10 things you need to know about the power of programmatic mail

Entice browsers back to your site. Encourage shoppers to press ‘buy’ on abandoned carts. Re-engage and reactivate lapsed customers. You can do it all with programmatic mail, a powerful marketing tool that combines the ease of automation with the precision of data-driven targeting to deliver personalized direct mail that inspires people to take action.

Here are 10 things you need to understand about the power of programmatic mail:

1. Personalization and relevance

Programmatic mail allows marketers like you to leverage data-driven insights to create highly personalized and relevant mail pieces. By analyzing customer behaviour, preferences and demographics, you can tailor direct mail that resonates with customers and inspires them to take action.

2. Multichannel integration

Programmatic mail seamlessly integrates into a multichannel marketing strategy. Nearly three-quarters of marketers use direct mail with email (72%) and about half use it with paid social (46%) and SMS/MMS text messages (45%)¹. By coordinating direct mail efforts with digital campaigns, you create a cohesive and consistent brand experience that enhances brand recall, customer loyalty and drives results.

3. Data-driven insights

Programmatic mail relies on data analysis to make informed decisions. Did you know that half of marketers (50%) say that incorporating direct mail helps them determine ROI more accurately?² By tracking the effectiveness of different mail pieces, you can attribute results to the proper channel, as well as can gain valuable insights into what resonates with your audience, determine which messages lead to conversions and plan to optimize your campaign for better future results.

Explore the power of programmatic mail in this video:

4. Automated for the people

Programmatic mail automation enhances your marketing by eliminating manual labour, increasing personalization and delivering timely, data-driven insights. When triggered by specific events or customer actions, your direct mail can be sent at the exact moment they have your business on their mind – perhaps after they browse your website, fill (but maybe abandon) an online cart or sign up for a newsletter. It’s no wonder 2 in 5 marketers (40%) are investing in automated, direct mail software.³

5. Land in the right hands

A recent Association of Association of National Advertisers study showed that 21% of digital programmatic ads were landing on junky, made-for-advertising sites – throwing away more than $13 billion on advertising dollars every year.

With programmatic mail, marketers know where their ad dollars are going – down to the address, thanks to precision targeting. At a time when every dollar counts, this focused approach improves efficiency and reduces waste.

6. Tactile impact

Physical mail pieces have a tactile quality that digital messages can’t replicate. People often appreciate the effort and thought that go into well-designed, high-quality direct mail. This tactile impact can create a lasting impression and emotional connection. Your programmatic mail gets noticed, read, saved and often shared – leading to increased engagement.

7. Trust and credibility

In an era of digital distrust and online security concerns, physical mail evokes a sense of trust and credibility. People are more likely to engage with mail that they can physically hold and see, as it feels more genuine and secure. Perhaps that’s why more than half of marketers (58%) allocated more to direct mail in 2023 than in 2022.⁴

8. Niche marketing

For businesses targeting specific niches or industries, programmatic mail can be highly effective. By tailoring your mail to hit unique pain points and needs of a niche audience, you can establish yourself as an expert and build stronger relationships within that community.

9. Brand differentiation

Incorporating programmatic mail into your marketing strategy sets you apart from competitors who rely solely on digital channels. In integrated campaigns, direct mails leads to a 40% increase in response rates and 63% increase in ROI over digital alone.⁵ That’s because this approach showcases a commitment to reaching customers through various means.

10. Proven results

Simply put, programmatic mail campaigns can be extremely effective. In fact, 3 in 4 marketers (74%) say that direct mail delivers the best ROI of any channel available.⁶ But don’t take our word for it – just ask leading brands like Wayfair Canada, Princess Auto, and Barbies Restaurants what programmatic delivered for their customers.