It’s that time of the year again, folks! The sudden increase in rush hour traffic, the office supplies section at Target looking like a ghost town, and the decrease of high-schoolers at the mall: it’s time to go back to school. Back-to-school season is the second largest retail season after the holiday season, according to a report from PM Digital. Back-to-school spending reached nearly $75 billion last year. Moreover, according to a study by Placed, parents named direct mail as one of the most preferred channels for receiving promotions and deals for back-to-school. Feel like you don’t have a back-to-school type of business? Think again. Back-to-school season affects more than just kindergarteners who need crayons. Don’t forget about the parents, teachers and other professionals that need supplies, and other people who are just looking for a good deal. End your summer with a bang by boosting your sales and brand awareness using direct mail marketing this back-to-school season. Here are 3 ways to make your back-to-school direct mail campaign a success.
1. Target Your Audience
Instead of buying untargeted leads, use a targeted mailing list for your back-to-school direct mail campaign. This way, you are making sure your advertisement reaches the correct audience of people who are most likely to need your products and/or services. List companies like US Data Corporation are able to create a mailing list based off of your specific needs. You can target your list by age, gender, location, hobbies, shopping habits, and much more. If your store sells clothes for teenagers, you don’t want to send your direct mail campaign to families with toddlers. By using highly-targeted lists, you are connecting with people who are actually relevant to your business.
2. Make it Personal
Personalization can enhance a consumer’s decision to read your direct mail piece by creating a sense of familiarity. It also tells them that they are important to your business. When it comes to personalizing a direct mail piece, there are a lot of options. You can personalize the piece to a specific consumer by including their name in the letter portion or address area. You can also use a tailored message or personalized image. If you’re sending the campaign to a family with college students, use images that have college students in them. For more tips on how to personalize your direct mail piece, check out our previous blog post: Capitalize on the Power of Direct Mail Personalization.
3. Give a Good Offer
Who can resist a good deal? High-quality direct mail campaigns are not only packed with relevant information, they also attract the audience by tempting them with an irresistible deal. Offering a time-sensitive deal can be a great idea for a back-to-school direct mail campaign. Time-sensitive deals help promote the sense of urgency to redeem the deal before the sale is over, (and before school starts). With some schools already back in session and others about to start, now is a great time to reach those last-minute shoppers by putting a special offer directly into their hands.