The German marketing magazine One to One recently published an article about the importance of postal addresses and their relevance for some industries. The magazine interviewed several address providers to gain insights into the industries their customers come from and how they use direct mail marketing.
All interviewees agree that address data is the important basis to bridge offline and online marketing. The article goes on to say that direct mail is still a relevant marketing channel used to enhance customer relations and generate new customers.
“Professional data management is the basis of a successful marketing campaign. Cut costs and save image—sending mail to dead people is not really helpful for your image,” says Ulrich Schober of Schober Information Group.
Local Marketing Builds Bridges
Marketing aims to connect people with products, services or experiences that they desire or need to have. Often, it must involve going somewhere nearby: to change the tires on the car, to have a dental check-up, to do a work-out at a gym, to enjoy a meal out at a restaurant with friends.
In local marketing, factors like convenience, proximity and accessibility may strongly influence what people choose to do and where to go. Geomarketing addresses these factors directly so that marketers can take advantage of them when location matters to people.
- 72% of consumers who did a local search visited a store within five miles. (WordStream, 2016)
- 30% of mobile searches are related to a location. (Google, 2016)
- 28% of searches for something nearby result in a purchase. (Google, 2016)
- Local searches lead 50% of mobile visitors to visit stores within one day. (Google, 2014)
- 78% of local-mobile searches result in offline purchases. (Search Engine Land, 2014)
Direct mail for local marketing has several distinct advantages.
It makes use of the local audience’s postal addresses. Hidden within these is vital geodata that enables marketers to leverage the all-important geographical connection between people and the places they want to promote.
Direct mail gets attention. Over half of households read the direct mail they receive. Over three-quarters of people, across all generations, trust direct mail. And even if someone doesn’t immediately need or desire the product or service being advertised, direct mail is far more likely to remembered, saved for later or shared with someone else.
And because printed mail can be highly personalized, geomarketing affords the possibility of speaking to people as individuals, recognizing their unique situations and addressing their particular questions in relation to the opportunity on offer.
True Personalization isn’t Possible without Location Data
Factual CMO Brian Czarny told GeoMarketing, “While many may have initially viewed location as a targeting tool, our research shows that marketers are using it in innovative ways, for personalization, audience engagement, strategic decision-making and beyond.”
In conclusion, intelligent multichannel campaigns that are aligned with the customer journey pave the way to the future of successful direct marketing. A direct mail piece can appear more valuable and credible in its address than an online ad. This follows from the physical form of the mailing and the various forms of personalization that are possible in print.
Consumers are more inclined to buy a product when the experience is tailored to their preferences — but true personalization isn’t possible without location data. They’re also now accustomed to a personalized experience, and many consumers become frustrated when a marketing interaction is impersonal and doesn’t reflect their preferences. Location-based marketing helps make this happen.
