predicted product recommendations
- VIP communications (e.g. connecting the postcards to a loyalty system)
- Birthday or Anniversary greetings
- Product or service feedback requests
- Special promotions or offers
- Repurchase reminders
- And anything else you did up to now with emails 🙂
General Tip: Due to the timing of the post, communications that are not super time-sensitive (e.g., flash sale) are better suited for direct mail campaigns.
3. Trackable code. Each postcard sent by ContactPigeon has a unique QR tracking code using our patented 2-Way QR code technology. Scanner transactions are recorded as part of the customer profile, so you can use the insights for remarketing or any next step campaigns. The code also provides a way to track the read and conversion rate of this new channel.
Set your brand apart
It all comes down to being a pioneer and leaving your competition behind! With digital communications flooding consumer inbox daily, getting your customers to notice your brand messages require extra creativity when it comes to design and delivery. We believe that including personalized direct mails as part of your communication channels will only help your business stand out from the crowd. After all, it adds a much more personal and tangible connection with your brand and the customer – a step closer to building stronger brand loyalty!
Wondering how direct mail can help boost your marketing communication? Just book a chat with us for tailored recommendations & best practices.
