Welcome back for the second of our science of activation series, where we build on the science of activation study that Canada Post released, focusing today on Data.

All too often we become too focused on our message. We spend all of our time obsessing over the art and design, writing the offer, and developing the mail piece. And when results come back, we instantly look to the direct mail piece for ways that response could be improved.

Intuitively, this makes sense, since those are the elements of a campaign that can be easily understood and seem most accessible to make changes. However, what is often missed, and is often times far more important than the creative presentation of the piece, is the data.

Who you deliver the offer to and when you deliver it to them, are far more impactful elements than what you deliver to them.

Data relevance is, at its essence, about finding the right people, at the right time, to deliver a message that is relevant to them. Canada Post’s recent neurological study shows that 66% of people will keep mail they consider useful and 47% will visit a store in reaction to a direct mail piece. The data is, therefore, critical to finding those customers when they are most receptive to your message.

Data doesn’t only refer to prospecting – your greatest data asset is typically the customers you already service. Staying in contact with existing customers can often be more important than building new ones. New customers can take a considerable amount of resources to acquire, and can be difficult to keep loyal, which should highlight the value of the customers that you already have.

57% of customers feel more valued when brands contact them via the mail. Subsequently, you should be letting your customers know that you appreciate them. Sending a “thank you” to customers after they have made a large purchase, or keeping in contact to ensure that your name is on their mind when they are ready to make another purchase, is key. Never miss an opportunity to build a relationship with your customers, they are listening and will value you for it.

We hope you enjoyed this second installment, and if you need help in utilizing these strategies in your own direct mail campaigns, I encourage you reach out to us. One of our Canada Post Smart Mail certified client service representatives can help you develop a campaign that is not just eye catching but has the right elements to drive activation.