Direct mail is a more traditional marketing channel but that doesn’t mean it’s not creative!
There are so many things you can do with direct mail marketing, from playing around with paper choices to using bold, bright imagery. One thing we’re often asked is about finding the best direct mail format or mail type. We’ve got letters, postcards, self-mailers, brochures, etc.
But it all depends on your industry and your goals with direct mail marketing. But we can provide a few pointers along the way! We recently had a webinar where we debuted three new mail formats and shared some best practices for using them in direct mail marketing.
Tyler Dornenburg, VP, Strategic Sales, was our host and was joined by Dave Krawczuk, VP Print and Mail Operations, and Adam Lambright, Director, Print and Mail Operations to discuss these new form factors available with Lob.
This webinar introduced the new mail formats available on the Lob platform.
Recipients are curious about their mail! These new formats are intriguing, offer a multi-sensory experience, and can help with your brand’s storytelling capabilities.
These new form factors also enhance security by keeping potential customer information or communications private and inside, rather than readily available on a postcard.
Krawczuk had many great things to say about these new formats and the experience the recipient has with them. When discussing trifold self-mailers he said, “The trifold mailer gets from the mailbox to the eye much quicker than a letter giving the mail owner the sought-after mail moment that design teams work for. Your message hits them instantly.”
Lambright added when it came time to discuss legal letters that, “Legal simply refers to the size of the paper!” Any industry can use legal letters and they don’t just have to be dry, stuffy documents. He said, “I want to stop that myth right now. Legal letters in the context of direct mail are strategic tools that are used to deliver high-impact messages with authority and urgency. They leverage official-looking formats like Certified Mail or Registered Notices to capture attention and drive action.”
For snap packs, these small but mighty mailers have a lot of applications! Krawczuk told us, “Historically snap packs have been very popular for banks or financial institutions to send secure transactional information to their customer base. But savvy marketers have started to pick up on the advantages of this direct mail format.”
No matter the direct mail format you use, personalization is important so that it speaks directly to the recipient.
Each direct mail campaign has to be tailored so that it’s relevant and timely. Recipients need to understand why this message is for them and why they need to take action. The format you choose just enhances that message and can provide a different type of experience with your brand.
Recommended direct mail marketing resource: The Modern Marketer’s Guide to Personalization
Snap packs are a fraction of the cost of a letter/envelope mailing and still offer a high amount of privacy for the recipient. When it comes to adding new direct mail formats to your toolbox be sure to keep in mind cost-effective solutions that still have high response rates.
Do you want a sensory experience of opening mail but also need to get an important message across? A trifold self-mailer may be an ideal fit. Are you sharing sensitive information and need proof of mailing? A legal letter with Certified Mail delivery is your best bet, but will come at a price.
Balance the needs of your budget, creative design, and ultimate goal or legal requirements of this mailing to find the right (and cost-effective) mail format.
In less than 20 minutes, you can watch the recording to get all the tips and tricks to adding these form factors to your direct mail marketing strategies this year.
Watch the recording: Latest From Lob: Trifolds, Legal Letters, and Snap Packs
We are offering these new mail types at a discounted rate until the end of April 2024. If you know you want to test one of these formats in your direct mail program, contact us so we can get your next direct mail campaign up and running.
