Why print is essential to your customer communication toolkit
As the world becomes more digitally oriented, print communications are often downplayed or overlooked as an effective means of connecting with customers. However, research shows that direct mail has the highest response rate among all communication channels. Print is tactile, personal, and incredibly effective and offers powerful opportunities to foster meaningful connections, build trust, and drive engagement with customers as well as clients.
Adding a physical touch to a rapidly growing digital world
With the overwhelming rise of digital touchpoints, customers are actively seeking tangible, offline experiences. Print communication can help businesses stand out, as it offers emotional and shareable experiences. Customer preferences for print communication have grown particularly as life becomes increasingly screen-heavy. Despite the push for paperless transactions, print remains a preferred choice for many customers. 74% of millennials say that they receive too many emails, and 70% are frustrated by irrelevant emails sent by brands, according to a study by SmarterHQ. Understanding the value of print can help you make a compelling case for its inclusion in your overall business strategy.
Making the most of the 'mail moment'
The "mail moment" is the impact of printed mail on your customers. Offline experiences, making direct mail, print, and trans-promotional marketing pieces valuable tools for creating impactful customer interactions. Printed mail has a higher open rate at 80-90% vs. 20-30% for email and appeals to a wide range of demographics, including Millenials and GenZ, not just older generations, which leads to higher engagement rates. Bottom line: Print communications don't get lost in someone's email.
Balancing online and offline experiences
Meeting customers where they are and engaging with them through various channels according to their preferences is imperative. The challenge lies in identifying and optimizing delivery channels to fit the needs of your audience, whether they are customers, partners, or suppliers, as the term "customer" can encompass many different forms.
Print can play an integral role in your customer engagement strategy when properly planned and executed. Businesses should explore ways to combine marketing efforts, such as inserts or trans-promotional components within transactional documents. Combining these applications makes business sense and can help you leverage printed mail and even guide your customers toward digital channels for further engagement.
Businesses need to ensure they effectively reach their audiences through a well-rounded approach. Utilizing print as well as digital channels enables you to offer your customers a choice of communication methods that meet their specific needs and preferences. Customers expect coordinated and consistent experiences so be sure these communications are well-orchestrated and work together. Ultimately, a well-considered approach to print and mail operations can lead to significant savings in time, labor, and budget.
Direct mail is read more often than email among all age groups, and 71% of all consumers are excited to discover what the mail brings every day. USPS (2021)Take advantage of innovations in print technology
Taking advantage of today's advanced printing technology
Advances in print technology and mail processing equipment are making printed mail more impactful and efficient. The inkjet universe has better inks, substrate capabilities, and throughput, replacing analog and toner-based technologies. This has led to more options in terms of speed, paper sizes, and sheet sizes, making it accessible to a broader range of businesses. Innovations in mail processing equipment, such as folder inserters, help businesses increase productivity by reducing manual processes and enabling staff to complete jobs more quickly.
Automation tools including both hardware and software are accessible to small businesses. It’s not just about completing jobs faster it’s about optimizing team productivity, reducing errors, and mitigating compliance risks. barcodes and closed-loop verification (link). Hardware solutions combined with document automation tools guarantee the integrity and security of printed documents.
Building trust is key
Good experiences breed loyalty. Trust is an important aspect of a customer relationship. Businesses must recognize their customers as individuals and engage in a way that makes them feel understood and supported. By automating your mailing process, you balance personalization and privacy to ensure your customer receives the best experience.
When evaluating which solutions may be right for your business, factors such as company size, industry, budget, staffing situation, and project complexity should be considered. A trusted mailing partner can help you assess your current needs and recommend cost-effective solutions that fit your current business and scale as you grow. With today's technology, creating these tactile experiences can be easy, affordable, and secure.
