Content Marketing: What Is It and Does It Apply to Direct Mail?

Content marketing is adding text (content) to your website that will help generate sales and/or leads. Here are a few FAQs on the whys and hows of synergizing content with direct mail.

Q: What’s the difference between marketing content and plain content?

Plain content is simply information about your company and its products. Marketing content seeks to engage the visitor, create a loyal following and motivate prospects to take action.

Q: What are some ways of content marketing?

Keep people interested, informed and on site with:

• A blog (like the one you’re reading now)

• How-to articles, tips and/or videos related to your products

• Stories about the company’s history, mission or community service

• Public participation through contests, hashtag campaigns, and invitations to post photos/comments

Q: What does this have to do with direct mail?

When the mailpiece’s call-to-action directs prospects to your website, you can:

• Increase both the quantity and quality of the leads obtained

• Capture more information about those leads for future marketing efforts

• Bring them into your store and online

Q: Won’t sending mail recipients to the website delay or decrease response?

Prospects who don’t need any further convincing can go ahead and call or email you immediately. For those still on the fence, the site’s content allows them to self-select (saving you the time and effort): either they’ll decide to do business with you, or that you are not suited to their needs.

Q: Why should direct mail recipients bother going to the website?

Many people will research your site as part of their due diligence whether you ask them to or not. But you can also offer some incentives, such as:

• A landing page or URL created for the direct mail campaign

• A reward for “signing up” (i.e. giving you their information)

• Additional content tailored for the campaign or individual recipient

When all channels of your marketing strategy are integrated, each one extends the impact of the others, giving you a better return on your investment. And that’s the best reason of all to get your direct mail and online content working together.