5 Interactive Direct Mail Marketing Ideas

5 Interactive Direct Mail Marketing Ideas - pel hughes print marketing new orleans la

Most marketing teams know that even in our digital age, direct mail is still one of the most efficient and effective methods of reaching your consumer base. However, it’s the simplicity and popularity of direct mail marketing that also make it vulnerable to being tossed in the garbage along with credit card applications and cable bills. 

Direct mail that stands out and separates itself from the myriad letters and bills that stuff our mailboxes is the optimal way to ensure your message is read and received. And one of the best ways to do this is to get creative and allow your reader to interact with the message.

Below are 5 ways to enhance your direct mail campaign and bring some interactivity into an otherwise ordinary marketing scheme.     

 

  • Augmented Reality 

 

Right off the bat we’re suggesting something that may seem foreign to most marketers that have stuck to traditional direct mail campaigns. Augmented reality (AR) provides an amazing interactive experience for readers and can be a great way to showcase not only your product, but also the creative and edgy side of your business. 

Check out or HP Reveal or Layar and see just how cool AR can be when used in direct mail.

 

  • 3D Images 

 

Similar to AR, 3D images are a great with to make your message launch out (in a good way) at consumers. By throwing in a pair of 3D glasses, you really spark the interest of your audience and allow them to interact with your mail in a way they may have never done before. 

 

  • Embedded Codes and URLs

 

Adding coupons and the like is an age-old tactic in the world of direct mail marketing. However, you can bring the digital world into this space by embedding QR codes that allow consumers to download coupons, or personalized URLs that allow you to send maps of events or other personalized messages. 

Keep in mind that while URLs can be lengthy, QR codes are a quick way for consumers to point, scan, and obtain information quickly. 

 

  • Creative Cut-outs 

 

This may seem like a throwback to the old school after mentioning AR and 3D images, but the effectiveness of cut-outs is not lost. And here, the more creative you are, the more effective you’ll be in sparking the interest of your audience. 

For example, one company used a wine glass printout on their mail with a cut-out that filled the wine glass as you pulled the top piece up, revealing a message in the glass. This illusion is not only fun to interact with, it also means that the consumer is spending that much more time with your mail.

 

  • Secret Messages 

 

Speaking of illusions, how about a piece of mail that requires your audience to actually perform some sort of act before the message can be revealed? A great example of this comes from our friends in Belgium. 

For World Water Day, a corporation in Belgium wanted to reach their audience and at the same time underscore the importance of water. To do this, they created a piece of mail that could only be read once the reader ran the mail underwater, revealing a secret message. This creative and exciting direct mail campaign not only raised awareness of World Water Day, but it became an overnight sensation on social media. 

So there you have it digital mail marketing teams – 5 of the best ways to get creative and offer some interactivity to your direct mail campaigns. Although direct mail is still king when it comes to advertising, if you can allow your audience to interact and spend more time with your piece, the more effective you’ll be at achieving your end goal.