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Direct approach

Businesses can use technology, data to improve mailings

Businesses can improve their mailings through QR codes and other mobile features.
Businesses can improve their mailings through QR codes and other mobile features.

Direct mail remains a potent force for businesses — especially among tech-savvy younger consumers, Postal Technology International reports in its latest issue.

Three-quarters of consumers between ages 25 and 34 have purchased a product after seeing it advertised through the mail, according to Direct Marketing Association data cited in the report.

The challenge is getting more companies to embrace direct mail — along with innovations that can make mailings more effective.

“The reality is, people who use mail for marketing campaigns are not using the technology that’s available,” Ed Owen, spokesman for the association, tells Postal Technology International.

Businesses can enliven their mailings by adding QR codes that consumers scan with a smartphone to see the company’s website. Other options include augmented reality features that allow consumers to scan a mailpiece to see videos and animation.

The report notes the Postal Service’s efforts to promote these innovations, including offering discounts to businesses that use data and technology to produce better mailings.

Additionally, the report highlights Every Door Direct Mail, the popular service that allows businesses to target consumers based on their location and other demographics.

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