Common questions we hear from our direct mail clients include: How do I know it’s working? What direct mail tracking and accurate attribution methods can I use?
Here are 5 direct mail tracking and attribution methods you can implement to accurately track and attribute results on your next direct mail campaign.
1 | Promotional and Unique Offer Codes
Promo codes are a popular way of attributing sales to your direct mail throughout the campaign.
By including a promo code on your mailer, you can track the sales that result when the code is used during a purchase.
Depending on your offer, this method can help entice prospects to take action. Whether they use the offer code online, via phone, or in-person, you can attribute the sale back to your campaign.
2 | Campaign Specific Phone Numbers
If it makes sense to have your prospects call to complete a purchase, then it may be worth investing in a unique phone number for your direct mail campaign.
Include the unique phone number on the mailer, and attribute sales coming through that line to your direct mail campaign.
3 | Matchback Reports
Matchback reporting is the process of matching untracked sales with your mailing list.
An easy way to create a Matchback report is to match customers from your mailing list with the list of customer conversions made during your campaign.
The report is usually created once the campaign is over. Although this method is easy to do, it doesn’t allow you to track sales in real-time during your direct mail campaign.
4 | Campaign Specific Landing Pages
Most businesses now have a website. You can use your website to attribute results to your direct mail campaign by including a URL or QR code on your mailer directing prospects to a unique page on your website.
Directing prospects to a landing page specific to your direct mail campaign allows you to track prospects online and attribute sales in real time.
5 | Direct Mail Automation Tools
If you don’t have the bandwidth or skills to implement the above methods, there are many tools that can help automate your direct mail tracking and provide detailed attribution.
For example, our Omni Mail service integrates 7 different tracking technologies and provides detailed, real-time reports. These reports are viewed through an online dashboard which tracks;
- mail delivery per piece
- ad impressions
- ad click throughs
- USPS Informed Delivery® email opens
- inbound phone calls to a campaign specific phone number
- website visits from prospects on your mailing list
- anonymous web visitors on your site
- matches mailing addresses to anonymous visitors
Direct Mail Tracking
Direct mail campaigns don’t have to be sent without any hope of attribution. There are now reliable and highly accurate methods of tracking direct mail and attributing results. Direct mail tracking combined with digital technologies can give you a solid direct mail marketing strategy yielding ever improving results.
What are your favorite direct mail tracking and attribution methods?
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