(West Florida) In a time when companies are increasingly turning their advertising efforts toward the online world and social media, Advice Solutions is pleased to report that a good old-fashioned direct mail campaign (using actual postcards and the US postal service) is still an effective way to reach customers and boost sales.
The Sarasota-based advertising agency recently completed a targeted direct mail promotion for Morton’s Gourmet Market. Designed to draw customers into Morton’s Southside Village store after the completion of the Osprey Bridge construction project, the postcard included a 20% discount coupon to be used off a customer’s entire grocery purchase. Nearly 5,000 postcards were mailed to residents and businesses in select zip codes. At last count, 395 coupons had been redeemed, representing an impressive return rate of 8% and a whopping 38% ROI for the client.
According to the US Direct Marketing Association, the average response rate for a direct mail campaign is 3.7%, while the typical response rate for an internet display ad is just 0.2%. Likewise, the average ROI for direct mail campaigns is between 15-17%.
“We are pleased that Morton’s saw such a good return on their investment,” said Linda Gross, owner of Advice Solutions. “We give credit to the attractiveness of the offer, the great reputation of Morton’s in the community, the creativity that went into designing the coupon, and the careful selection of the target audience. We also took the additional step of supporting the direct mail campaign with ads in local print media to increase awareness that the store was open and the construction traffic was gone. We are firm believers in using different media formats and multiple uses to cross-promote an advertising message and increase overall brand awareness.”
Other statistics support the effectiveness of direct mail campaigns. According to industry experts, increasingly savvy customers are blocking sales messages from their email accounts, and 41% of seniors over age 65 do not use the internet at all. Research shows that customers are up to 20% more likely to act on a direct mail offer as compared to an email offer.
“Based on the overwhelming success of this direct mail campaign, we certainly expect to be doing more of them in the future,” said Gross. “This is not to say that direct mail is the only way to go. We recommend our clients use as many advertising mediums as their budgets will allow, with the primary focus being those media outlets that provide the most effective reach of their target market.”
About Advice Solutions
Based in Lakewood Ranch, Advice Solutions is a full-service advertising agency that provides marketing and advertising strategies, press relations, business solutions, event planning, community promotions and public relations. The award-winning agency was founded in 1998 by owner Linda Gross, whose résumé includes two decades of marketing experience and multiple national ad campaigns. Advice prides itself on the creativity of its team members, its timely response to client needs, and its ability to form successful and long-term collaborative relationship with clients large and small. In addition to its work with builders and developers, Advice provides service for clients of all categories, including legal, retail and non-profit.
