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When leading direct mail copywriters and direct marketers are asked if websites and landing pages need to be better synced with direct mail campaigns than ever before, the answer is an emphatic, "Yes."
"Not properly syncing the landing page with the direct mail piece or email that brought the prospect there is the No. 1 destroyer of conversion rate," states Bob Bly, copywriter and author. Meanwhile, there's no doubt that synergy among media messages makes the campaign stronger.
Here's how to ensure that connection:
1. Motivate the Prospect to Go from Mail Piece to URL
"To gain full benefit of your media investment, marketers need to integrate their messaging across all channels," asserts Pat Friesen, copywriter. She says that if you're sending out a mailing, you must give those people so inclined a reason to visit your website.
And don't just give them a URL and hope they find what they're looking for. "Be their guide and make it easy for them develop a relationship with you — across all media," continues Friesen. "It's also important to make the multimedia conversation feel as seamless as possible. When there's a disconnect in tone and/or intent, it damages the relationships you're building."
2. Better Manage the Integration
Direct marketer and copywriter Gary Hennerberg says the use of personalized URLs has shown over and over that they increase response. Their future could be that personalized URLs will be the standard.
Before that happens, however, a major obstacle needs to be removed. "It would appear that too many marketers have one set of talent charged with online and a different set of talent dedicated to direct mail, and no one is managing integration," describes Hennerberg, who recommends that the copywriter becomes more involved with the landing page creative.
Indeed, if not handled properly, "both websites and personalized URLs can actually be a barrier to sale when they are not prepared to carry out the original intent of the marketing program," claims Keith Goodman, vice president of corporate solutions for Modern Postcard.
Goodman gives an example of a marketer that's trying to get leads for sales reps, but the website allows prospects to get information that will allow them to make a purchase decision without ever speaking with a sales rep. "If you are going to send somebody to a site, it should be with the specific intent of following the line of the campaign — i.e., buy a product, generate a lead, download a whitepaper," he recommends.
"Not properly syncing the landing page with the direct mail piece or email that brought the prospect there is the No. 1 destroyer of conversion rate," states Bob Bly, copywriter and author. Meanwhile, there's no doubt that synergy among media messages makes the campaign stronger.
Here's how to ensure that connection:
1. Motivate the Prospect to Go from Mail Piece to URL
"To gain full benefit of your media investment, marketers need to integrate their messaging across all channels," asserts Pat Friesen, copywriter. She says that if you're sending out a mailing, you must give those people so inclined a reason to visit your website.
And don't just give them a URL and hope they find what they're looking for. "Be their guide and make it easy for them develop a relationship with you — across all media," continues Friesen. "It's also important to make the multimedia conversation feel as seamless as possible. When there's a disconnect in tone and/or intent, it damages the relationships you're building."
2. Better Manage the Integration
Direct marketer and copywriter Gary Hennerberg says the use of personalized URLs has shown over and over that they increase response. Their future could be that personalized URLs will be the standard.
Before that happens, however, a major obstacle needs to be removed. "It would appear that too many marketers have one set of talent charged with online and a different set of talent dedicated to direct mail, and no one is managing integration," describes Hennerberg, who recommends that the copywriter becomes more involved with the landing page creative.
Indeed, if not handled properly, "both websites and personalized URLs can actually be a barrier to sale when they are not prepared to carry out the original intent of the marketing program," claims Keith Goodman, vice president of corporate solutions for Modern Postcard.
Goodman gives an example of a marketer that's trying to get leads for sales reps, but the website allows prospects to get information that will allow them to make a purchase decision without ever speaking with a sales rep. "If you are going to send somebody to a site, it should be with the specific intent of following the line of the campaign — i.e., buy a product, generate a lead, download a whitepaper," he recommends.
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Secrets of Direct Marketing Testing
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