The ability to successfully use data to optimize omnichannel marketing campaigns is something we are proud of at IWCO Direct. Our commitment to achieving reliably better results offers our clients program improvements of up to 50%. That’s why I was excited when I had the opportunity to take a deep dive into the role of data to enhance response rates and Return on Investment (ROI) during the recent Association of National Advertisers (ANA) Data & Direct Marketing Virtual Half-Day Conference, Optimizing Your Data-Driven Direct Marketing Strategy, hosted by American Express.
Speakers at the event shared insights into how they use data to create better marketing results. The thought-provoking case studies included:
- Leveraging data to drive Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and enrich digital experiences for customers and prospects
- Creating an “Audience-First” data-driven marketing strategy to provide relevant content across multiple channels
- Converting information into meaningful insights to guide future campaigns
Direct Mail is a “Must” in Any Data-Driven Marketing Strategy
One of the most interesting presentations for me was by Joseph Boyce, Vice President, Account Director at MRM McCann. His presentation, in partnership with the U.S. Postal Service, examined how privacy regulations are driving the need to transition from third-party cookies as a primary data source to a first-party data collection infrastructure. While Boyce highlighted digital strategies for gathering first-party data—such as adding tracking pixels to your website to track actions taken and sales conversions—and using a customer data platform (CDP) that keeps data anonymous until the user provides consent to access it, the suggestion that resonated most with me was ensuring that direct mail is part of an omnichannel marketing strategy. Boyce noted that 95% of marketers integrate direct mail into their existing digital strategy using marketing automation and CRM tools. He also noted that two-thirds of marketers report better ROI when mail is in the mix and that direct mail shows the best ROI of all channels being used.
My colleague, Bob Rosser, and I made similar points when we presented on “Direct Mail: The Key to Marketing Success” at this year’s National Postal Forum. Not only does the physicality of mail break through the clutter of online ads, combining direct mail with digital channels through a data-driven marketing strategy can enhance results from all channels. When we integrated direct mail with email for a financial services client, it resulted in a 15% lift in direct mail response, while increasing the email open and click-through-rates. For another financial services client, integrating mail with a digital media overlay resulted in a 34% lift in conversion rate, a 12% decrease in cost-per-acquisition (CPA), and a 26% increase in total conversions.
Want to know more about how IWCO Direct’s award winning team uses data to identify the right prospects across channels, create targeted and personalized messaging, and deliver the right message at the right time in the right channel? Contact us.
