4 Great Direct Mail Welcome Ideas

Can direct mail make a red-hot customer even hotter? That’s just one question some marketers may want to think about when acquiring a customer. They’ve paid their heard-earned money for your product or service, but why not get that new relationship off on the right foot with a solid welcome package? There are some solid reasons for doing so. A direct mail welcome package can be one of the first few communications that your customer gets after getting an email confirmation of their order. It’s your chance to shine, to let them know that they’ve made the right decision. And it’s only polite to express your thanks, and put it in print. So how can you say "Welcome"? I looked at a ton of mail from Who’s Mailing What! for some ideas. Here’s a sampling of what I found. 1. Make It Personal Here’s a direct mail piece I got when I bought my laptop. A simple 6”x8” 8-page booklet that has some personalization going on, and a nice image on the front panel. Inside, it welcomes me to the Dell family and recommends that I keep the booklet in a safe place in case the information it holds is ever needed. What information? My purchase ID number is the big one. It also lists lots of tech support and customer service websites and phone numbers. Some of them came in handy when I spilled iced tea on my keyboard last summer. 2. Remind Them About Your Brand The New York Times likes booklets, too, mailing this one to a new subscriber. Its 24-pages include lots of copy about all of its online and print features as it helps readers along “your journey.” And, the perfed inside back cover smartly has customer service contact info in case you lose your access, or your Sunday Times doesn’t show up on your doorstep. But the highlight to me are the images – of refugees, food, and dolphins – that appear on many of the even-numbered pages. They’re a great reminder to the reader of the quality photography that helps the Times tells its stories on paper and online. 3. Talk About Security Think of how data and identity security are constantly in the news. You need to make your new customer feel safe. So it makes sense not only to take precautions, but tell your customers what you’re doing to keep them and their information secure. American Express onboards new cardholders with yes, another booklet. Here, it includes fraud alert protection in a rundown of features that are available in its app. 4. Take Further Action So you’ve already thanked your customer for their purchase. Now what? How about another purchase? This is the perfect opportunity to cross-sell or upsell other products or related services as well. For non-profits, the direct mail welcome is a great time to really energize new donors when they’re most engaged and enthusiastic. The National Audubon Society, in its documentation, presents new members with an action plan “so that you can make the most of your ongoing membership.” Among the checked items: volunteering at an Audubon center, participating in citizen science programs, or making another donation. You have nothing to lose by letting a new customer feel good about their decision, and spending their money with you. By starting with a good welcome, you can help create a good experience for them, build a foundation for their future loyalty, and establish your brand at the same time.

Direct Mail Marketing

4 Great Direct Mail Welcome Ideas

Paul Bobnak

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Paul Bobnak