It is time for Tracking!
With all the excitement of creating and deploying a direct marketing campaign, back end analysis too often falls by the wayside and is forgotten about. And while the incoming business and respondents to the initial campaign are valuable, tracking and analyzing the response to a direct marketing campaign provides priceless feedback and insight for that the marketer can use to optimize not only the current promotion, but also future campaigns and marketing efforts.
3 Simple steps to Campaign Optimization
There is a basic "formula" to successfully testing and evaluating a campaign:
- Establish elements to be tested, and prioritize the how they will be tested, as well as how the result will be measured. Consider what constitutes success and failure of each element.
- Construct appropriate methods of tracking and measuring the results.
- Continually evaluate the findings, and implement new strategies for future marketing efforts based on the results of previous campaigns.
Step 1: Establish and Prioritize Test Elements, Evaluation Materials, and Metrics
This is arguable the most important step of the process. Not only is it important to decide what elements are to be tested, but also in what order. Creative, offer, response device, and media selection are all important factors to consider testing, but testing too many elements at once can lead to cloudy results, so it is usually necessary create a control piece, and test one or two factors with each new marketing effort.
- Based on the objectives of the campaign, tracking and measurement needs are addressed with front end information (ie: calls and clicks) as well as back end analysis (ie: sales, conversion, and revenue) considered.
- Creating a sample results report can also be helpful at this point. In addition to creating realistic expectations and assisting in automation of reporting, it can also help preempt any technical difficulties that may arise once the campaign is in progress.
Step 2: Implement the appropriate tracking mechanisms to Measure response
This is where the fun begins. Once clear objectives for the campaign have been established, it is time to consider the best tactics for achieving these results. It is important to consider the capabilities of each platform, how customers react, the limitations of each method, where response will be directed, and how this will affect the overall outcome of the campaign. Some of my favorite add-ons for tracking direct mail are:
- · Unique (800) numbers for live inbound call tracking and recording
- · Bar Codes for mail tracking
- · PURLS
- · Synergy VX PURL and Landing pages
- · Customer Codes
- · Coupon Codes
Step 3: Pay Attention, and make changes.
Tracking helps optimize campaigns to increase call volume, reduce cost per response, and generate a more positive return on investment (ROI)- if the marketer is smart enough to use the valuable insight gained. This simple step is often forgotten. In order for the additional time, effort, and cost of tracking a mail campaign worthwhile, it is necessary to make the changes the results indicate, to eventually increase ROI, and reducing cost per response. If people seem to drop off a PURL after the second landing page, then maybe redesign the landing page to increase “stickiness” or perhaps the target areas that best respond.
Sending a direct mail campaign can feel arbitrary without the proper tools in which to measure response. However, by implementing small simple changes, and being aware of the customers response makes direct mail one of the most targetable, and effective ways to generate leads, and communicate with customers.
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