Boost your B2B sales with effective direct mail

Business-to-business (B2B) marketing can benefit from direct mail campaigns, converting the highly relevant accounts on your list into clients. To do so, you must employ innovative customer engagement tactics that grab attention and deliver the results you’re looking for.

Why is B2B direct mail thriving?

Offline marketing strategies work in a digital-first world because they offer clients a tangible and personalised asset that online advertising can’t. When combined with digital platforms for a multi-channel approach, targeted mail campaigns can be particularly effective.

A significant proportion of marketers in the UK use direct mail solutions, with the UK Data and Marketing Association (DMA) putting the response rate at 4.4 per cent. This is higher than email, demonstrating how print marketing strategies can be successful.

Current industry trends towards data-driven targeting, personalisation and advanced analytics are ensuring corporate mailing strategies are cutting through the digital clutter. This enables B2B direct mail campaigns to reach the right demographic in the right area and encourage them to take immediate action.

How direct mail brings value to a B2B marketing strategy

Potential benefits that direct mail can bring to a broader B2B marketing strategy include:

Less noise and competition than online marketing

Even when the desired next action is for the recipient to interact with your business online, engaging with a decision maker in a tangible manner in the first instance can make all the difference.

The potential to personalise your mailings

Adding a layer of personalisation to your communications can lead to stronger trust, higher levels of engagement and high-quality lead generation.

Improved perceptions of your brand

Research shows 87 per cent of direct mail recipients think it’s believable, 70 per cent feel appreciated and a further 70 per cent have a better opinion of the company that sent it.

Measurable ROI

Incorporating elements like unique URLs and discount codes into your direct mailing campaigns can help you track engagement, performance and returns.

Longevity

Physical marketing materials are likely to be kept and remain visible for longer than digital alternatives like emails and social media posts, contributing to brand awareness.

We can help build your B2B direct mail campaign

We help businesses create effective direct mail strategies, guiding them through the process from start to finish. This makes direct mail marketing for B2B run more smoothly, relying on our expertise and experience at every stage.

Personalisation and expertise

Personalised direct mail increases engagement, response rates and conversion rates, but it can be difficult to get right. We can help you personalise greetings and tailor offers to ensure each recipient receives their own unique experience.

Variable data printing means you can dynamically change a whole host of elements based on specific customer data. This opens up the possibilities in terms of making potential clients feel like their mail is speaking directly to them.

Complete fulfilment

Direct mail is more than just printed material. In many cases it requires folding, collating, bundling, polywrapping and packaging. Sometimes we can automate this to help keep costs down and on other occasions, innovative B2B marketing tactics require hand fulfilment.

We’re able to accommodate both options, advising on print specifications, size and volume right from the start. Sourcing your fulfilment options in the same place as your direct mail printing streamlines the process, making everything work for you.

Call-to-action (CTA) best practices

Direct mail ROI can depend on the strength of the CTA, as this marketing device signposts potential clients on to the next step companies are expecting them to take. Even an engaging campaign can miss the mark if the CTA isn’t strong enough.

CTA best practices include:

Clear messaging
Integration with digital marketing
Use emotive and active language
Incorporate design features for maximum impact

Examples of real-life B2B direct mail campaigns

Looking at examples of B2B direct mail campaigns that have been effective in the past can be a good place to see what’s possible. Some ideas are ingenious in their simplicity, while others use more complex formats and creative designs to deliver the message.

Digital Dave, O2

B2B telecom service provider O2 sent a holographic sales rep out in the mail to its most promising accounts. It was in response to clients complaining that businesses in the industry didn’t offer good customer service.

The personalised scripts and creativity of the interactive mailer made the message all the more memorable. Of the 50 accounts sent a Digital Dave holographic sales rep, ten responded within the first week.

Mini toolbox, Topline

The B2B video production company topline also decided to focus on the top 50 accounts on its list with its mini toolbox direct mail campaign. The pliers were removed from each kit that was sent out, reinforcing the message that the business was the missing piece from their toolkit.

Costing just £400 to produce, the campaign generated more than £50,000 in revenue. It demonstrates how innovation in direct mail marketing can lead to 12,400 per cent ROI.

How to address common pain points in B2B direct mail

There are many areas businesses may be concerned about when including direct mail in their multi-channel B2B marketing, but with the right partner they can be overcome. For example:

High costs can be reduced by securing the lowest postage rates based on size and volume. Planning this properly from the beginning means there’ll be no surprises further down the line.
Concerns over response rates can be beaten by stacking the odds in your favour. That means using accurate data to influence decisions, tweaking campaigns based on previous results and conducting A/B testing.
Targeting issues are often the result of not carrying out data cleansing or proper audience segmentation prior to sending your direct mail.

The future of B2B direct mail

Direct mail is set to continue being an important part of multichannel marketing campaigns. To keep it relevant, companies must ensure they’re embracing the trends in the industry that help to drive results. These include hyper-personalisation, using sustainable materials and integrating with technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR).

When direct mail is the first touchpoint in B2B marketing, there are so many possibilities to connect with other channels. The more creative ideas can be just as effective as campaigns with big budgets, because direct mail enables clients a sense of connection.

B2B direct mail FAQs

Can B2B direct mail be targeted?

Segments can be created for B2B direct mail campaigns based on company size, industry, revenue, location, decision-making roles, pain points, buying behaviour and customer lifecycle stage.

What costs are involved in a B2B direct mail campaign?

Design and development
Mailing list acquisition
Printing and postage

Is direct mail relevant in the digital age?

Direct mail is the perfect partner to digital marketing efforts and can act as a tangible gateway to engaging audiences with a multiplatform campaign.

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