What Is Direct Mail Printing and Why Is It So Important?

Direct mail is a key part of many companies’ marketing strategies. It’s smart to focus on design and messaging to make your direct mail impactful, but when it comes to physical marketing collateral, you also need to think about printing. 

Direct mail printing is how you turn your marketing strategy into reality.

The Importance of Direct Mail Printing

The right printing solutions can complement your strategy and design to help you realize your vision and make a real impact on your recipients. Direct mail printing is important because direct mail marketing is still an effective—and in many ways, a uniquely effective—marketing channel.

You can make meaningful connections with customers and prospects by sending them postcards, flyers, or other materials straight to their mailboxes at home.

A Recipe for Successful Direct Mail Printing

To make the most of direct mail printing, you should look for ways to optimize quality, cost, efficiency, and personalization. 

1. Quality: Because First Impressions Matter

It isn’t just the words on your direct mail that speak to your brand’s identity. The quality of the mailer itself can also make an impression. A message declaring your brand’s commitment to quality doesn’t mean much if it’s printed in smeared ink on cheap paper! On the flip side, high-quality materials can make your mailers stand out and create positive associations with your brand. 

There are many print media and ink options to choose from, and it doesn’t always make sense to go with the most premium options available. The key is to find the quality level that will help you stay on budget while making a positive impression.

Direct mail printing services that include finishing elements like card attaching or embossing can create something eye-catching and tactilely engaging. You can also make your direct mail stand out and look its best with the right coatings. For example, Baesman uses UV spot coating technology to protect the finish and add a high-gloss aesthetic to direct mail for shoe retailer DSW.

2. Economy: Because Lower Costs Mean Higher ROI

Companies with tight marketing budgets may be inclined to skip direct mail altogether because of the costs involved. But the right printing partner will help you cut costs without cutting corners to stay on budget. 

One way to lower costs is to optimize your postage expenses. Even seemingly small savings can add up. For example, Baesman leveraged co-mingling and Sectional Center Facilities discounts to help clothing retailer Chico’s save $0.02 on the postage for every card, for a total of $500,000 in annual savings. 

Especially with the right cost-controlling tactics, you can enjoy an impressive ROI from direct mail campaigns. In one survey, marketers reported an 18 percent higher likelihood of achieving good or very good ROI when their multichannel campaigns include direct mail.

When considering costs, make sure you have the marketing technology and reporting systems in place to measure ROI. For instance, you can use unique URLs or phone numbers on direct mail so you can track how much awareness—and, eventually, revenue—your direct mail program is yielding.

3. Efficiency: Because There’s No Time to Waste

Direct mail doesn’t offer the same real-time communication you may be used to with digital communication channels. However, when you have efficient printing methods in place, you can quickly turn your designs into reality and start reaching people with your messaging.

Modern printing methods can keep up with high-volume demands while maintaining high speed. For instance, our Komori press can print both sides of a sheet at once, cutting printing time in half. Our UV printing also means inks dry instantly without the need for aqueous coating for protection. Not only does this save time but it also adds to cost savings.

You can also use variable data printing technology to personalize every mailer automatically without any pauses in printing to make changes.

4. Personalization: Because Every Customer Is Unique

Research shows that personalization has a profound impact on the efficacy of direct mail and other marketing channels. It’s no wonder that a third of marketers are now devoting more than half of their budgets to personalization efforts.

Personalization can mean including customers’ names on their direct mail, but it can also go beyond that. You can leverage the customer database you have to include messaging and images that appeal especially to each customer based on their demographics and buying history.

You may think personalization would come into play during strategy and design, but it’s unrealistic to create separate design files for each recipient. That’s why one-to-one and variable data printing are such valuable solutions. This technology allows for personalization at scale.

What to Look for in a Direct Mail Printing Partner

The right direct mail printing partner can help you achieve all the ingredients of success we discussed above and more. For the most productive partnership, look for a partner that offers:

• A proven track record of success with other customers
• Versatile equipment to handle any print job
• The latest print technology to empower efficiency and personalization
• Finishing services to take direct mailers to the next level
• A commitment to speed and efficiency
• Assistance with other aspects of your direct mail campaigns, including:
• Strategy for your campaign
• Customer acquisition marketing
• Mailing logistics and services
• Analytics to track and optimize your campaign’s ROI

Partner with Baesman for Direct Mail Printing Solutions and More

The right direct mail printing solutions can help you make a real impact with your target audience. Baesman offers all the solutions you need, from acquiring mailing lists all the way to helping you save on postage and everything in between. Our printing services can help you create direct mail that is customized and eye-catching so they stand out. 

Want to learn more? Download our eBook, The Customer Experience Just Got More Personal.