Target audience

5 ways to reach and engage your target audience

What is one of the best ways to connect to potential customers in Germany? Direct mail. But how do you ensure your campaigns truly resonate with your audience? Here are 5 ways to make your direct mail stand out from the crowd.

1. Making mail engaging

The volume of personal mail has decreased over the years. The few letters we still receive in our mailboxes are mostly boring information or bills. Which means consumers actually welcome well designed, eye-catching and well targeted promotions. Direct mail, or dialogue marketing, is making mail interesting again and is a powerful way of persuading consumers to place an order.

2. Creating a physical touch point with customers

Nowadays most marketing messages reach consumers via some kind of screen. But messages are much more powerful on paper, which is one of the key reasons dialogue marketing is so effective: It creates a physical bond between consumer and brand. From the shape and size to the choice of materials and color scheme, dialogue marketing mail campaigns can be customized to create unique designs that demand attention. And once you've got the consumers attention, make the most of it! Create a clear and direct call to action to ensure you get a good response rate.

3. Careful targeting

Improved methods for identifying potential consumers give campaigns more impact by ensuring you target the correct audience with the kind of messages they're really interested in receiving. Always ensure your copy highlights the potential benefits of using your product and allow for cultural differences, particularly if you're targeting the German market. What works in one country will not automatically work in another!

4. Get the timing right

Understanding your target audience is vital and that means knowing when best to contact them. Germany is split into 16 different federal states, they each have distinctive regional cultures and traditions, many also have different school and public holidays. Timing your mailings to reach your audience at the optimum time could make all the difference. For example, did you know that Germans like to receive Direct Mail at the end of the week or at the weekend, so they have time to enjoy reading the information while relaxing at the weekend? This kind of knowledge could make all the difference to the success or failure of your campaign.

5. Define your communication plan

Once you’ve started your campaign, how can you optimize it? Some people order first time, but what about those who don’t? Have you thought about a follow-up message? Data analysis helps you define your communications plan and set up follow-up mailings specifically for your target group based on buying behavior and socio-demographics. Using this information, you can identify the groups most likely to be interested in your promotions and work out how best to target them with follow-up information, too.

Dialogue marketing is a key part of the marketing mix in Germany and as more and more communication and information-sharing moves from the physical to the digital world, there's a renewed opportunity to reach customers with physical mail. By following these tips, you’ll be sure to reach more consumers and send a message that leads to engagements – and that will increase your chances of a good return on investment.