If you’re a financial institution, you already have a clear understanding of the different needs that a business-to-business customer has compared to a business-to-consumer client. However, this distinction doesn’t always translate well to direct mail, and the lines between these two target audiences may blur sometimes.
Creating an effective, impactful direct mail offer for a consumer or a business takes skill and knowledge about your target audience. It’s important to know how your ideal customer will respond to a potential mailer. Here are some important areas to explore for each segment.
B2B Direct Mail Essentials
Business targets for banks are busy and frequently weighing their options from multiple vendors. Because of the demands on their time, it may be more difficult to capture their attention and hold it. In addition, the decision-making process is different in every organization. In some cases, you may need to target a mid-level employee, but in other companies, it could be an executive. This makes it more challenging to pin down the most compelling message for your offer.
Here are a few elements you should consider when creating your next B2B direct mail campaign to help you stand out from competitors:
- Tell Your Story (Differently): While a standard low impact mailer and explanatory documentation about your offer is fundamental, it’s important to go beyond the traditional when it comes to communicating your offer. Opt for a video or audio component as part of your direct mail offer to educate your prospect on your offer. Not only does this engage a different sense, but it also allows you to communicate much more about your brand than a standard mailer can accomplish. Your content can include a short movie, a personal invitation or customer testimonials to really help drive your message.
- Deliver the Unexpected: Your mailer should make a direct appeal to your target customer and give them something they weren’t expecting. It needs to make recipients, who can be C-suite at banks, feel special to be effective. Personalization and the use of added dimensional structure or interactivity can set the tone of your piece and offer making it literally pop!. Oftentimes your piece may be the very first and last impression they have of your company or program; providing something unexpected can radically improve response rates.
- Communicate What Your Customer Experience Will Be:
A truly successful B2B direct mail campaign starts showing recipients what it’s like to be a customer of your company. Demonstrate the customer experience, and reinforce the image of what it’s like to partner with your business by creating a unique experience for recipients through your mailer. Adding interactive elements that entice recipients to explore your entire mailer through openings, pockets, closures, pull-outs and more can engage your recipient into learning more about your offer.
B2C Direct Mail Essentials
On the other end of the spectrum, financial institutions often target consumers. It’s important to remember that you aren’t just competing with other banks, but attempting to command attention from other industries. Most consumers are inundated with marketing messages from different brands every day, which makes it more difficult to stand out.
Here’s what your B2C mailer needs to get noticed:
- Stand Out: With all the other brands trying to gain consumers’ attention, it’s important to present an innovative mailer that immediately catches the eye.
Whether it’s bright colors or a unique shape, standing out is essential for B2C mailers.
- Clarity: Don’t make potential clients search for your offer. It should be immediately clear what the offer is. Don’t cushion it with too much irrelevant text.
- Engaging: Once you have consumers’ attention, you need to be able to keep it. Including interactive elements in your direct mail ensures customers stay interested.
Although B2B and B2C audiences have trigger points, it’s crucial to appeal to them through a direct mail campaign. Teaming up with an experience direct mail supplier that knows the ins and outs of financial services marketing can help your next campaign achieve a high response rate.
Contact JohnsByrne today to learn more about direct mail printing options.
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