When companies focus on only email, social, or display advertising to cultivate positive relationships with their customers, they ignore the one channel that works best — physical mail.
Companies are focusing on customer experience and the customer journey, and more are working on creating a single customer view, but their efforts don't always include mailed communications.
Customers are really good at ignoring digital messages from companies. They are bombarded with electronic communications and recognize them as mass-produced, automated efforts to promote a brand. Consumers rate digital messaging as low-value, and yet, many organisations continue to rely on these low-impact communication channels to care for a precious asset — their customer relationships.
The Journey Continues After Purchase
Many organisations already have an established connection with their customers via standard mail. Monthly bills, account statements, or other regular communications are consistent customer interactions. Yes, these transactional documents have a core business purpose, but thinking of them as an obligation, rather than an opportunity, would be in error. These documents are opened and read every month by the vast majority of customers. What better place to include content that nurtures customer relationships or increases loyalty?
Organisations spend enormous effort and money to attract new customers, and part of that effort might include direct mail. Marketers know mail is effective in promoting brand awareness, and how physical mail is a key factor in advancing prospects through the various phases of the buying process. But once they become customers, the focus of printed communication often shifts to an operational emphasis and mail is not used as much to nurture those new relationships.
Developing Relationships Electronically Is Tough
Admittedly I receive way too many emails and I don’t read most of them. A good part of the time I spend with my inbox is dedicated to unsubscribing from lists or routing incoming messages to folders I rarely open.
But I open and inspect every piece of physical mail that comes to my letterbox or desk. If a brand wants my attention, they are wasting their time with digital efforts. Mail is where they have the best chance of reaching me.
Transactional Documents Can Do More
The technology available today in digital printing and document composition software makes it easy to turn those utilitarian bills and statements into conduits for content that enriches the customer experience. The communications can serve several purposes connected to the customer journey:
Make on-statement messages even more effective by delivering them at opportune times, such as on birthdays or age milestones, when seasonally appropriate, as warranties expire, or on product purchase anniversaries.
Customer journeys start over whenever customers have an unmet need, which can happen after they’ve already purchased a product or service. Use data and technology to add relevant and personalised promotional or informational content to transactional documents delivered through postal mail to ensure the company manages the customer journey. Don’t rely on digital messages to shoulder the burden alone.
BKT can help you customise your brand marketing so you can improve ROI and increase customer loyalty. Contact our client services team for help on your next project.
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