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Direct mail budgets set to rise
The new year opens up many exciting opportunities for direct marketers, especially with mail campaigns. As digital promotions increase, so does the importance of mailing campaigns, making proper direct mail marketing a priority for many businesses as the year gets started. Traditional marketing still holds a lot of weight in today's business world because it creates a meaningful connection between brands and customers, but it also makes online promotional activity more personal for buyers. The Internet is a busy and complex place, oftentimes leading many people to the wayside and not allowing them to truly connect with a company they purchase products or services from. But with direct mail, business can bridge that gap.
Marketing in general taking on a bigger role
Direct Marketing News reported that marketing budgets across the country are increasing, with all channels seeing at least a small increase from last year. 2014 won't be an easy year for promotional teams, but if there is more leniency with budgets, departments can take the necessary measures to ensure successful campaigns. For instance, many businesses will be able to invest in address verification software to ensure all of their mail and client contact information is accurate. Sending direct mail to the right customers as well as not producing duplicate mail pieces for the same contact will save the organization money in the long run.
Mail budgets increasing over other marketing platforms
With the economy slowly improving and expected to grow even more in the coming months, companies have many marketing and advertising plans ahead of them. Defining a budget and sticking to it depends on how well they are able to execute their campaigns and keep customers engaged in the brand. This will be especially important for small businesses, which according to marketing forecaster Ad-ology, is a top priority. The Marketing Pilgrim reported that an Ad-ology survey revealed that of the 1,000 small and medium-sized businesses studied, 21 percent said they were planning on increasing budgets for direct mail in 2014. In fact, this was the marketing channel that was most on SMB's minds.
Taking advantage of direct mail marketing
Direct mail is still relevant and an important part of every traditional, multichannel or digital promotional plan. As companies move forward this year, they will have to seriously think about how to utilize mailing campaigns correctly to build their brand images and garner a high return on investment.
The Direct Marketing Club of New York stated that mailings work as long as companies have control over their customer contact information and can organize their campaigns thoroughly. Looking at the schedule, size and budget of the entire campaign will allow organizations to plan accordingly and establish a good foundation for future mailing efforts. But the most important detail for direct mail is the list. If a mailing list does not have accurate contact information on it, businesses need to cleanse it and move forward with only correct data. In order to make budgets more flexible and effective, firms have to do everything on their end to spend less and earn more.
