When someone says “retargeting,” many people tend to think of digital ads used to entice a customer or prospect back to a marketer’s website after they visited without making a purchase. But did you know that retargeting can be done with direct mail, too?
Say a 30-something trail runner lands on the webpage of a retailer selling outdoor gear. She is looking for a new pair of shoes for a race coming up in a few months. She looks at several pairs, but before she can make a purchase, she gets pulled away to help her kids with homework. She never gets back to her search.
Now imagine she goes to the mailbox a few days later—and lo and behold! A postcard featuring the pairs of shoes she spent the most time looking at, along with a coupon for 10% off. Imagine the effect!
When we think about retargeting channels, we tend to think of banner ads and pop-up ads in social media newsfeeds. However, today’s consumers have come to expect that type of retargeting and often tune out all but the most enticing offers. With the explosion in ad blocking software, some may not see retargeted ads at all. That is where direct mail becomes so powerful. Direct mail can get through where digital advertising cannot.
Website-to-direct-mail retargeting does require some level of opt-in, such as a shopper having previously given the retailer permission to contact them (e.g, they are an existing customer) or by filling out enough of an online form to provide the necessary information.
Does retargeting work? One commonly cited statistic is that, when marketers use this approach, 26% of online shoppers who did not complete the checkout process come back and make a purchase. Retargeting takes a few extra steps, but with numbers like that, it is worth the effort. Especially for high-value products like insurance, financial services, and real estate.
Want help creating a direct mail retargeting campaign? Let’s talk about whether it makes sense for you.