B2B Direct Mail is back. Did it ever go away?
“But is anyone in the office anymore?” This has been the standard objection to using direct mail over recent years.
Mandated RTO policies are here. We know this as, in many places, it is causing conflict between management and employees. However, it feels like a one-way road, with some, like Publicis, going as far as sacking those who will not comply. Extreme? Maybe. But it signals a direction of travel. Working from the office is happening more and more.
The reality is that it never went away in some sectors. Manufacturing needs a thriving factory floor. An empty workplace on a Friday is simply not an option.
DM is coming back, too.
We’re not talking about long letters and catalogues. Emails and websites have replaced these. A new wave of creativity is here with DM.
Converting messages through feel
There is nothing like quality paper in your hands to convey a brand’s premium positioning. Embossing, thicker paper weights above 200 GSM, and sophisticated finishes mean that your brand can be conveyed through touch.
Form can be part of the message
In two recent campaigns, we’ve produced DM packs as part of ABM strategies that bring the message to life through the form of the DM.
The first uses a pop-up book-style folding technique for the facilities management company ABM. A complicated message about geographical reach is shown in 3D layers that stand up from the page as the reader opens the card. By bringing the reader into the experience, the level of engagement is higher.
The second is even more interesting. Produced for heating and pipeline business BSS, this pack has a folded insert held under tension. As the strip is slid back, the tension is released, and the paper jumps out to form a cube. Designed to be used as DM, a leave-behind, and at events, the output piece focuses on the feeling of surprise and ties it to messaging around finding out more about your plant room.
Another use that we applauded was by a consultancy selling to agencies. A simple letter and a printed copy of a PDF of thought leadership are normally available online only. The letter was well-written, honest, and explained that the thought leadership is written monthly, and they wanted to make sure we’d seen it. With it in your hands, already printed and ready to go, it was easy to read on your next commute. Did we sign up for more? You bet we did. The content was great, and now we receive it digitally every month.
The response curve has changed
Those working in DM in the late 1990s talk about response curves and the need to land a direct mail piece “on the doorstep” at a specific point so that the responses would take effect before a deadline for an event, for example.
These response curves are now longer, with the DM taking longer not only to arrive (although different postal options affect this) but also to be seen. This does not mean they should be written off, but for campaigns with a deadline, such as an event invitation, this should be considered.
Another change: the volume you’re competing with
The other change is the volume you’re competing with. It is easier to stand out when so few B2B marketers are using the technique.
What is stopping you?
For us, DM needs a good idea, specialist direct response copywriting, and knowledge of the form too. An agency like Velo is always keen to help.
We’re particularly impressed with simple Martech tools like Stanmp that allow small-volume letter and postcard campaigns or specialist printers like Create This, who offer template-based formats. Others, like Sendosa, allow you to include your own branded goods too, but these lift the costs of your mail packs often to levels that make it very risky. What is particularly interesting is the ability to use APIs to trigger postal campaigns as part of nurturing. Our experience shows that email plus direct mail gives more impact than one channel alone.
These small, targeted volumes mean the concerns about environmental wastage are minimised too.
DM is back. And we love it. Welcome back, old friend.
