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Influencer marketing is a powerful approach that has taken off in recent years. Between 2016 and 2020, this market grew from $1.7 billion to $9.7 billion. By 2021, it soared to $13.8B; in 2022, it's projected to hit $16.4 billion. Based on this growth and the popularity of influencer content on social media platforms, this is one strategy you won't want to miss out on.
Although social media often drives influencer marketing strategies, it's not your only option — and that's what's so beneficial about this marketing tactic. Direct mail can be incorporated into your influencer marketing plan, fueling an optimized omnichannel strategy that converts. Whether your goal is to drive traffic to your site, boost sales, increase brand awareness, or build your subscriber list, you can accomplish all of these things through direct mail marketing and an influencer partnership.
Over the past five years, brands have heavily invested in social influencers across varying channels. There are many opportunities to grow your following through influencers. However, as more companies partner with these highly influential individuals, you need to start thinking outside the box. Data shows that 93% of marketers have used influencer marketing, and spending will continue to increase into 2023.
How do you stand out? More importantly, how do you get the biggest bang for your marketing buck?
The key is solidifying a great partnership and incorporating that influencer into several online and offline channels. On average, businesses are making $5.20 for every $1 spent on influencer marketing — yet the top businesses are making $18+. Those achieving the highest ROI understand what channels to focus on and why.
Instagram dominates as the most impactful channel, followed by YouTube and Facebook. And then there's direct mail.
Most marketers wouldn't consider incorporating direct mail into their influencer marketing strategy. However, when considering the goals of such campaigns, leveraging the power of direct mail makes sense. Whether your goal is to reach new audiences, increase brand awareness, generate sales, improve brand advocacy, or drive lead generation, direct mail marketing initiatives can help. When combined with other channels, the impact is even greater.
For example, say you’re running a contest with an influencer, you can use all of your marketing channels to drive traffic to the entry form in a staggered and strategic approach. Perhaps you start with a postcard featuring your influencer partner that tells your top customers to save the date (when the contest opens for entries) and the postcard includes a QR code that takes them to a sneak peek landing page that will redirect on the day the contest goes live.
Then, you do a countdown series on social media announcing the contest and getting people hyped to submit entries. Finally, on the day of, you can send emails for immediate action. You could then follow up with another postcard with a personalized thank you message from the influencer and maybe a discount or promotional offer for their next purchase if they didn’t win the contest.
You could apply the same principles to an influencer partnership featuring exclusive content, a webinar or social media live, an in-person event or conference, or even the launch of a new product line that the influencer is involved in. The great thing with using direct mail in your influencer marketing strategy is that has a stickiness to it, as your target audience will be more likely to hold onto the mailer or tack it to the fridge, than some digital channels that require the audience's immediate attention.
Direct mail is a game-changer to many brands, with 67% of marketers saying it delivers the best ROI of any channel.
Intelligent, automated mail at scale is revolutionizing direct mail marketing, making it an integral component of any campaign — but how does it relate to influencer marketing?
Although this relationship may seem complex, it's no different than your efforts online. Securing a partnership that makes sense for your brand is the tricky part. Leveraging that partnership effectively is easy when you have clear objectives and the right tools to help you achieve your short- and long-term goals. For example, you can easily personalize and customize mail with an automated direct mail platform like Lob.
This channel allows you to add a physical touchpoint, targeting those who will connect with the influencers you secure. For example, if your target audience is environmentally conscious, you could send eco-conscious mailers featuring an inspiring sustainable influencer's message.
Everything you can do online can be achieved via intelligent mail. For example, direct mail marketing today is measurable, allowing you to track your efforts. Tracking links or QR codes are both great options. Like social media, you can also target your audience more than once. Trigger-based direct mail marketing tactics are incredibly powerful. They allow you to connect with new customers, reach out to shoppers who abandoned their carts, achieve higher customer retention rates through renewal triggers, and much more.
The most important takeaway is that you don't need to choose one over the other when thinking about direct mail and influencer marketing. These two approaches can work harmoniously alongside social media, email, and other online campaigns.
Think about the earliest "influencer marketing" examples. Celebrity endorsements have been on TV and in print for decades. The difference today is that this trend has gone digital. It's no longer a matter of direct mail vs. online advertising. It's more important than ever to create localized, highly personalized messaging delivered on channels where your audience is most engaged.
For this reason, 10,000+ companies trust Lob to ignite the possibilities of direct mail.
Have a picture of an influencer using your product? Put it on a postcard. Sending out your direct mail campaign as effortlessly as email. Want to send a holiday greeting card that includes an influencer and specific brand messaging? Not a problem. These templates will give you a head start on any project.
Are you ready to discover the power of direct mail and how it can supercharge your influencer marketing ROI? Connect with a Lob expert today!
