In an era dominated by digital marketing, home services businesses are discovering a powerful and often overlooked tool to connect with their target audience – direct mail campaigns. This blog explores the diverse range of businesses that can benefit from home services direct mail campaigns and delves into the compelling reasons why they should integrate this traditional method into their modern marketing strategies.
Types of Businesses Benefiting from Direct Mail Campaigns
There is a wide variety of businesses who use direct mail campaigns as part of their marketing strategy. Many businesses, both large and small, use a multi-channel marketing approach, which means they use a blend of on and offline methods for marketing and retargeting clients and prospective customers.
Online businesses such as Amazon, Doordash, and even Google use direct mail in their marketing strategies because it works. In fact, direct mail has the highest customer response rate – that is nearly 10X more than email or social media.
“Direct Mail has the highest customer response rate – nearly 10X that of email marketing or social media.”
Historically, home services companies also do very well with direct mail marketing campaigns. This includes landscaping companies, plumbers, electricians, home improvement companies, roofers, and more.
So, if you have a small business that serves homeowners, here are a few reasons to consider a direct mail campaign.
3 Reasons to Add Direct Mail to Your Marketing Strategy
It Works!
The first (if not the only) reason to do anything is because it works. Direct mail offers a consistent, predictable ROI. And, as already mentioned, it has the highest customer engagement rate in marketing. This is in part because it is tangible and therefore literally interacted with.
Postcard and envelope sizes can vary, creating interest and engagement that online banner ads and sponsored content doesn’t. Email filters and ad opt-outs don’t happen with direct mail, making them less likely to be deleted, scrolled, or glanced past like online ads.
It is Trustworthy
Direct mail has authority because it is recognized as the most legitimate form of marketing. There’s no click bait, viruses, or spam. When done well, it captures attention and builds brand recognition.
Businesses who use direct mail often “cut through the noise” because the homeowner is likely checking their mailbox every day and processing through far less mail than they are filtering and deleting emails in bulk.
It is Relevant
Targeted lists focused on specific neighborhoods or demographics allows for personalization that isn’t available elsewhere. There’s no need for prospects to “opt in” for you to reach them. You can use their name, which increases engagement, and choose pictures from their neighborhood of projects you have done and neighbors you have helped.
This type of personalization matters to homeowners to have social proof from their own neighbors about your skill and service. Complete a project, post a yard sign and do a direct mail campaign to that neighborhood and see referrals come in.
7 Tips for Launching a Successful Direct Mail Campaign
Get Clear on Your Goals
No one can hit a target they can’t see. Know what goal you want to accomplish and align your campaign towards that. This means build a list that will support your goal. Lists can include specific neighborhoods, service areas, new movers, recently purchased, and more.
Align with a Professional Direct Mail Provider
For successful direct mail campaigns, aligning with a professional company is important. Not only can they help with a solid list, they help improve ROI with quality printing, design and distribution. Don’t waste money by cutting corners.
Know Your Audience
Considering your desired outcome(s), pick the audience who will get you there. This is likely homeowners if you are a service provider, but even more specifically, are they older, younger? Are they in their first home or did they just retire? Knowing a bit more about their demographics will help you with your messaging and design to increase relevance and engagement.
Set Your Budget
Once you are clear on your audience and goals, listen to recommendations for budget from your direct mail provider. Use their expertise to help set your budget and adjust accordingly.
If their suggestion is out of your budget, consider the impact on your goals and decide if you want a goal to increase your budget incrementally.
Have a Strong Call to Action
A call to action can be anything you’d like the prospect to do. It can be calling to book an appointment, visiting your website, scanning a QR code or completing a form. A call to action will help you track engagement and also can allow you to retarget or follow up with those interested in your offer.
Be Consistent
Consistency in your brand and in the cadence of your messaging is important. Don’t confuse potential customers, but rather build brand loyalty with consistent colors, fonts, logos and feel. If you decide to do a monthly mailer, stay consistent by setting the year in place with the monthly drip. Set it once and let it run.
Use Tools to Track, Measure, and Adjust
Finally, as with any marketing program, you want to have tracking tools in place from the start to watch for engagement and return on investment. Test what works and what doesn’t and adjust your program to do more of what’s creating an ROI.
About Plumb Marketing
Want to learn more about how a direct mail campaign can help your home service business grow? Look no further than Plumb Marketing. We are your turn-key solution for design, printing and distribution. Contact us to learn more about our programs specifically designed for home service providers. Learn how to drive engagement and start building a consistent, reliable lead generator with positive ROI to grow and reach your goals.
Leave A Comment