Mail order marketing has been a staple for many businesses for decades – but what is mail order, and why should you implement it into your next marketing campaign?
At ADM, we have been providing valuable mail order direct mail services to our clients for years, helping them to boost their campaigns. From charities such as the National Trust and the Columban Fathers, to huge institutions like the University of Sheffield, and well-known brands like Bravissimo and Tribe: ADM are able to provide comprehensive direct mail solutions for all. Looking for a mail order partner? Get in touch by clicking the banner below!
What Is Mail Order?
Mail order refers to the practice of distributing marketing materials by post to potential customers. These materials, such as catalogues and brochures, show items for sale that can be purchased by returning a mail-order form to the original sender, listing the items that they wish to purchase along with payment details and delivery information.
The most popular mail order format is the shopping catalogue, although shorter brochures are also commonly distributed. From Next and Studio in the UK, to Bloomingdales and Sears in the USA, most of us have received a mail order item at some point.
Who Uses Mail Order?
Mail order is live and growing in practically all markets from clothing to homewares, electronics and travel but but we’ll all recognise mail order marketing from fashion brands who send out brochures to target potential and existing customers, allowing them to browse the contents at their leisure. Major brands such as Jacamo, Charles Tywritt and Next are renowned for their large-scale mail order output. Similarly, retail and department brands such as Littlewoods, Freemans and JD Williams often use mail order catalogues. Their offerings span beyond fashion, shoes and accessories by also offering electricals, homewares and furnishings. Travel, theatre and garden centre businesses also rely on mail order marketing. As you can tell, there is not just one type of business that can benefit from the distribution of mail order campaigns – they are valuable to most businesses.
Does Mail Order Actually Work?
Large, trusted businesses promote their items with mail order campaigns – but are these campaigns actually effective? In short, yes! A response rates survey carried out by DMIS shows that 56% of customers make a purchase after receiving a form of direct mail such as a mail order catalogue. What’s more, for mail order sceptics who worry that the rise of the digital age has made mail order marketing redundant, think again! Mail order catalogues grew by 350% in 2020 alone, with consumers enjoying the tangible aspect of print mail in the midst of lockdown. There is obviously still an appetite for hard copies of marketing materials. This indicates that direct mail is progressing despite the significant influence of digital campaign strategies, with both digital and print marketing working excellently when used in tandem.
Is Mail Order Expensive?
Direct mail of any form is generally more expensive than other equivalent campaign methods. Individual mailings can cost anything from 30p per item. This higher cost is down to a few factors. Firstly, the scale of a mail order item is far greater than a singular email or social media post. You will have to hire designers to create each and every page of your catalogue, and spend more time reviewing this for accuracy. There are also print and distribution costs to take into account, although if you work alongside a direct mail partner such as ADM you will likely achieve impressive discounts on bulk mail order distribution. The key to keeping your mail order costs to a minimum and your response rate high is to find a reputable direct mail fulfilment partner.
However, as established above, the larger upfront cost of a direct mail campaign is worth it for the significant rewards. Recent research carried out by PostGrid shows that for every £1 businesses invest into mail order marketing, they make £14 back. So, if you’re looking for a high-impact marketing campaign, mail order may be right for you.
How Does Mail Order Work?
Want to know how mail order marketing works? Here’s a simple rundown:
- Brochures are printed and distributed to a selection of recipients who are most likely to purchase an item. These are found on mailing lists and include existing customers most likely to purchase again, as well as new prospects.
- Recipients keep the brochure and browse at their leisure before selecting any items they want to purchase.
- Recipients fill out an attached form and send back to business to place their order, along with the relevant payment details. Alternatively, orders can be placed online or via telephone.
- Payment is taken and items are then shipped to the address provided.
Why Use Mail Order?
Considering implementing the benefits of mail order marketing for your business? Here are just 5 reasons why mail order campaigns could transform your marketing strategy for the better:
- Buyers enjoy browsing something tangible in a world where advertising is so often digital. This conveys effort by the brand in question to create and distribute something physical. After all, how many emails have you received this week when compared to actual, physical mail?
- Direct mail stays in the recipient’s home for a prolonged period of time, which promotes long-term, repeat advertising. Many recipients will pick up the catalogue time and time again at their own leisure. This allows for greater brand exposure, thereby boosting the likelihood of a subsequent purchase
- Speaking of subsequent purchases, almost 90% of people have purchased a product having first seen it in a catalogue, giving your brand and associated items for sale more chance of being purchased
- With direct mail, there is no risk of your promotion being lost in a spam folder. It’s no wonder that 60% of direct mail is opened and 40% gets read. You can’t say the same for emails. This is a major reason why businesses are willing to pay more for mail order campaigns rather than digital ones
- Mail order campaigns are particularly good for reaching those who may not be close to a store, or technologically proficient for digital browsing
The Evolution Of The Catalogue
The mail order catalogue was originally pioneered in the 1800s with the aim of reaching prospective customers in more rural locations. Delivering a comprehensive catalogue full of items to households who may not otherwise be able to make it to an in-store location was a great way for businesses to expand their reach and audience. These businesses would utilise mail order techniques alongside their brick and mortar stores, so that a larger array of prospective customers would have the ability to interact with – and hopefully purchase from – the brand.
Fast forward to the 21st Century. Online browsing has given us the ability to browse shopping outlets at a moment’s notice. However, this doesn’t mean that mail order is redundant. Many businesses are actually able to fuse the benefits of print and digital marketing by utilising personalisation, QR codes and targeted offers. Customers are encouraged to use their smartphone or tablet to scan the QR code and discover more about the item. This allows consumers to make a more informed choice regarding their purchase.
Improve Your Next Campaign With ADM
At ADM, we’re proud to be direct mail afficionados. We’ve worked with a broad range of clients from Bravissimo to the University of Sheffield, The Columban Fathers to the National trust, helping each of them achieve continued success, and assisting them in retaining and building upon their customer base. We can help you curate a direct mail campaign no matter what your mail order requirements may be. Whether you’re looking for greater personalisation options, wanting to improve response rate with better data analysis, or change your preferred wrap – ADM have the ability to distribute the best possible mail order campaign for your business. For more information on our capabilities, fill out the form below to talk to a member of our team:
