With user-friendly websites, digital retail tools, and lots of information on the internet, it’s never been easier to shop for a car online. Customers can do all their research, take a virtual test drive, and even agree to terms and financing all from the comfort of their own homes.
So, how do you reach these tech-forward online consumers? Believe it or not, a well-designed direct mail marketing campaign from Epsilon Individual Automotive can do wonders when it comes to increasing your sales numbers. In this blog, we’ll examine five of the ways that direct mail marketing boosts online car sales.
DIRECTS PEOPLE TO YOUR WEBSITE
Direct mail is one of the best ways to guide people from your marketing materials to your website. A simple postcard or letter can be used to pique someone’s interest and get them scrolling through your online inventory in seconds.
A great way to do that is by including quality content and smartphone-compatible technology in your mailers. Some tools you can add to your mailers that’ll get your audience to explore your inventory include:
- QR codes
- Personalized URLs (PURLs)
- Creative calls to action (CTAs)
After the last few years, practically everyone is familiar with QR codes, as well as other interactive methods for pulling up a website. Tools like QR codes and PURLs can be quickly scanned to take people to any page or offer that you want to direct your audience to.
Meanwhile, a strong call to action helps the reader know what to do in order to claim the enticing offer you’ve included or just stay up to date on your business.
Epsilon Individual Automotive specializes in building quality marketing mailers around these simple tools and engaging content so you can see a boost in your online car sales. We even have our own in-house production facility, which allows you to see how we’ll be printing your QR code or PURL before it gets mailed out.
INCREASES AUDIENCE AWARENESS
So, why does direct mail have such a good return on investment (ROI) anyway? One reason might be because of how effective it is at increasing awareness. It reaches your target audience and provides them with information on everything from who you are to what you have to offer. By simply getting the word out, direct mail can help your business:
- Build brand awareness
- Tell people about specific sales and offers
- Showcase new models and services
- Invite leads and long-time customers to sign up for an email list or follow you on social media
Epsilon Individual Automotive has both the tools and experience to reach your target audience and make them more aware of your inventory, offers, and online shopping tools.
GETS MORE EYES ON YOUR OFFERS
Another advantage of direct mail is that once your mailers arrive, they have a better chance of being opened than emails. That’s because email fatigue is a reality for many working professionals. We receive so many emails every day that it’s easy for something to get lost in the shuffle or end up in your spam folder.
While inboxes receive more emails than a person can possibly handle, mailboxes only get a few pieces of mail each day. Plus, mail is tangible. All these features make direct mail more likely to be opened and read. That’s not just speculation, either. The numbers back it up:
- Up to 90 percent of mail gets opened
- Only 20 to 30 percent of emails are ever opened
- 42.2 percent of direct mail recipients read or scan their mail
On the flipside, think about how often you scroll through your email. If you’re like most people, you gloss over promotional emails and delete them later. Similarly, sponsored social media posts are also easy to ignore, making direct mail the most reliable way to reach your audience.
RECEIVES A MORE FAVORABLE RESPONSE
Another way direct mail holds its own against more cutting-edge marketing is by being more desirable. Not only will more people see your message than if you rely solely on emails, but they’ll also welcome it.
Seeing an envelope or a package addressed to you is exciting. In some ways, it’s like getting a present. It has your name on it, and you have to open it to see what’s inside. That combination of personalization and anticipation is yet another reason for direct mail’s high ROI. Being able to physically hold mail, and taking the action of opening it, makes it feel more real than an email ever could. Just look at how much people enjoy getting something in the mail:
- 41 percent of Americans look forward to checking their mail
- 73 percent of consumers prefer for brands to contact them through the mail
Along the same lines, direct mail marketing is perceived to be better than unwanted emails or calls. Everyone receives spam calls and emails, but nobody enjoys dealing with them. Direct mail not only gets a warmer reception, but it also gives you a great opportunity to ask people if they want to opt into receiving emails.
CREATES EASIER CONVERSIONS
Getting people to agree to receive emails and calls from you is where direct mail really separates itself. While nobody likes being spammed, direct mail gives people a choice. It lets them decide if they want to opt in to regularly receiving offers on sales, services, and new models.
From there, you can nurture those leads by sending information, exclusive offers, or just well wishes until they become customers. Once they do, keep in touch with them and send additional offers further down the line. Committing to a direct mail marketing campaign and customer relationship management (CRM) allows you to establish a longstanding relationship with online consumers.
HELPS ADJUST YOUR STRATEGY
Believe it or not, direct mail is also extremely easy to track. Since you can choose whether they want to redeem your offer or subscribe, we can see what’s effective and what’s not. With our advanced data solutions and analytics, Epsilon Individual Automotive will help you tweak your campaign to be even more effective in the future.
MAKE DIRECT MAIL A PART OF YOUR ONLINE STRATEGY
Now that you have a better idea of how direct mail marketing boosts online car sales, let the team at Epsilon Individual Automotive help you get your mailers into the mailboxes of your target audience.
Our team is always ready to put together targeted mailing lists, including tools that drive engagement, and we can help you track data that will help you nurture leads for long-term success. Contact us to learn more or to get started today!
