Nick is CEO of PFL , where he helps bring the power of hybrid experiences to businesses around the world.
"I don't want to spend money on landfill marketing."
When I finished my hosted direct mail presentation and asked the audience a question or comment, it was not the reaction I expected from the trading room. But that bold statement is a clear signal that marketers (and our customers) are tired of sending out cheap jewelry and marketing materials that don't quite hit the spot.
Garbage goes to landfill. Physical marketing, referred to as "junk" mail, is often the result of poorly designed and poorly executed marketing campaigns. However, I don't think we should shut down an entire channel just because some marketer posts trash.
Offline marketing is a very powerful channel. To make an impact without sacrificing sustainability, marketers need to change the “what we give” mindset. to "What moment do we want to create?"
Sustainability is something we have always valued at PFL. Our company works with renewable energy sources and in addition to using paper from environmentally friendly sources that is fully recyclable, we have joined forces to plant trees in a global area that requires reforestation for every tree our customers grow that uses paper. and paper is used in corrugated products.
Here are five sustainable offline marketing strategies that have helped others achieve their sustainability and delivery goals.
1. Understand the power of moments.
Offline marketing works. Your brand can stand out simply by using the inevitable channels. Physical mail can't be ignored as easily as digital methods, but that doesn't mean your marketing team has to start sending something out to everyone. A big part of sustainability is reducing waste, so slow down your transport. Prioritizing quality over quantity. Create important and rewarding moments. Sending fewer gifts and calling when they are delivered create powerful organized moments. The best part is that the thought costs nothing.
2. Submit the value.
Clarify your value proposition to customers within seconds of seeing your presentation. Marketers must provide immediate and visible value to recipients. Customer service, so share market intelligence, current guidelines or other valuable resources to keep your offerings on the table and not in the trash.
3. Focus on premium products.
If promotional products are part of your strategy, choose a higher quality product that your customers will use rather than sending a cheaper product out to more people. This is another game that puts quality over quantity. By maximizing the value of the products delivered, marketers can build stronger relationships with customers, differentiate their brands in the eyes of customers, and create experiences that are valued, not ignored.
4. Focus on the right people.
Use customer data to benefit your customers and your budget. Instead of sending the same general message to everyone, target customers who are clearly interested in your product or service. Prospect just finished a demo. Keep adding relevant content based on what your sales team learned during the conversation. Providing a roadmap or product guide explaining how to come up with a budget for the products you sell is invaluable. Your attention to detail can be rewarded by retaining prospects and moving through the sales pipeline.
5. Reduce, reuse, recycle.
Focus not only on making your letters more targeted to reduce waste, but also on reusing and recycling products for your direct mail program. Use fully recyclable corrugated paper and cardboard, but remember this is only the beginning. Sending paper content and information from environmentally friendly sources is a great way to add value to your customers and reduce the overall carbon footprint of your direct mail campaigns. Some of the advantages of paper are that it can be made entirely from recycled materials and it often weighs less than promotional items. It can also be folded and shaped into beautiful designs and recycled again.
If your team needs to send out promotional items, consider items like reusable water bottles, lunch boxes, quality backpacks and sustainably grown produce. When you spend a little more on quality products made by companies that share your sustainability values, your gift is more likely to be used or given to those in need.
Green: It's not just a color. This is action.
Reusing, recycling and reducing our dependence on non-renewable materials is the best thing we can do to conserve a valuable environmental resource. Tight budgets, changing trends, ongoing supply chain challenges, a challenging economic climate, and growing public awareness of the environmental impact of mail and direct mail are ongoing challenges for today's marketers.
So for those who don't want to waste money filling out spam, I say don't. There's a better way to make direct mail an integral part of your marketing mix. Modern direct mail, when done carefully, can be sustainable, valuable and effective.
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