What Is Trigger-Based Direct Mail Marketing?

If you’re looking to increase conversions and boost sales, now is the time to explore triggered direct mail

One of the best things about direct-mail marketing today is the ability to personalize correspondence using actual data gathered from customers. As a matter of fact, all aspects of the marketing funnel can be improved by using customer data to gain valuable insight into your consumers’ behavior. From generating leads to rewarding loyal customers, companies can make standard marketing functions much more impactful with the ability to customize and time communications just right. 

Trigger-based direct-mail marketing is a prime example of a data-backed approach that can help businesses craft the right messages to the right customers at the right time.

What is trigger-based direct-mail marketing?

Trigger-based direct-mail marketing allows companies to create an integrated marketing approach by using data collected from their customers’ behavior to then engage with them offline. Direct mail already garners a much higher response rate than other marketing channels, and triggered direct mail can drive conversions even higher through the process of sending timely, personalized communication to people who have already expressed an interest in your brand.

What are some impactful direct-mail triggers?

1. Cart-abandonment trigger

Trigger-based direct-mail marketing is an effective way to engage with current leads and customers who have visited your website, put items in their shopping cart, but then left without making a purchase.

This behavior is called “cart abandonment,” and it is an effective trigger for direct-mail campaigns. Once a customer abandons their cart, the trigger is prompted, and a direct-mail piece is sent encouraging them to revisit their cart and purchase the items left behind.

Studies have found that as many as 65% of online shoppers abandon their carts, according to the Data & Marketing Association, but triggered direct mail can be effective in bringing them back. A postcard with a discount code, and maybe even a free-shipping offer, might be too tempting for the shopper to pass up.

2. New-customer trigger

Because people feel more emotionally connected to mail than they do to digital marketing, direct-mail marketing results in a much stronger recall in comparison. Therefore, direct mail is an excellent channel to send more-personal communications, and an initial customer purchase makes an excellent trigger for a thank-you note or a signed letter from an influential person within your company.

3. Renewal-reminder trigger

Given that it is 5-25 times more expensive to generate a new customer than it is to retain an existing one, customer retention should be an important part of any marketing strategy. When it comes time for your customers to renew a subscription or re-up a plan, send them a triggered direct-mail piece relaying your appreciation for their loyalty, perhaps with a discount for the next purchase.

4. Meeting-confirmation trigger

Getting people to sign up for a meeting or webinar is only half the battle. The trick is getting those people to actually attend the event. Inboxes get cluttered, and email reminders usually get lost in the digital shuffle, but a direct-mail reminder can greatly increase your chances for high attendance. So, when someone submits an RSVP for a meeting or a webinar, send out a triggered reminder or confirmation postcard to help keep you and their commitment top-of-mind.

Offline triggers as powerful lead generators

The key to generating leads through trigger-based direct-mail marketing is identifying behaviors that would indicate a potential interest in your brand or category. For example, if a real estate company wanted to launch a lead-generation campaign via trigger-based direct mail, they could target recent college graduates or newly married couples. Once those leads are identified, the real estate company could craft personalized congratulatory messages along with an offer to use their services.

Some other examples of behavioral triggers that could indicate a unique interest in your offering include expecting or having a child, new movers, recently purchased an auto, and many more. If your product can be marketed based on a lifestyle change then triggers should be an important component to your lead-gen strategy.

Trigger-based direct-mail marketing is an effective and efficient way to engage with current leads and customers, and also a proven strategy for expanding your reach and increasing your direct-mail leads. Just be sure to design your strategy using your customer personas and purchase data to help you discover the best triggers for your company.

If you need help generating direct-mail triggers, drop us a line, and we’ll help you integrate direct mail into your marketing strategy.