Metrics we Measure

⚡️Unique Website Visits & Telephone Calls: each flyer listed a unique URL with a tailored landing page along with a unique telephone number

⚡️Branded & Direct Traffic: monitor the number of people who arrived at the website directly or via a branded search.

⚡️Offline data: calculate the number of walk-in customers at each of the branch offices of EasyLife.

From Goal to Action

When using flyers as a form of direct mail marketing, it’s important to implement tactical strategies that allow you to track how effective they are.

To ensure that we could receive feedback on any interaction created by the flyers, and therefore measure the value generated, we produced flyers specific to each region in which they were being distributed. Each flyer listed a unique URL with a tailored landing page along with a unique telephone number. All of this together allowed us to accurately evaluate the interactions resulting from the flyers while separately quantifying all other interactions.

In addition we monitored the number of people who arrived at the website directly or via a branded search, because there was a possibility that potential customers might have seen the flyer and searched for ‘EasyLife’. However, we did not see a significant increase in direct or branded traffic during the period that the flyers were spread. Lastly, we also calculated the number of walk-in customers at each of the 12 different branch offices of EasyLife.

⚡️Target different regions with specific flyers

⚡️Create unique URLs, landing pages and telephone numbers

⚡️Compare online and offline efforts to determine which is more profitable

Results

We directed our marketing campaigns towards several different regions but overall we did not see a significantly positive effect on new customer numbers. There was a small increase in clients, but the value of this new business did not justify the cost involved in producing the flyers. Furthermore, there was no considerable difference in effectiveness of the direct mail campaign between the existing regions and the new ones we targeted.

The results proved our original hypothesis to be correct: creating and distributing the flyers was a costly but largely ineffective exercise. They were not generating a high enough response rate and therefore they were not a profitable form of advertising. In turn, the company was able to reduce costs and subsequently realize a higher ROI.

*It should be noted that the EasyLife thesis cannot be generalized for all companies. Although in this case the flyers did not achieve the desired marketing effect, this is not necessarily true for every business. It is also possible that the flyers themselves could have been at fault. For every individual business, market and situation, the results could be different. Which is why it is always essential to test the marketing campaigns in the field and measure the response received.

⚡️Actionable insights

⚡️Increase in ROI

⚡️Better allocation of budget

⚡️Positive impact on the entire business

What’s Next?

Direct mail campaigns may be considered a tried-and-tested advertising tool but their success often depends on the type of business and customer as well as supporting campaigns that run concurrently and help to secure new business. In many cases, they have proven to be effective, but it’s important to measure the results.

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