How COVID-19 Has Impacted Direct Mail
If social restrictions are getting to you, you’re not alone. (They’re definitely getting to me.)
The USPS recently surveyed 1,004 people across the country to assess current temperaments and attitudes surrounding mail. Here’s a summary of the results:When asked how the pandemic has affected their wellbeing,
67% of respondents felt more isolated
65% felt more distant from people
53% felt more anxious
38% felt less in control of their situation
Further, 65% of respondents reported that receiving cards from friends or family would uplift their spirits, while 62% agreed that receiving a card or letter in the mail would make them feel more connected during social distancing.
It might seem like a ridiculous concept – how could a piece of mail have such a profound impact on one’s mood?But think about it. While it depends on numerous factors (e.g. where people live, what social restrictions are in place, what people do for a living, etc.), millions of people have been missing in-person human contact for months.
While direct mail is still alive and well, it pales in comparison to the prevalence and frequency of emails. Around 269 billion emails are sent on any given day versus the USPS’s delivery of 472.1 million pieces of mail each day. In other words, personal mail is special. It takes additional effort to write and deliver.
It also has the potential to establish a deeper connection.
In a world that’s lacking the usual amount of human interaction, it’s not a bad time to use direct mail to connect with your customers.
Three Direct Mail Ideas during Challenging Times
I want to highlight three critical ingredients of a successful direct mail campaign during the ongoing pandemic and evolving work from home guidance.
Value
Specifically, helping people save money. In a recessionary environment, people are naturally anxious about their finances. Anything that can help your customers save money (and then some) will ultimately provide a lot of intrinsic value. If you’re in the B2B space, focus on improving your customers’ ROI. It’s more important than ever.
Empathy
There’s a difference between selling and communicating. While that’s not a massive trade secret, it’s easy to forget – especially if you’re focused on revitalizing your own business. Focus on your customers’ perspectives.
The pandemic exacerbated existing pain points and introduced new ones for many people. Keep these in mind when you connect and empathize with your customers.
Safety
Peace of mind and physical wellbeing are even higher priorities than usual. If your business can offer digital services or delivery conveniences that limit in-person interactions, do it. Explore new avenues that place safety above all else.
How Sepire Can Help
While present technology certainly makes remote work more feasible than it was 15 years ago, it can’t totally replace in-person functions and capabilities. That’s especially true for marketing and communications.
We want to help companies not only regain their footing but also revamp their operations.
Sepire’s CompliChain technology helps companies maintain their secure communication efforts in a remote work environment. Regardless of where you’re working from these days, Sepire’s internal Job Manager application allows users to create and manage ongoing projects – while delivering real-time analytics.If you’re curious about our services or technology, let’s talk.